The ICE Car Experience

I haven’t driven an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car since April until today.   At home we turn on our little electric cars and they glide silently out of the garage (with the exception of the radio blaring to some children’s song).    There is no rumble of the engine at any time because there is no engine, only a motor.     It's become something I’ve gotten accustomed to and until today I hadn’t been reminded of the differences.

Today was not unlike the first day I drove our Tesla Model S insofar as the experiences of driving electric and a gas-based car are different.   I remember being in awe of how different our new car was in little ways from my eight cylinder enthusiastic gas consuming BMW.   After that, for a year-and-a-half, I transitioned daily from the electric car to our Honda minivan without thinking much of it.   When you’re driving both types of cars you just accept the differences because that’s how each car drives.

Today my daughter and I arrived in Detroit for another one of her eye evaluations.   I got into the rental car, put the key in and turned it on.   It was a 2015 car but I worried for a second if it was in proper repair because the rumbling was, well, rumbly.   That’s known as an "engine idling” and is normal, I reminded myself.

Then I put the car in reverse and was surprised because I took my foot off the brake and it started moving backwards.   Creep, or idle speed, is something an electric car doesn’t have (unless it’s on a hill).  This creep thing got me for the first few stops going forward too.   I stopped at the check out gate for the rental car place, took my foot off the brake and had to quickly put it back on again.

Then there were the brakes.   I mentioned in a post right after we got our first electric car how regenerative braking caused a significant reduction in the need to press the brake pedal.   If you use regenerative braking to as much potential as is reasonable, you regain charge on the battery and reduce wear on the brake pads, which is like a double win.    A gas-powered car goes faster, not slower down a hill and doesn’t slow down much without you pressing the brakes to prepare for that upcoming red light, sharply turning off ramp, etc.

And the last thing, which has absolutely nothing to do with the electric car, but is a feature I’ve gotten accustomed to is the keyless ignition feature.   Lots of cars have this: you keep the key in your purse or pocket and press a button or some other option to start the car.    I got out of the car today to get my daughter and it wasn’t until I leaned in to get my purse in the passenger seat that I realized I’d left the keys in the ignition.   I was so used to our cars simply locking up after the key was out of range I completely forgot.   How embarrassing.

It’s been half a day now and I’m back to not thinking about driving an ICE car.   We have two days more in Detroit with my daughter’s EUA in the morning.   Hopefully it will be just a look and he won’t have to take any action.   If her pressure is good we’ll may be able to move forward with having her cataract removed in the left eye.    But more on that front in tomorrow’s blog post.

The Big Boy Update:   My father-in-law had gone upstairs with my children for bed the other night.   Papa suggested my son go and pee before sleeping.   He told Papa, “I can handle it, I don’t wet my bed”.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Thanksgiving morning my daughter was very excited to have so many family members in town visiting.   My husband and I were being exceptionally lazy, taking a rare opportunity to sleep in (until eight-thirty) since other people had gotten up early.   My daughter got onto the bed, stood at the foot and said, “when are you going to come join the fun?”