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Kona EV Hacking

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Re: Kona EV Hacking

#61

Post by zie »

ezfe wrote: post #60

Blog posts without dates on them are super frustrating. If this was written today I would have a litany of complaints about the details around EV charging. If this was written 5 years ago they might have a little more leeway. Here's one: > trying to force everyone to download janky apps just to play is disingenuous and short-sighted The biggest networks do not require apps to use their chargers (excluding Tesla, who…

In the USA, I've had several charging stations where the CC terminal acts like it works, but it won't actually charge the vehicle.

However if you use the App, the charger works. This is in late 2025 and 2026, so it's better, but the non-app route is not fully fleshed out yet.

My worst experience was a charger near Yosemite ran by the local power utility. They required you use a website to turn the charger on, and the instructions were incomplete and it took me a half-dozen tries to figure out the right set of magic steps to get the dumb charger to work. Had it not been the only charger in like 100+ miles, I'm sure it would never ever get used due to how insanely broken it was.

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#62

Post by ErroneousBosh »

geonineties wrote: post #28
miduil wrote: post #18

> [...] due to some dipshit blonde not paying attention [...] Wow, instantly stopped reading after this. I can't comprehend how someone would even remotely have the courage writing such in a public posting.

Maybe a dipshit blonde wasn't paying attention and caused the problem? Sometimes facts really do follow stereotypes.

It's possible, but my anecdata is that the four people who have run into the back of my car in the past ten years have all been middle-aged men distracted by phones.

Two Audis (one of them written off to the point it had to be lifted onto the breakdown truck with a Hiab), one Hyundai of some sort, and one bicycle.

The cyclist was the only one I felt in any way sorry for, because he did actually hurt himself pretty badly and obliterated his carbon wheel and forks, but he shouldn't have been dicking around with his phone while riding down a steep hill at what I can tell from his Strava trail was around 35mph.

At no time did my car suffer any more than a bit of scuffing and damage to the old tennis ball over the tow hitch to stop the grease getting on my trousers.

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#63

Post by MaKey »

anarticle wrote: post #21
sgt wrote: post #2

Recently bought a second hand BMW i3 - what a cool car! Not planning to 'hack' it but nice to read about ideas.

In an interesting turn of events there is a pack upgrade for the i3 that gives it more range than it started with! https://mtgbattery.com/ This is the kind of hacking / upgrades I’d love to see. All in cost was about $6k when I last checked probably a little more now. You get a pack teardown, and new CATL cells. Range goes to 400km~.

Their battery upgrade is trash though: https://www.goingelectric.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2350326#p...

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#64

Post by mocd »

donkey_brains wrote: post #49
miduil wrote: post #18

> [...] due to some dipshit blonde not paying attention [...] Wow, instantly stopped reading after this. I can't comprehend how someone would even remotely have the courage writing such in a public posting.

Elsewhere in the site he publishes her name and address.

Yeah. I thought “dipshit blonde” was in poor taste; posting her name and address genuinely shocked me and I stopped there.

No doubt that driver inattentiveness leads to loss of many lives year on year. But publishing the personal details of someone you got into a car crash with won’t do anything to improve road safely.

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#65

Post by HNisCIS »

sgt wrote: post #20
mschild wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the original version released in 2013, range was a bit of a concern. Later models, 120ah full electric version, the range is about 250km. In comparison to newer cars, not a lot, but considering you can buy newish used ones for under 15k, its not a bad deal if it fits your needs.

Funny how I'm downvoted for even mentioning an i3. I've also heard several comments insinuating that I must be gay for driving such a car. Are we still there in 2026?

[flagged]

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#66

Post by postalrat »

sgt wrote: post #16
nubinetwork wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen videos of that car... don't they only have like 40 miles of range, and the range extender only holds like 5 gallons of fuel?

You don't want the range extender - it makes it fiddly and potentially unreliable. As for the range, I'm getting about 110 miles of range. It depends how you drive. This is the 94Ah battery, the later models had more range.

I was shopping for a range extender version and bought a battery only i3 when I saw one for the right price. Then I got a i3 rex for parts and it made me really appreciate the bev. So much more room in the engine bay and simpler overall.

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#67

Post by joeyh »

bluGill wrote: post #33
dyauspitr wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve charged in 30 states, it’s kwh every single time.

Mowt states have changed the laws in the past 10 years. When nobody (other that lead acid convestions done at home) had an ev it did't matter that the law didn't allow for charging by kwh as nobody other than a utility wanted to do that anyway. When evs changed to mainstream laws changed. There are still some free public chargers near me from before the law change (at 6kw max charge rate they not often used and so do…

Amusingly, the only DCFCs near me that charge by time and not kwh are run by utilities.

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#68

Post by tzs »

ezfe wrote: post #60

Blog posts without dates on them are super frustrating. If this was written today I would have a litany of complaints about the details around EV charging. If this was written 5 years ago they might have a little more leeway. Here's one: > trying to force everyone to download janky apps just to play is disingenuous and short-sighted The biggest networks do not require apps to use their chargers (excluding Tesla, who…

That post first appeared in 2019 and has been updated since then. The last update was sometime between from May 2023 to October 2024. It includes a link to something dated Dec 23, 2023 which further narrows it down.

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#69

Post by MiiMe19 »

ErroneousBosh wrote: post #62
geonineties wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe a dipshit blonde wasn't paying attention and caused the problem? Sometimes facts really do follow stereotypes.

It's possible, but my anecdata is that the four people who have run into the back of my car in the past ten years have all been middle-aged men distracted by phones. Two Audis (one of them written off to the point it had to be lifted onto the breakdown truck with a Hiab), one Hyundai of some sort, and one bicycle. The cyclist was the only one I felt in any way sorry for, because he did actually hurt himself pretty ba…

wow, I can't believe you called the middle age men who hit your car middle aged men instead of just people. Stop adding more detail to your stories!!!

Re: Kona EV Hacking

#70

Post by thangalin »

ezfe wrote: post #60

Blog posts without dates on them are super frustrating. If this was written today I would have a litany of complaints about the details around EV charging. If this was written 5 years ago they might have a little more leeway. Here's one: > trying to force everyone to download janky apps just to play is disingenuous and short-sighted The biggest networks do not require apps to use their chargers (excluding Tesla, who…

On Tue, Oct 3, 2023, 1:18 PM, I wrote:

How many apps must people put on their phones, or payment cards people must carry, to pay to charge their vehicles with the convenience of a petrol station?

* https://parking.ubc.ca/are-there-electric-vehicle-ev-chargin...

"Charging fees can be paid through the Honk Mobile App or using a web browser with internet access."

* https://electricvehicles.bchydro.com/bc-hydro-ev-mobile-app

"You can use the BC Hydro EV app to activate stations on other networks across North America."

* https://www.flo.com/en-ca/products/software/flo-mobile-app/

"Download the FLO app for free. Access thousands of chargers on-the-go in our network and start your session with a tap."

* https://www.chargepoint.com/en-ca/drivers/mobile

"Get the ChargePoint App. The easiest way to find available stations, start charging and get updates when your EV is fully charged."

* https://ecocharge.ca/

"Download the AmpUp our mobile app from the Apple or Google Play store to."

* https://www.electrify-canada.ca/mobile-app/

"Use the Electrify Canada mobile app to schedule your home charging and find a public charging station. Sign up for an account to enjoy exclusive, members-only public charging features and pricing."

* https://swtchenergy.com/

"iPhone & Android app. No download required via SWTCH’s in-browser app. Tap-and-go charging with our complimentary RFID card."

I could not charge my Kona at multiple public charging stations around Vancouver:

* "Free" FLO Level 2 charger at New Westminster High School (requires sign up).

* BC Hydro Level 3 charger near a Real Canadian Superstore (requires sign up).

* AddEnergie Level 2 charger at Tsawwassen Mills (requires sign up).

* Honk Level 2 charger at a University of British Columbia parkade (requires sign up).

* Bonus: Most Tesla stations (no adapters available).

From Aging Wheels:

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92w5doU68D8 (Oct 15, 2023; bad experience)

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouPiwt5hxXQ (Nov 24, 2024; better experience)

It's steadily improving, though!

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