The following writeup is taken from the EV1 Club email list...

From: "J.R."
Subject: [EV1-CLUB] NiMH drive/charge times
Date sent: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 21:08:38 -0800

So something like a month ago, perhaps longer, I was able to drive a NiMH car for a few days, and OH MY GOD!

Usually I arrive home with ~10% User SOC in a lead acid 97. The first night with NiMH, I took my usual route home, 49.7 miles, 2700' mountain between work and home. I did not drive as conservatively as I normally would, but still with range in mind. I was astonished to arrive home with 62% User SOC remaining. Charging began immediately.

The second night, My route home had been closed due to an accident, so a very long detour of 80 miles began. I decided that I would drive for range, and if I arrived at my freeway exit with something around 25% left, I'd go ahead and deplete the pack fully, to see just how far I could go.

To make a long story short, I arrived at my exit, having just lost the seventh bar. It was late, and I'm not the most patient person you'll ever meet, so I scrubbed the idea of depleting the pack. Mileage driven to home, 92 miles: USOC remaining, 54%. I drove no slower than the speed limit (which is 70 in some places), and in the last ten miles, drove like I was 18 again. : - ) In the hours preceding my departure from work, the car had been driven by a few EV1 specialists, and their guests, so was not cold soaked. At no time, did I ever see any "cooling delays" before charging. I'm guessing the temps were in the Sixties or Seventies during the day???

All in all, I was amazed by the car's improvements. Obviously the range(capacity), more efficient motor (less power use), and greatly improved handling characteristic.

Tipping my hat to the folks back east,
- J.R.