cruisin' with the big boys

 EV range anxiety is a big thing for americans. When you're used to going 400 miles on a tank of gas, the thought of doing less isn't for everyone. And the thought of sitting around while the battery charges for an hour is annoying to people who spend 45 minutes in a 'fast-food' spot without a second thought. Clearly McDonalds and co. need to invest in more EV chargers!

This last week we charged the Niro and discovered it had crossed its personal threshold - the full charge range estimate was 308 miles! This number varies with the season, since heaters wipers and lights all conspire to drain the tank. Spring and autumn have a bit less and winter is easily the worst in the PacNW, with lights and wipers vital and heat very nice. It seems the EPA estimate is based on these facts; the Niro EV is rated at 235mi per full charge, which is within 5 miles of our shortest range last winter.

Last year our longest range estimate was in the 290s, and other owners had reported 300+ tanks. That's the big Tesla selling point, and others always want to show 300+ as a feature. Nice to know it can be done - with thrifty use of comforts inside the cabin.