Is electric really the answer?

[C8RKH]

Yup🤣😂🤣😂😁👍

[exeterjeep]

GM Recalls All Chevrolet Bolt Models For Potential Battery Defects

Chevrolet has announced a comprehensive recall of upwards of 142,000 Bolt models — the entire production run — over a growing battery issue caused by supplier LG that could lead to a fire. The 100,000 or so owners in North America have been told to modify their charging process and park their vehicles outdoors until GM has the ability to offer free replacement batteries through its dealership network.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelharley/2021/08/27/gm-recalls-all-chevrolet-bolt-models-for-potential-battery-defects/

[Barrykearley]

Same with the Kona.  https://www.electrive.com/2021/04/07/kona-ev-owners-find-hyundai-mishandling-recall/

 

[exeterjeep]

So can we say the electric cars are not the answer for at least a couple of years? Certainly can't persuade the wife to ge one.

Did anyone see the tv program about  Guy Martin and his electric VW project.

[Colin P]

I think we are getting to the point where cost is the major factor. Plenty of options at 300 mile range so for the vast majority of people that is perfectly adequate with very little inconvenience. Wouldn’t want to be a sales rep in one though. 
 

As far as the drive itself is concerned I’ve driven a number in the last couple of weeks and it’s not the power train that has put me off any of them. In fact I’d say that I’d prefer an EV over and automatic as a daily hack. Call me converted. 

[Kevin Wheeler]

A friend who lives in Poole wants to go to Birmingham. He suggested that they go in another mate's Jag EV. 

Second mate declined. His Jag won't make it in one charge!

(My Esprit will on one tank!)

[ramjet]

I wonder what they then do with the replaced batteries? Do they dismantle and recycle the chemicals or do they scrap these and make new batteries?

I would love to see the data that collates the environmental impact of making new batteries to replace what was under recall and then what was required to recycle the replaced batteries or whether they just became landfill? With lithium being scarce, and I believe a finite resource, I presume they will recover and reuse?

What happens to lithium after many recharges and uses? Does the lithium become chemically altered so that it can no longer be used as a rechargeable medium or can it be refined again and reused?

Can't be real good for LG's reputation.

[chrisrace]

There's a lot of things to consider before they get rid of the gas-powered vehicles. It is sad because some people only things about the future and forget about the present. 

[Kimbers]

One of my best friends, who was a Lotus Engineer, then Williams F1 Team designer, has for the last several years been working for a Chinese Electric car maker. He is currently designing the "Next step" in Electric. Their cars can do many more miles than normal EV's and when you are low you just turn up at one of their charge points. The batteries are on a tray under the floor and the tray slides out and is replaced with another fully charged tray in less than a minute. it's then slid back in and off you go. 

Down side is the cost. Their cheapest car will be £100,000. But you are talking large luxury SUV like Jag or Tesla. 

However from what I am hearing now from manufacturers we work with, many are only using Electric as a stop gap. They really think Fuel Cells are the future. It's just making them affordable with the high pressure requirements of he fuel.

[exeterjeep]

12 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

The batteries are on a tray under the floor and the tray slides out and is replaced with another fully charged tray in less than a minute. it's then slid back in and off you go

Seen the video of this a few months ago was a good move if all cars were standard fitment etc - probably BBC tech show Click.

[C8RKH]

3 hours ago, Kimbers said:

One of my best friends, who was a Lotus Engineer, then Williams F1 Team designer, has for the last several years been working for a Chinese Electric car maker. He is currently designing the "Next step" in Electric. Their cars can do many more miles than normal EV's and when you are low you just turn up at one of their charge points. The batteries are on a tray under the floor and the tray slides out and is replaced with another fully charged tray in less than a minute. it's then slid back in and off you go. 

Down side is the cost. Their cheapest car will be £100,000. But you are talking large luxury SUV like Jag or Tesla. 

However from what I am hearing now from manufacturers we work with, many are only using Electric as a stop gap. They really think Fuel Cells are the future. It's just making them affordable with the high pressure requirements of he fuel.

Been a proponent of fuel cells over EV's for some time, the infrastructure requirements are far easier to fulfil (in theory) and far less environmental impact than batteries and charging stations long term.

For those early adopters of wind as the future - what do you think is happening with those huge turbine blades that are now turning end of life?  Would you be horrified, or surprised, to leasrn that they are going to landfill?  They'll still be there in a million years! So much for being environmental friendly etc...

[Bibs]

I've always been pretty aghast that they can't be somehow recycled. Surely there's a way of building them that doesn't involve materials that will never degrade? It's the 21st century after all! 

[C8RKH]

Papier Mache?

[Bibs]

Exactly!!

[Colin P]

23 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Papier Mache?

How about the material used for Evora mudguard brackets.

[Barrykearley]

8 hours ago, Kimbers said:

One of my best friends, who was a Lotus Engineer, then Williams F1 Team designer, has for the last several years been working for a Chinese Electric car maker. He is currently designing the "Next step" in Electric. Their cars can do many more miles than normal EV's and when you are low you just turn up at one of their charge points. The batteries are on a tray under the floor and the tray slides out and is replaced with another fully charged tray in less than a minute. it's then slid back in and off you go. .

That does sound like Nio - I saw one of their cars at a conference in Oxford on EVs - that was about 2 years ago. The car they had on display looked absolutely fantastic as well.  This replacement battery idea was being discussed at great lengths as they were trialling it then

[C8RKH]

Worked in Israel many years ago, including writing an EV strategy positioning paper for the national electricity company and these guys had already thought about it and done it -they were just too early for the market.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/mar/05/better-place-wrong-electric-car-startup

[Barrykearley]

As seen in June 2019

[Barrykearley]

A near perfect match for lotus. 😳

[oneshot]

So the national grid had to fire up a coal fired power station yesterday. Apparently there was no wind so the wind farms weren't producing and gas has reached an all time high price.

I think until we can sort the necessary infrastructure out, mass use of electric cars isn't going to work.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58469238

[Mark Blanchard]

Just spotted this in the Telegraph.  You couldn't make it up.  We're all told to go green and buy electric cars, and then they're being powered by coal.  Bonkers.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/09/06/britain-forced-fire-coal-plant-amid-record-power-prices/

[Mark Blanchard]

Looks like Italy doesn't want to play ball with the EU combustion engine ban.  One rule for everyone accept Italy.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/italy-seeks-to-shield-supercar-maker-from-combustion-engine-ban-1.1647959

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/italy-seeks-to-shield-supercars-from-combustion-engine-ban

[williamtherebel]

[exeterjeep]

EV charge points to be subject to nine-hour peak-time cut-off>>>

 

https://www.am-online.com/news/market-insight/2021/09/13/ev-charge-points-to-be-subject-to-nine-hour-peak-time-cut-off

Under regulations lodged with the World Trade Organisation, new chargers in the home and workplace will not operate between 8am to 11am and 4pm to 10pm.

A ‘randomised delay’ of up to 30 minutes, when there is high demand from motorists, The Times newspaper has reported

AM understands that owners will be able to override the preset times to take account of night workers and people who have different schedules. 

Today’s Daily Mail reported that EVs have been forecast to create extra 18GW demand for power in UK at peak times by 2050, according to the National Grid – the equivalent of six Hinkley Point nuclear power stations.

[Barrykearley]

Here come the smart meter changes 👍