I’m originally from Montreal but living in the US Mid-Atlantic for a long while now. Same habit. I still never let my tank go below 1/2 before refueling. Very rarely I’ll let it go to a 1/4 if I’m driving long distance and don’t want to break my stride. But never in the winter.
So:
Comparing the MX-30 to the model 3 is a big apples to oranges, since you’re comparing a spacious vaguely SUV type vehicle to a cramped sedan. After experiencing all wheel drive and how spacious and comfortable (for my bad back) SUVs are I’ll never buy another sedan again.
If they’re deciding on battery capacity based on what’s most “environmentally friendly”, whoever decided that should be taken out back and shot (Well, OK, just taken to HR and fired with no chance of working in the auto industry ever again). Mazda is in the business of selling cars, not the business of virtue signaling, or even the business of making a good faith effort to be environmentally friendly. For the people that want to virtue signal or even make a good faith effort to be environmentally friendly when buying a car, I’d imagine this electric car vs that electric car is too subtle compared to electric vs gas.
Having said this, maybe there is a market for the MX-30. If you already have a gas, hybrid, or reasonable range electric car with AWD for road trips and when it snows, and just want a second or third car in your family for getting around town, and want the SUV-like form factor. But I think it’s dumb to have your first electric car product be limited to the “second car in the family” market.
Surely not zero? I do remember back in the 80’s when my roommate had a big old Cadillac with a MPG display - take your foot off the gas and the instantaneous (vs. average) value would zoom into the 90 range. But if the cylinders are firing, I would assume some gas is going in.
I hope you leave a larger margin of error when you’re working 
In a 1980s carburetor equipped car you’d be correct. Even in an early mechanically fuel injected car you’d be correct.
In a modern computer-controlled fuel-injected car the computer simply turns off all the fuel flow the instant your foot comes off the throttle. The engine keeps spinning (being pushed by the wheels, driveshaft(s), and transmission) and you feel the engine braking contributing to your deceleration. But the engine is not firing. It is pumping air through itself and out the exhaust pipe but there is neither fuel nor sparking going on. Ain’t 21st Century computer tech grand?!
So you have exactly zero fuel consumption and hence infinite miles-per-gallon while coasting down.
Well, I learned my one thing fairly early today. Back to bed, I guess.
Thanks.
A little EV roadster would be awesome. However an EV MR2 would be even worse naming corruption than the e-'stang. MR2 literally stood for Mid -engine Rear wheel drive 2-seater. Are the batteries going to behind the driver & is it going to be a RWD car?
If not, let that car RIP & come up with a new name, like maybe UA2 - batteries Under the car, All-wheel drive 2-seater, which is what it probably will be. either that or the BX2 - why “X”? I don’t know either but it seems to be the most overused letter in car naming out there. [/rant]
I owned an MR2 for years before I learned it was anything more than random letters so I don’t think it will be much of an issue. I’ll definitely keep an eye on this development.
This is sort of what Nissan is doing with their new electric crossover, the Ariya. It will be available with 2 or all wheel drive and standard or long range batteries.
I’m glad Nissan is introducing a new model but as I said, they’ve been selling the Leaf for a decade. What took so long?
Just a quick charging update here as I used a public DC fast charger for the first time. It was an Electrify America station. I was not in dire need of a charge, but wanted to try it out at least once before I had to use one on a longer drive. Started at 38%, charged for 30 minutes, ended with 77% (estimated 115 miles added with A/C on). Cost: $4.82. That’s about 4x the rate of what it costs me to charge at work (subsidized), so it’s not something I’ll be doing often. But as needed on a longer drive, it would be just fine.
So you paid roughly a dollar for each 24 miles. With current gas prices at $3/gallon and I’ll WAG that the average American car gets 25mpg, the average ICE driver is paying 1$ for ~ 8 miles. Even at your non-subsidized rate, I’d say you’re doing pretty well.
Mid engine just means that the engine is located somewhere behind the front axle but ahead of the rear axle. A RWD Tesla Model 3, for example, can be classified as a Mid-Engine since the motor is right in front of the rear axle. Also note that the battery location is also in the center of the car, in between the axles.
Yeah, that’s quite a good rate. If I assume 3 mi / kwh, @ShadowFacts put ~38 kwh into his ‘tank’, which is a cost of about twelve and a half cents per kwh. That’s close to - and, depending on where he lives, possibly less than - how much he’d pay for the same juice at home!
Oh yes, I didn’t mean to come across as complaining about that rate. It’s definitely much better than gas. But I’ve already gotten used to the subsidized rate I get at work, where I get 95 miles for $1. That is pretty damn hard to beat.
I’d say so. I work for an electric company. We have a friggin generation plant next door to my office building. We don’t get nearly that good a rate.
I work for an institution with a fairly aggressive climate action plan 
Engineering Explained did a vid on doing a 1000 mile road trip with a Tesla 3.
Link here: Can An Electric Car Travel 1,000 Miles In A Day? - YouTube
After the discussion here and an article about the proposed $12,500 tax rebate Biden’s pushing I put my name in for the F150 Lightning. I don’t expect to see it for at least 2 years, but I can probably baby the Dodge 1500 (180k on it) until then. The frunk looks awesome!
I mean, you could put a body in that frunk. Not that it’s on my list of CTQ’s, but you never know. It’s nice to have options.
I’d like to see an electric Bronco with the same battery and charger system, with maybe a 500 mile range. I’m liking the giant battery as it gives you such great emergency power availability.