Vectrix Range very simple

Mik,

Your worst range is just a bit over 23 miles, which is about the MOST I would ever run on an typical average work day, so I'm glad you posted that. I just got my "Work Horse", so with only a couple of days on the road, I have no idea what highs or lows to expect, but you have reconfirmed my initial mindset that I live and work in the perfect "box" that these machines were designed for.

Incidently, this morning I watched my estimated mileage go from 35 (home) to 24 (work), then to 17 (little side trip several miles up a long winding hill) to 105! (coasted all the way back down the hill ;-) That was funny!

I was actually scoping out a location where I could safely and reasonably do a few deep discharges, without getting stuck pushing the bike for help. I can coast it all the way from this hill to my work. :-)

In my experience I consider my Vectrix to be very reliable for 30 miles (48 km). This is with a mixture of city and high speed riding at times. Many accelerations and plenty of regen braking. I have never driven mine to empty and I have a big steep hill at the end of my trip. So I never really get to 40 miles on a single charge. I try to plan my routes so that I always have a few bars before that final hill.

If I didn't have that final hill to worry about, I think I could get 40 miles per charge out of my Vectrix. Luckily nearby there is a free Park & Ride garage owned by the local bus system and I can recharge at the bottom of my hill in an emergency. 15 minutes of emergency recharging is enough to safely get me home up that hill.

If I am doing a lot more highway miles at full speed, my expectation is for 20-25 miles so I won't do a cross town trip unless I know I have a recharging point at my destination.

Our highways around here have some inclines and declines. Nothing steep, but it is deadly on battery range to have an incline while doing full Vectrix speed.

Oakland, CA.

Economy Style avg = 44 miles at mixed speeds of 25-35mph. Gentle acceleration and about 95% of braking via regen.
Sport Style avg = 30 miles with most of it on the highway at 50-60mph (speed varies with Bay Area traffic). Lots of max. acceleration.

Best Range ever = 48 miles. Long local trip at 15-30mph. Gentle acceleration and 100% of braking via regen.
Worst range ever = 26 miles. Mostly highway at 62mpg plus a long hill climb. Aggressive driving and fast regen/disc brake stops.

[quote}I hope the silence is not due to embarrassment....Mr. Mik[/quote]

Well, with only 20 days on the V so far, I really have no experience to speak from, but so far, my only TWO full-to-empty days were 27.5 miles. She actually went 29 today, but the last mile and a half was just putting around the driveway at a crawl speed to finish up the "deep discharge".

So, that's two out of the recommended five deep discharges that are done, and since I'm off tomorrow and walking (pushing) won't make me late for work, I'll probably do number three tomorrow just for giggles.

I will be surprised if my actual "real world" range ever gets much over 27 to 30 miles, as my daily commute includes some significant hills and several stretches of 55 plus miles per hour (90-100 km), and a hand full of take offs. Since my whole day will usually fit into one single charge, I prefer to ride the bike WITH traffic, and not worry so much about conserving battery juice. If my range actually GETS to a predictable 30 miles, I'll have the occasional bonus of doing TWO DAYS on one charge. Every day I DON'T charge it is an extra day of battery and charger life! :-)

I got mine Oct 2007 I ran it 36 miles my full discharges when I got it most of that over 55 mph
My low was 26 mile of mix most 50 mph . that is the only time I have run it out and that was after my battery recall . and the guages/ charger was not sinked . since that I have not gone under 6 bars. that is a day like today . with no traffic
23 miles , with about 14 mile over 60 mph 7 miles over 50 mph . The Vectrix works great for me , my average trip to work is 20 mile of mix (10 miles over 55 mph) on one half bars . I can tell when my tires are low it will be under half the bar and just over half when there full.

Not simple , but thats what I get.

Happy riding , Herb

As far as I know this would have the opposite effect - it would shorten the life of a NiMH battery to deep cycle it frequently.

Mr. Mik

You may be right. I think that's the key to the longevity of the Prius power pack. It never runs totally down, and probably never gets fully charged.

I'm about to be called any moment now by Trevor of Vectrix UK to do my try ride. (quite excited)

Anyway, I agree with Mr Mik, reading about the battery charging etc. I always heard that to top up rechageable batteries wherever possible is the way to go.

Enter the toothbrush........What?

Bear with me, I have had a Braun electric toothbrush for 12 years. It's powered by a Nickle Metal Hydride battery, of course, a very very small one but still.

Well it has had a charge every 2 days or so for 12 years. It will run for about a week to get to a "deep discharge."

My point is this, it seems that if batteries are charged, little and often they do seem to last for a good long time. My regular charging of NiMh AA/AAA with an intelligent charger seems to bear this out too.

I know that many owners may probably have to consume 75%+ of the battery pack every day, it looks like I may have to with my journey anyway, so regular charging may not be possible.

If my work car park will allow charging I shall be charging at home and at work (12 miles each way) based on my experience with charging mobile phones, AAs and of course my trusty Braun toothbrush. I do expect however that even though 10-15 years is the projected life span of the battery pack, I wouldn't think that there would be much range out of it then.

I don't think it would give the same range as when new then suddenly die, unless one of the cells failed of course. All things being even, it must be that you'd just get less and less range and hopefully with the battery indicator, a good warning of this "wearing out of the battery pack.

Rgds

Simon

P.S. Off for my 1st electric spin now. :-)

Oh my, that was fun, I've put a deposit down!!! :-)

Oh my, that was fun, I've put a deposit down!!! :-)

Well....We KNEW that was coming! HAHA!! :-) Congrats! :-)

Hi, I met Trevor and did my test ride about 4 weeks before I got the bike. I assume you are down south?

You will love the bike - I have been riding petrol motorcycles for 12 years, I was laughing all the way down the road on my test ride at how wierd the vectrix is in comparison. If you like the experience as much as I did, your mind will probably be made up on return to base

HAHA! That predictable huh Moccasin?

Hi Undead, yes, I'm in South London.

I've not grinned so much for ages, being stopped at traffic lights was strange, I kept looking for the starter button as the "engine" wasn't running.

Simon

Thats exactly what I did at roundabouts / traffic lights hehe!

I always thought nothing would happen when I twisted the throttle to pull away!

Yes Undead, a slight panic as every strand of your being says, "I don't know why you're twisting the throttle, nothing's going to happen, and cars behing will toot their horns, and you'll look like an incompetant." Oh oh oh, but how relieving to have it not only move, but pull away with vigor!

So I presume it's normal to have other motorcyclists alongside at the lights, look you up and down with a puzzled look as if thinking "Idiot, he's stalled and doesn't realise."

Simon