One major obstacle on the road to widespread acceptance of electric cars is reliability. Electric cars are still relatively new ground, and anybody who has ever gotten a cellphone wet or left a laptop in a car during a hot summer day (guilty on both counts) knows that electronics are very sensitive to the elements. Apparently, they are also sensitive to potholes.
One of the “lucky” few who were given an Electric Mini to test out—the founder of GM-Volt.com found out just how sensitive when the Mini came to a dead stop in a construction zone after hitting one such pothole.
It should be noted that these are prototype cars, not production ready models, so some kind of failure was pretty much anticipated. When Lyle over at GM-Volt.com hit a pothole though, the power electronics unit failed (for the second time), popping his car into neutral and preventing any kind of motorized motion.
He made it the first 5,000 miles of his car’s life without any major issues, but having the power electronics unit fail is a pretty big deal, and underscores the importance of extended and rigorous testing of electric cars. It’s important to get it right the first time; an initial failure can doom a product for the rest of its existence.
This is especially crucial in extreme climates like the hot and dry Southwest or the damp Northwest. Although lithium-ion batteries have done a great deal to improve extreme temperature performance, electric cars and hybrids are still affected in cold climates where their battery life is shortened and MPG ratings are lessened. There is a greater drain on the electronics due to having the heat on, road resistance from snow and slush etc. Who likes to drive in a cold car? The same could be said for air conditioning; it may not directly impact miles per gallon, but draining all that electricity will surely shorten your overall range.
If electric cars don’t deliver as promised, or worse, leave their owners stranded in an extreme climate on a consistent basis, it could provoke a very negative response from early adopters.
Electric cars also need to take care of a lot more sensitive equipment than current conventional automobiles. Yes, it is true, cars are more computerized now than ever, but the basic premise of internal combustion remains unchanged. You pretty much have to pour water down the intake of a combustion engine to ruin it. How will an electric car react to a prolonged rainy season? Will leaving your ride in the hot sun for six hours fry the delicate electronics?
These are all questions that need answering sooner rather than later. But this is why they have prototypes and testing, after all. I just know if my car ever crapped out after hitting a pothole, I’d be a lot less gracious than Lyle! Oh, and if you’re asking “What does this have to do with the Volt?”—Lyle contacted a GM rep about what kind of testing they are doing on the Volt. The short answer; a lot. From climbing mountains to extended driving, GM is putting the Volt through the wringer. So make sure you check out his post at GM-Volt.
Source: GM-Volt | The Truth About Cars
PDF 
About Christopher DeMorro
While the dream of plugging your car in and having it recharge at night while you sleep or being able to drive cross country, stopping at battery swap terminals may be the ideal, issues such as the effect of heat and cold on electronics will be an issue. I worked R&D in electronics for a number of years and electronic components work much better in the cold than the hot. Unfortunately, batteries, to a certain extent, work better in the heat than in the cold – but not necessarily the heat of Tuscon in the summer.
Not particularly wanting to be stranded in either situation, I believe that current technology will be best served by the continued usage of a backup power source, like the Prius of Ford Fusion. The waste heat of the engine can be used to warm the batteries in cold and the engine can power air conditioning or heat sinks for the electronics in the heat.
While the dream of plugging your car in and having it recharge at night while you sleep or being able to drive cross country, stopping at battery swap terminals may be the ideal, issues such as the effect of heat and cold on electronics will be an issue. I worked R&D in electronics for a number of years and electronic components work much better in the cold than the hot. Unfortunately, batteries, to a certain extent, work better in the heat than in the cold – but not necessarily the heat of Tuscon in the summer.
Not particularly wanting to be stranded in either situation, I believe that current technology will be best served by the continued usage of a backup power source, like the Prius of Ford Fusion. The waste heat of the engine can be used to warm the batteries in cold and the engine can power air conditioning or heat sinks for the electronics in the heat.
Doesn’t anyone question the integrity of this incident as the driver (whom just happen to get a Mini for testing) runs a Volt forum? I would say that just one instance is not bad (if it is truly the case). I have owned new vehicles that have left me stranded for a myriad of reasons and the Mini is looking good to me. I would surely purchase the Mini over the Volt just for quality control reasons alone.
Doesn’t anyone question the integrity of this incident as the driver (whom just happen to get a Mini for testing) runs a Volt forum? I would say that just one instance is not bad (if it is truly the case). I have owned new vehicles that have left me stranded for a myriad of reasons and the Mini is looking good to me. I would surely purchase the Mini over the Volt just for quality control reasons alone.
I suppose I should have included this in my post (duh) but this is not an isolated problem. There seem to be plenty of problems with the battery charging module as well, for example;
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/mini-e-talk-2010/170179-mini-e-problems-issues.html
http://mini-e.blogspot.com/
You can Google Mini-E problems and lots of stuff come up, but again, this IS a prototype car…it is designed to be tested and in all likelihood, break.
I suppose I should have included this in my post (duh) but this is not an isolated problem. There seem to be plenty of problems with the battery charging module as well, for example;
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/mini-e-talk-2010/170179-mini-e-problems-issues.html
http://mini-e.blogspot.com/
You can Google Mini-E problems and lots of stuff come up, but again, this IS a prototype car…it is designed to be tested and in all likelihood, break.
I love the Mini! After pulling into work, I stick in my pocket and walk into the office.
I love the Mini! After pulling into work, I stick in my pocket and walk into the office.
Sorry – Left out the “it”…
Sorry – Left out the “it”…
In the Boy Scouts you would be the one who “pisses” on the campfire! “If electric cars don’t deliver as promised, or worse, leave their owners stranded in an extreme climate on a consistent basis, it could provoke a very negative response from early adopters.”
I don’t know who pays you for writing these articles, but they should ask for their money back. It is evident your intent is to put “fear” and “doubt” into the minds of anyone intending to buy an electric car. I can only surmise you are employed by BIG OIL in doing so.
In the Boy Scouts you would be the one who “pisses” on the campfire! “If electric cars don’t deliver as promised, or worse, leave their owners stranded in an extreme climate on a consistent basis, it could provoke a very negative response from early adopters.”
I don’t know who pays you for writing these articles, but they should ask for their money back. It is evident your intent is to put “fear” and “doubt” into the minds of anyone intending to buy an electric car. I can only surmise you are employed by BIG OIL in doing so.
Having driven well over 100k miles of pure battery electric driving in the past 10 years (a leased 1999 Honda EV+ and a owned 2002 Toyota RAV4EV) I have never been shut down by a pot hole or any road condition. I don’t think that either of these reports have any merit as to anything to do with the inherit reliability of an electric car. Both of those vehicles are essentially hand built prototypes.
Having driven well over 100k miles of pure battery electric driving in the past 10 years (a leased 1999 Honda EV+ and a owned 2002 Toyota RAV4EV) I have never been shut down by a pot hole or any road condition. I don’t think that either of these reports have any merit as to anything to do with the inherit reliability of an electric car. Both of those vehicles are essentially hand built prototypes.
Any more stories like this and I’m going to unsubscribe.
Are you going to write up every minor fault report found on another blog as “Electric car durability in question”?
There is an entire industry employing 10s of millions of mechanics to fix ICE cars that break down… I’d hardly call a fault with a plug in an EV worthy of mention, let alone some trashy tabloid like traffic generating headline!
Any more stories like this and I’m going to unsubscribe.
Are you going to write up every minor fault report found on another blog as “Electric car durability in question”?
There is an entire industry employing 10s of millions of mechanics to fix ICE cars that break down… I’d hardly call a fault with a plug in an EV worthy of mention, let alone some trashy tabloid like traffic generating headline!
electric cars do not need very complex electrics. All they need is power control unit. I think hybrids have to have more complex electrics because it need to control the ice engine and electric motor.
electric cars do not need very complex electrics. All they need is power control unit. I think hybrids have to have more complex electrics because it need to control the ice engine and electric motor.
Sorry, but I think a bit of skepticism is healthy and important to ensuring that whatever electric cars DO make it to market are not garbage. Hitting a pot hole and having your car cut out on you is a pretty big deal to me. You’d think it is something the engineers would have taken consideration, and as I’ve shown in my previous comment, it isn’t an isolated incident.
Ya’ll are too sensitive sometimes.
Sorry, but I think a bit of skepticism is healthy and important to ensuring that whatever electric cars DO make it to market are not garbage. Hitting a pot hole and having your car cut out on you is a pretty big deal to me. You’d think it is something the engineers would have taken consideration, and as I’ve shown in my previous comment, it isn’t an isolated incident.
Ya’ll are too sensitive sometimes.
To Michael’s point: It really doesn’t matter how simple or complex the electronics in an electric or hybrid are. The point is that any transistor junction can only sustain a certain temperature before going into thermal runaway and then failing. The way around that is to cool the junction. That can be done by a number of methods: heat pipes, heat sinks, air flow or liquid coolant.
The conditions that will cause failure in either technology are the same. Their will be a greater chance of failure when you have a greater number of components. But when you subject the components to extremes, they are going to fail. Stressing components by running them up to a near failure, will, over time, guarantee a failure at some point in the future.
The real issue is whether or not the failure conditions can be controlled. They likely can be controlled; however, I am willing to bet that it is easier to control them in a hybrid vehicle than in a purely electric vehicle (see my first post). Any technology purporting to be the “know-all to end-all” will need to operate pretty flawlessly. I have owned several ICE powered vehicles in my lifetime and the only one that ever left my stranded was a second-hand Gremlin that had been neglected and sitting for a couple years before I started driving it.
To Michael’s point: It really doesn’t matter how simple or complex the electronics in an electric or hybrid are. The point is that any transistor junction can only sustain a certain temperature before going into thermal runaway and then failing. The way around that is to cool the junction. That can be done by a number of methods: heat pipes, heat sinks, air flow or liquid coolant.
The conditions that will cause failure in either technology are the same. Their will be a greater chance of failure when you have a greater number of components. But when you subject the components to extremes, they are going to fail. Stressing components by running them up to a near failure, will, over time, guarantee a failure at some point in the future.
The real issue is whether or not the failure conditions can be controlled. They likely can be controlled; however, I am willing to bet that it is easier to control them in a hybrid vehicle than in a purely electric vehicle (see my first post). Any technology purporting to be the “know-all to end-all” will need to operate pretty flawlessly. I have owned several ICE powered vehicles in my lifetime and the only one that ever left my stranded was a second-hand Gremlin that had been neglected and sitting for a couple years before I started driving it.
This is a PRO EV blog, don’t act all surprized when you get a negative reception to a negative story.
Here’s the sort of PR your story has generated
http://www.mlive.com/mudpuppy/index.ssf/2009/11/still_want_one_electric_car_hi.html
“bit of Skepticism” ??? You’re being IGNORANT. More ignorance feeds more ignorance… publisizing every minor fault of the 100 or so actual test EVs on the road is ANTI EV.
This is a PRO EV blog, don’t act all surprized when you get a negative reception to a negative story.
Here’s the sort of PR your story has generated
http://www.mlive.com/mudpuppy/index.ssf/2009/11/still_want_one_electric_car_hi.html
“bit of Skepticism” ??? You’re being IGNORANT. More ignorance feeds more ignorance… publisizing every minor fault of the 100 or so actual test EVs on the road is ANTI EV.
Im really tired of reading all this negativity about the mini-e. Mine has 10,300 miles on it since june 18th of this year. I have dragraced it, autocrossed it 64 laps, towed trailers with it, and driven it to many different states. I have had only one problem with it-the front tires wore out from me spinning them too much. Yes, the car is that fast! Way faster than a regular MINI, 15.9seconds in the quarter mile with me driving. I have never had any electronics replaced. I cant be the only one without problems. Why is nobody talking about how much faster the car is than a gas car? The car is amazing. Now if we can only stop the petroleum industries from influencing the press we read
Im really tired of reading all this negativity about the mini-e. Mine has 10,300 miles on it since june 18th of this year. I have dragraced it, autocrossed it 64 laps, towed trailers with it, and driven it to many different states. I have had only one problem with it-the front tires wore out from me spinning them too much. Yes, the car is that fast! Way faster than a regular MINI, 15.9seconds in the quarter mile with me driving. I have never had any electronics replaced. I cant be the only one without problems. Why is nobody talking about how much faster the car is than a gas car? The car is amazing. Now if we can only stop the petroleum industries from influencing the press we read
I’m also one of the Mini-E Trial lease participants. I, like Ken have had the car since mid June and I have driven it over 12,000 miles. I had to have one of the battery modules replaced because it was defective, but that’s it. I drive the car 600 miles a week and I drive it hard. As far as I’m concerned, the car is wonderful. The acceleration is superb, the handling reminds me of my 94′RX7 and the electric drive is smooth as silk. I read about Lyle’s pothole issue, but I haven’t heard of anyone else in the program experiencing that he did. Car’s break down, even the most reliable ones. My 2005 Civic needed a new tranny after 42K. My 2 year old Toyota Tacoma’s fuel pump went when I was halfway over the Triborough bridge. I had traffic backed up to the Bronx! Of course you will hear stories about breakdowns of Mini-e’s, but like Ken above (and most of the other 450 Mini-e drivers) I love the car and wish I could keep it forever.
I’m also one of the Mini-E Trial lease participants. I, like Ken have had the car since mid June and I have driven it over 12,000 miles. I had to have one of the battery modules replaced because it was defective, but that’s it. I drive the car 600 miles a week and I drive it hard. As far as I’m concerned, the car is wonderful. The acceleration is superb, the handling reminds me of my 94′RX7 and the electric drive is smooth as silk. I read about Lyle’s pothole issue, but I haven’t heard of anyone else in the program experiencing that he did. Car’s break down, even the most reliable ones. My 2005 Civic needed a new tranny after 42K. My 2 year old Toyota Tacoma’s fuel pump went when I was halfway over the Triborough bridge. I had traffic backed up to the Bronx! Of course you will hear stories about breakdowns of Mini-e’s, but like Ken above (and most of the other 450 Mini-e drivers) I love the car and wish I could keep it forever.