Electric cars

zeupater

parking_question_chap wrote: »

Just as soon as you design a battery that lasts for more years than a fuel tank, and costs the same.

Hi

That's not the point, the fuel tank and battery are containers of energy .... both are refillable, yes, one may initially look more like a consumable item than the other due to performance degradation , but then again, we're possibly talking ~3000+ equivalent full charge cycles to degrade to a ~70% capacity threshold, so likely around 500k miles for vehicles with a reasonable range (~160 miles) ... so the question revolves around how many ICE vehicles achieve anywhere near half of 500k miles before conversion to cans, washing machines & razorblades, because if they don't, their fuel tanks don't either !! .... :eek::D

HTH
Z

AdrianC

silverwhistle wrote: »

Well, can I suggest that that is not the impression you give to most posters on here?

I've come across this assertion before, although the previous posting evidence usually undoes the poster. The Guardian newspaper blogs are a particularly fruitful source. In this case you respond to peoples' posts by jumping on another, often unimportant, objection or one that can be overcome by specific targeted action.

Our attitudes are different, which is why I was asking about what your employment is. An EV wouldn't suit me for all my personal circumstances at the moment, but instead of saying 'they're no good', I'm seeing what the current situation is, how it's going to change in the short and medium term and how to overcome any potential issues there might be in meeting my transport needs.

Make no mistake, the situation is rapidly changing and you might find it a more interesting exercise in looking at how an electric vehicle might work for you: today or in one or two years time.

I've already posted in this thread on why an EV would be suitable for much of my day-to-day use, but would be so unsuitable for certain regular tasks as to be a total show-stopper.

As it happens, my local paper has an article today that's relevant to this discussion:
http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/16033281.electric-car-uptake-in-herefordshire-among-highest-in-uk/

Up 2/3 in a year! One of the biggest rises in the country!

Oh, hold on. It's risen to just over 0.2%, one in 500.

Martyn1981

parking_question_chap wrote: »

Just as soon as you design a battery that lasts for more years than a fuel tank, and costs the same.;)

If you look at the average life of a car (including the fuel tank), batts already achieve this.

If you look at the cost of the battery + leccy v's cost of fuel tank + petrol, batts already achieve this.

So it's not when this can be achieved, but when you notice that it already has.

Gloomendoom

AdrianC wrote: »

I've already posted in this thread on why an EV would be suitable for much of my day-to-day use, but would be so unsuitable for certain regular tasks as to be a total show-stopper.

We are in the same boat. Have seriously considered replacing one vehicle with an EV. However, we regularly need to tow and, apart from a Tesla that is way off our affordability scale, there isn't a single EV on the UK market today that can fulfil that requirement.

silverwhistle

Gloomendoom wrote: »

However, we regularly need to tow and, apart from a Tesla that is way off our affordability scale, there isn't a single EV on the UK market today that can fulfil that requirement.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Tesla example shows that there is no innate technical reason why EVs can't tow?

As the market expands into more market sectors I imagine that this issue will correct itself? Anybody want to do a sweepstake on when; two years maximum is my guess before somebody brings out a more mainstream model for towing.

zeupater

Gloomendoom wrote: »

We are in the same boat. Have seriously considered replacing one vehicle with an EV. However, we regularly need to tow and, apart from a Tesla that is way off our affordability scale, there isn't a single EV on the UK market today that can fulfil that requirement.

Hi

Then what's stopping you from having an EV? ... you've stated that you have more than one vehicle (ie - 'considered replacing one vehicle'), so logic suggests that, if your resistance to EVs is based on 'we regularly need to tow', the solution is to tow with the other vehicle and use the EV for transporting people ...

We can all find excuses or arguments if we look for them, it's just the ability to recognise solutions that makes the difference.

HTH
Z

AdrianC

silverwhistle wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Tesla example shows that there is no innate technical reason why EVs can't tow?

It's mostly a case of the rear underfloor being full of battery etc, combined with the high kerb weight meaning that there's very little spare weight capacity available.

Gloomendoom

silverwhistle wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Tesla example shows that there is no innate technical reason why EVs can't tow?

Lack of type approval for towing is the problem.

Martyn1981

AdrianC wrote: »

It's mostly a case of the rear underfloor being full of battery etc, combined with the high kerb weight meaning that there's very little spare weight capacity available.

Pardon? I thought the greater the weight of the tow vehicle the greater the weight it was allowed to tow (unbraked)? [Edit - that should be braked, not unbraked. M.]

So really it comes down to the torque of the tow vehicle and the max weight rating it has, which for a high torque vehicle may be greater than a vehicle of lesser weight.

Regarding torque, it's hard to think of a better solution than EV's, hence why the giant (300+ ton) earth moving trucks are diesel electric, with electric drive and diesel as a generator. The same for diesel electric trains.

Jaymie_kate

I think electric cars are the future but it's not for everyone. I'm still hoping more companies produce it so there will be more competition and cheaper but reliable units are made available.