What is your biggest Concern w/ Equinox EV?

2667 Views 74 Replies 20 Participants Last post by EVolution, 11 d ago

Evan1

Discussion Starter · 1 mo ago (Edited)

See Poll.

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Steverino

· #61 · 20 d ago

p7wang said:
That's where the ability to later make it battery swap capable (Ample) is so critical to old EVs. For this reason, I would not worry about old Leafs and Bolts.

I'm a bit confused on what Ample (Ample - Electric Cars for Everyone.) is claiming.

Are they saying A) I can just drive my Volt or Bolt into their station and it will somehow swap out my battery? Or are they B) actually trying to sell GM on using Ample batteries instead of those coming from the 4 GM battery plants? Or, C Am I supposed to get my car retrofitted by Ample someplace?

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Evan1

Discussion Starter · #62 · 20 d ago

Steverino said:
I'm a bit confused on what Ample (Ample - Electric Cars for Everyone.) is claiming.

Are they saying A) I can just drive my Volt or Bolt into their station and it will somehow swap out my battery? Or are they B) actually trying to sell GM on using Ample batteries instead of those coming from the 4 GM battery plants? Or, C Am I supposed to get my car retrofitted by Ample someplace?

I believe Fisker just signed a deal with Ample but not sure which market(s) it will be available in. It is a removal and replacement system.

Ample can easily work with any EV design. It can act as a drop-in replacement for the original battery design. We have already integrated into many existing platforms by working closely with automakers. The process of getting a new car on the Ample platform takes 2-3 months. Your EV can still support the original battery since the same vehicle design can support both offerings.

Ample - Electric Cars for Everyone.

Ample is a new energy delivery solution for electric vehicles. It uses Modular Battery Swapping to deliver 100% charge to any EV in a few minutes.

ample.com

It is a good solution until batteries can store more energy.

Steverino

· #63 · 20 d ago

Evan1 said:
Ample can easily work with any EV design. It can act as a drop-in replacement for the original battery design. We have already integrated into many existing platforms by working closely with automakers. The process of getting a new car on the Ample platform takes 2-3 months. Your EV can still support the original battery since the same vehicle design can support both offerings.

This explains very little. How would it work with a Volt? A Hummer? A Bolt? The claim is "easily" with no details, technical or otherwise.

p7wang

· #64 · 20 d ago (Edited)

Steverino said:
I'm a bit confused on what Ample (Ample - Electric Cars for Everyone.) is claiming.

Are they saying A) I can just drive my Volt or Bolt into their station and it will somehow swap out my battery? Or are they B) actually trying to sell GM on using Ample batteries instead of those coming from the 4 GM battery plants? Or, C Am I supposed to get my car retrofitted by Ample someplace?

You would have to get an adapter from Ample installed if they offer it. Most demo Leaf because it is most popular at the time. I think I saw video before of Bolt too... I will post them when I find it again. Here's CNBC story on battery swap. There is a double benefit on the Leaf compared to other EVs because Lead lack of battery active cooling and battery swap where it is charged external to the EV and at a slower rate solves that problem.

GM paid the dealers a lot of money for the recall battery swap labor. If GM had put Ample battery on Bolts, it would be as simple as going to a swap station and getting a new pack.

BTW, there are companies that even do battery swap for big rigs.

Evan1

Discussion Starter · #65 · 20 d ago

Steverino said:
This explains very little. How would it work with a Volt? A Hummer? A Bolt? The claim is "easily" with no details, technical or otherwise.

I found an article on Carscoops that might explain it in better detail:

www.carscoops.com

Ample Moves Closer To 5-Minute EV Battery Swaps As The Future Of Charging Up | Carscoops

The station itself is also easy to set up as either a single unit or as multiple bays

www.carscoops.com

MaybeFutureBuyer

· #66 · 20 d ago (Edited)

AK2023 said:
Every month brings some new improvement in battery research. For those worried about battery life (rightfully so, TBH) need to realize that if the battery is warranteed and now many companies (LG Chem and others) bringing manufacturing stateside, the cost of replacement or repairs should hopefully come down compared to today's $$. The interesting aspect is in ICE, an owner could be blamed for bad gas in the car. Now the same person cannot be blamed for "bad electricity". If one is blamed for surges, heck your circuitry didn't handle it. Bad charging habits, maybe. So follow the guidelines for sure, like not trying to top off charge at every minute you stop.

The key word is "research". Sodium, calcium, graphite, and all sorts of solid states are constantly on the news, but that's like the "is this the new cure for Alzheimer's?" Articles. They publish them for clicks. It's been 13 years since the first modern EV, and while the chemistry changed a little, it's all lithium based, and nothing is solid state (even though I've been hearing about solid state for at least 5 years now)... So I'm not worried about that.

as for longevity, I see where ICE is going (start-stop, cylinder deactivation, tiny engines with 3 cylinders and a turbo, etc), and I can guarantee you these won't last as long as the atmospheric 2L+ engines lasted. That's one of the reasons I'm still considering the EQ EV, even though I'm disappointed with the lack of Android Auto and Apple Carplay. And it's not like ICE vehicles aren't doing everything a subscription, they do. So my only option is keeping my car for at long as I can (13 years and counting) and give up at a later time, because I'm going to lose this war anyway. I'll just try to lose it to the best deal out there, which as of now, is the EQ EV. But I'm not sure I'm getting one in 2024 anymore, might hold with that for 2026-2027, depending on how long my car will let me drive it.

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p7wang

· #67 · 20 d ago

MaybeFutureBuyer said:
The key word is "research". Sodium, calcium, graphite, and all sorts of solid states are constantly on the news, but that's like the "is this the new cure for Alzheimer's?" Articles. They publish them for clicks. It's been 13 years since the first modern EV, and while the chemistry changed a little, it's all lithium based, and nothing is solid state (even though I've been hearing about solid state for at least 5 years now)... So I'm not worried about that.

as for longevity, I see where ICE is going (start-stop, cylinder deactivation, tiny engines with 3 cylinders and a turbo, etc), and I can guarantee you these won't last as long as the atmospheric 2L+ engines lasted. That's one of the reasons I'm still considering the EQ EV, even though I'm disappointed with the lack of Android Auto and Apple Carplay. And it's not like ICE vehicles aren't doing everything a subscription, they do. So my only option is keeping my car for at long as I can (13 years and counting) and give up at a later time, because I'm going to lose this way anyway. I'll just try to lose it to the best deal out there, which as of now, is the EQ EV. But I'm not sure I'm getting one in 2024 anymore, might hold with that for 2026-2027, depending on how long my car will let me drive it.

1 word, Aftermarket.

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Steverino

· #68 · 20 d ago

p7wang said:
GM paid the dealers a lot of money for the recall battery swap labor. If GM had put Ample battery on Bolts, it would be as simple as going to a swap station and getting a new pack.

Hmmm, this seems more like someone looking for investors. How does the mileage compare to what the car has? How does the thermal cooling work? How does it integrate with the car's electronics?

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MaybeFutureBuyer

· #69 · 19 d ago (Edited)

p7wang said:
1 word, Aftermarket.

Yes, I though about that (but with a 13" version). That's why I might get the 1LT instead of the 2LT, because it has a smaller screen, so I'll have more room to mount the aftermarket one. Another problem is there's almost no room to mount it as is, because the EQ EV screen is sticking up from the dash already. But that's okay, I'll have 8 years to figure it out. By then, there will be either a piracy hack into the subscription, or an aftermarket heads up display with Android auto.

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p7wang

· #70 · 19 d ago

MaybeFutureBuyer said:
Yes, I though about that (but with a 13" version). That's why I might get the 1LT instead of the 2LT, because it has a smaller screen, so I'll have more room to mount the aftermarket one. Another problem is there's almost no room to mount it as is, because the EQ EV screen is sticking up from the dash already. But that's okay, I'll have 8 years to figure it out. By then, there will be either a piracy hack into the subscription, or an aftermarket heads up display with Android auto.

There are also versions that go over the rear view mirror now. As the manufacturers provide more reason for people to buy those things, the more options we will have. LOL

MaybeFutureBuyer

· #71 · 19 d ago

p7wang said:
There are also versions that go over the rear view mirror now. As the manufacturers provide more reason for people to buy those things, the more options we will have. LOL

Yep, I'm sure options will be plenty in 8 years (when the free subscription runs out).

Over the rear view is a little too small for me, so I didn't consider this option. An aftermarket HUD Android sounds the best to me.

p7wang

· #72 · 18 d ago

Even better, repurpose an old android tablet with Headunit Reloaded Emulator, $4.99!

https://www.slashgear.com/1155587/how-to-use-any-android-tablet-as-an-android-auto-car-head-unit/

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MaybeFutureBuyer

· #73 · 18 d ago

p7wang said:
Even better, repurpose an old android tablet with Headunit Reloaded Emulator, $4.99!

https://www.slashgear.com/1155587/how-to-use-any-android-tablet-as-an-android-auto-car-head-unit/

My only problem with these solutions is that the steering wheel buttons will not work, but I'll get over it. Thank you.

Roscoe74693

· #74 · 12 d ago

I still would like to see the charging curve for the Equinox EV. Why has GM been dragging their feet on proving this since Recharge times are even more important than range! Also, I’m really hoping Mary Barbra realizes the charging world has now changed since Ford did the deal with Tesla on the Superchargers. Will the Equinox have this optional format as well? I hope so.

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EVolution

· #75 · 11 d ago

Roscoe74693 said:
I still would like to see the charging curve for the Equinox EV. Why has GM been dragging their feet on proving this since Recharge times are even more important than range! Also, I’m really hoping Mary Barbra realizes the charging world has now changed since Ford did the deal with Tesla on the Superchargers. Will the Equinox have this optional format as well? I hope so.

They are a bit too far along the rabbit hole to make that change is my guess.

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