How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you can't
leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you solely relying
on the brakes?
Scott wrote:
How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you can't
leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you solely relying
on the brakes?
I think there's a parking pawl that engages within the planetary gear set.
How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you can't
leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you solely relying
on the brakes?
On 2026-06-27 12:10, Scott wrote:
How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you can't
leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you solely relying
on the brakes?
The original Zoe had a separate P button, separate from the automatic >handbrake, and only effective when switched off. Its workshop manual >mentioned a brake pawl. That button wasn't present on my later Zoe, nor
on the Renault 5. So if it's there, it's now automatic.
The transmission gives very little resistance. Switched on but with the >drive not yet selected and the handbrake manually released mine will
roll down a very gentle slope.
Perhaps worryingly, the Five's user manual says:
Parking on a slope
To park on a slope or while towing a
trailer, for example, pull switch 3 for
a few seconds to enable maximum
braking.
Suggesting that it matters to make sure the handbrake is fully applied!
Back in the 1970s I had a Moggie Thou with a useless handbrake. I
learned about the turn into the kerb downhill, away from the kerb uphill >method. And in gear of course!
On Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:34:40 +0100, nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk>
wrote:
On 2026-06-27 12:10, Scott wrote:Can you remind me: if the car is pointing downhill, should it be in
How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you can't
leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you solely relying
on the brakes?
The original Zoe had a separate P button, separate from the automatic >>handbrake, and only effective when switched off. Its workshop manual >>mentioned a brake pawl. That button wasn't present on my later Zoe, nor
on the Renault 5. So if it's there, it's now automatic.
The transmission gives very little resistance. Switched on but with the >>drive not yet selected and the handbrake manually released mine will
roll down a very gentle slope.
Perhaps worryingly, the Five's user manual says:
Parking on a slope To park on a slope or while towing a trailer, for >>example, pull switch 3 for a few seconds to enable maximum braking.
Suggesting that it matters to make sure the handbrake is fully applied!
Back in the 1970s I had a Moggie Thou with a useless handbrake. I
learned about the turn into the kerb downhill, away from the kerb uphill >>method. And in gear of course!
reverse or first gear (and vice versa if the car is pointing uphill)?
No-one I know seems to remember!
Can you remind me: if the car is pointing downhill, should it be inreverse or first gear (and vice versa if the car is pointing uphill)?No-one I know seems to remember!
On Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:34:40 +0100, nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk>
wrote:
On 2026-06-27 12:10, Scott wrote:Can you remind me: if the car is pointing downhill, should it be in
How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you can't
leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you solely relying
on the brakes?
The original Zoe had a separate P button, separate from the automatic
handbrake, and only effective when switched off. Its workshop manual
mentioned a brake pawl. That button wasn't present on my later Zoe, nor
on the Renault 5. So if it's there, it's now automatic.
The transmission gives very little resistance. Switched on but with the
drive not yet selected and the handbrake manually released mine will
roll down a very gentle slope.
Perhaps worryingly, the Five's user manual says:
Parking on a slope
To park on a slope or while towing a
trailer, for example, pull switch 3 for
a few seconds to enable maximum
braking.
Suggesting that it matters to make sure the handbrake is fully applied!
Back in the 1970s I had a Moggie Thou with a useless handbrake. I
learned about the turn into the kerb downhill, away from the kerb uphill
method. And in gear of course!
reverse or first gear (and vice versa if the car is pointing uphill)?
No-one I know seems to remember!
On 2026-06-27 17:31, Scott wrote:
On Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:34:40 +0100, nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk>
wrote:
On 2026-06-27 12:10, Scott wrote:Can you remind me: if the car is pointing downhill, should it be in
How do you park an electric vehicle safely on a hill when you
can't leave it in gear as you would in a manual car? Are you
solely relying on the brakes?
The original Zoe had a separate P button, separate from the
automatic handbrake, and only effective when switched off. Its
workshop manual mentioned a brake pawl. That button wasn't present
on my later Zoe, nor on the Renault 5. So if it's there, it's now
automatic.
The transmission gives very little resistance. Switched on but
with the drive not yet selected and the handbrake manually
released mine will roll down a very gentle slope.
Perhaps worryingly, the Five's user manual says:
Parking on a slope
To park on a slope or while towing a
trailer, for example, pull switch 3 for
a few seconds to enable maximum
braking.
Suggesting that it matters to make sure the handbrake is fully
applied!
Back in the 1970s I had a Moggie Thou with a useless handbrake. I
learned about the turn into the kerb downhill, away from the kerb
uphill method. And in gear of course!
reverse or first gear (and vice versa if the car is pointing
uphill)? No-one I know seems to remember!
For some reason, I always used to select the way that the engine
wouldn't start, so reverse for downhill and first for uphill. So if
it ran away it would be pumping air in from the exhaust and out
through the carburettor. Can't imagine it matters in practice with
the ignition switched off!
nib
For some reason, I always used to select the way that the engine
wouldn't start, so reverse for downhill and first for uphill. So if it
ran away it would be pumping air in from the exhaust and out through the carburettor.
Can't imagine it matters in practice with the ignition
switched off!
Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve and
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run backwards: If
they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical induction they
develop full power in either direction, as those who ran side port or
reed induction model diesel and glow engines can tell you.
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:42:40 +0100
The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve and
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run backwards: If
they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical induction they
develop full power in either direction, as those who ran side port or
reed induction model diesel and glow engines can tell you.
I believe it was the Bond 3-wheeler that achieved reverse by the driver stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
that achieved reverse by the driverYou could drive a 3 wheeler on a motorcylce licence. To do so it could
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
On 29/06/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
that achieved reverse by the driverYou could drive a 3 wheeler on a motorcylce licence. To do so it could
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
not have a reverse gear. If it had a reverse gear it was not considered
a motorcycle with sidecar. On some Reliants you can see where the
blocking plat was fitted to stop you engaging reverse. You could start
the engine backwards on many so you could reverse without a reverse gear.
On 29/06/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
that achieved reverse by the driverYou could drive a 3 wheeler on a motorcylce licence. To do so it could
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
not have a reverse gear. If it had a reverse gear it was not considered
a motorcycle with sidecar. On some Reliants you can see where the
blocking plat was fitted to stop you engaging reverse. You could start
the engine backwards on many so you could reverse without a reverse gear.
On 29/06/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
that achieved reverse by the driverYou could drive a 3 wheeler on a motorcylce licence. To do so it
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
could not have a reverse gear. If it had a reverse gear it was not
considered a motorcycle with sidecar. On some Reliants you can see
where the blocking plat was fitted to stop you engaging reverse. You
could start the engine backwards on many so you could reverse without
a reverse gear.
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:38:48 +0100
mm0fmf <none@invalid.com> wrote:
On 29/06/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
that achieved reverse by the driverYou could drive a 3 wheeler on a motorcylce licence. To do so it
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
could not have a reverse gear. If it had a reverse gear it was not considered a motorcycle with sidecar. On some Reliants you can see
where the blocking plat was fitted to stop you engaging reverse. You
could start the engine backwards on many so you could reverse
without a reverse gear.
Hmm. My first car was an AC Petite. It had three wheels and a reverse
gear, and I passed my first test in it soon after my 16th birthday.
The test included a tricky reverse around a left-turn corner, which
included a deep drain to catch the wheel near the kerb. The wheel
indeed fell in, my 9.25hp engine stalled, I put the handbrake on and
the gear in neutral, restarted the engine, and continued the turn,
first climbing the car out of the drain hole. Also, the car had a
tiny turning circle, the examiner stopped me at the side of a huge
wide section of road, and asked me to do a three-point turn, which
again needed reverse gear. I said that I could do it in one movement,
but he asked me to show that I could do the manoeuvre.
I passed the test.
Maybe the no-reverse rule was not at all times?
--
Davey.
On 29/06/2026 15:38, mm0fmf wrote:
On 29/06/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
that achieved reverse by the driverYou could drive a 3 wheeler on a motorcylce licence. To do so it
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
could not have a reverse gear. If it had a reverse gear it was not considered a motorcycle with sidecar. On some Reliants you can see
where the blocking plat was fitted to stop you engaging reverse.
You could start the engine backwards on many so you could reverse
without a reverse gear.
They relaxed those laws quite early on. The Reliant 3-wheelers were
just like a four wheeled car, with a four cylinder four stroke
engine. The engine was limited to 600cc, and the vehicle weight to
8cwt. They had a fibreglass body.
It was the "luxury" Messerschmitt bubble car that had an engine that
could be started in reverse. I think the Isetta (with a triangular
body and a single door at the front) had reverse.
Even some (large) motorcycles had a reverse gear.
On 29/06/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:42:40 +0100whereas in other small bubble cars you simply turned the steering so the
The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
-a Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve and
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run backwards: If
they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical induction they
develop full power in either direction, as those who ran side port or
reed induction model diesel and glow engines can tell you.
I believe it was the Bond 3-wheeler that achieved reverse by the driver
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
one powered wheel was now pointing backwards...
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:42:40 +0100 The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve andI believe it was the Bond 3-wheeler that achieved reverse by the driver stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run backwards: If
they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical induction they
develop full power in either direction, as those who ran side port or
reed induction model diesel and glow engines can tell you.
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:57:34 +0100, Davey wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:42:40 +0100 The Natural Philosopher
<tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve andI believe it was the Bond 3-wheeler that achieved reverse by the driver
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run backwards: If
they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical induction they
develop full power in either direction, as those who ran side port or
reed induction model diesel and glow engines can tell you.
stopping the engine and starting it again running backwards.
And the Invacar.
Bob Eager <throwaway0008@eager.cx> wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:57:34 +0100, Davey wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:42:40 +0100 The Natural Philosopher
<tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve andI believe it was the Bond 3-wheeler that achieved reverse by the
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run
backwards: If they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical
induction they develop full power in either direction, as those
who ran side port or reed induction model diesel and glow engines
can tell you.
driver stopping the engine and starting it again running
backwards.
And the Invacar.
But not the Bond. You canrCOt run a 4 stroke engine backwards, only 2 strokes.
Tim
On 30 Jun 2026 06:35:12 GMT
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Bob Eager <throwaway0008@eager.cx> wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:57:34 +0100, Davey wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:42:40 +0100 The Natural Philosopher
<tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve andI believe it was the Bond 3-wheeler that achieved reverse by the
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
Two strokes with no separate timing gear can easily run
backwards: If they are not spark ignition or have no asymmetrical
induction they develop full power in either direction, as those
who ran side port or reed induction model diesel and glow engines
can tell you.
driver stopping the engine and starting it again running
backwards.
And the Invacar.
But not the Bond. You canrCOt run a 4 stroke engine backwards, only 2
strokes.
Tim
True, but I see that the Bond was fitted with various 2-stroke engines, including the one that used the Dynastart starter/dynamo, allowing it
to be run in reverse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Minicar
Er. Not exactly true. Engines are symmetrical, apart from valve and
spark timing. They can (and do sometimes) run backwards...
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