The automotive world is undergoing a major transformation, but a burning question emerges from the ashes of combustion engines: do electric vehicles make the same mistakes as their predecessors?

An astonishing phenomenon: creeping

Imagine this common situation: you are behind the wheel of your vehicle, the brake pedal is released, and suddenly it moves on its own! This behavior called creeping, also known as "creep", first appeared with automatic transmissions in the 1940s. What is surprising is that many electric cars continue to reproduce this flaw, even though they could easily eliminate it.

The mechanics of creeping

Creeping occurs when a vehicle moves slowly, often between 2 and 8 km/h, in gear without the driver pressing the pedals. This was not the norm during the first five decades of the automobile, where cars remained stationary in neutral.

With the introduction of General Motors' Hydra-Matic transmission, this phenomenon changed. Idle engines transmit a constant force to the wheels, and drivers prioritized their comfort over safety. But today, electric vehicles, equipped with motors that do not need to idle, have no excuse for retaining this anomaly.

A questionable design choice

Despite the potential of electric motors, the familiarity with combustion vehicles seems to guide manufacturers’ decisions. The idea that creeping facilitates parking maneuvers often conceals poor calibration of accelerator pedals, raising questions about the truthful and safe design of new models.

Alternatives already in place

• 👍 Tesla: Gradual removal of creeping through customer education.
• 🔧 General Motors: Precise calibration allowing low-speed control without creeping.
• 🌱 Rivian: Efficient system without artificial creep.
• ⚙️ Manual gearbox manufacturers: Decades of precise low-speed control without electronic assistance.

An underestimated danger

Imagine a vehicle weighing 1.5 to 3 tons occupied by drivers of all skill levels. In an emergency, it makes sense that it stops. Creeping, on the other hand, keeps it moving until it strikes an obstacle. This poses significant challenges for road safety that many manufacturers seem to ignore.

Towards safer driving

Tesla has paved the way for a future without creeping, showing that consumer education can lead to better practices. Once they succeed in abolishing this relic of the past, electric vehicles will step out of the shadow of thermal engines, revealing their true value: safer and more innovative driving.

// Script to load comparative data for electric vehiclesdocument.getElementById('fetchData').addEventListener('click', function () { // Public API to get data on electric vehicles // https://api.example.com/electric-vehicles // Example JSON response: // { // "without_creeping": { // "range": 400, // "charge_time": 8, // "cost": 30000 // }, // "with_creeping": { // "range": 350, // "charge_time": 4, // "cost": 35000 // } // } fetch('https://api.example.com/electric-vehicles') // Replace with actual API URL .then(response => response.json()) .then(data => { // Updates the table with received data document.getElementById('noRampRange').innerText = data.without_creeping.range + " km"; document.getElementById('rampRange').innerText = data.with_creeping.range + " km"; document.getElementById('noRampChargeTime').innerText = data.without_creeping.charge_time + " hours"; document.getElementById('rampChargeTime').innerText = data.with_creeping.charge_time + " hours"; document.getElementById('noRampCost').innerText = "$" + data.without_creeping.cost; document.getElementById('rampCost').innerText = "$" + data.with_creeping.cost; }) .catch(error => console.error('Error loading data:', error));});

In summary, it is high time to elevate the debate on the design standards for electric cars. They must leverage their cutting-edge technology and abandon the mistakes of the past. In this transition, manufacturers' choices and consumers' willingness to embrace these changes are crucial for a truly enhanced driving experience.

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