Battery Electric Vehicle News / Enjoying the Transportation Revolution

Martyn1981

Netexporter said:

I gather BYD will also be building the new Toyota models, which will also have rubbish names. The BZ4X doesn't even sell in China. It's almost as if the Japanese brands don't want to sell EVs. If Japan was an oil producing nation it might be understandable.

Apologies for pedantry, but they do try to sell them in China, but even with heavy discounts, the Chinese don't seem to be falling for it.

Some good news for Toyota, if they are telling the truth, is that they believe that their next BEV platform due in 2026/27 could be profitable. I think they've said that the current one isn't, and effectively can't be, or something like that.

JKenH

Netexporter said:

Bit of a coup for Toyota which is on a roll this year with BZ4X sales.

A win for BYD, who actually build them.

Are you sure about that? Sam Evans (Electric Viking) suggested that but don’t think it’s right. I think the BZ3X may be a joint venture. 

Martyn1981

silverwhistle said:

JKenH said:

Bit of a coup for Toyota which is on a roll this year with BZ4X sales.

How many other BEV models do they have?

Toyota's Chinese arm, is building the BZ3 in conjunction with BYD. Toyota promise 30 BEV's by 2030, and estimate selling ~3.5m BEV's in that year, so around 30% of their vehicles?

JKenH

silverwhistle said:

JKenH said:

Bit of a coup for Toyota which is on a roll this year with BZ4X sales.

How many other BEV models do they have?

I am only aware of 2 Toyota BEVs (BZ4X and Pro ace) currently but lots more in the pipeline.

JKenH

It’s not too clear from this report whether VW interviewed drivers or owners. Many van drivers (any stats, anybody?) drive company vans so cost to run might not be foremost on their minds. 

Van drivers say electric is most cost-effective

British van drivers (52%) believe that electric vans are more cost effective to run than petrol or diesel vans, according to a study by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK.

Over two-thirds of the UK’s van drivers also say that electric vans would suit their business needs and day-to-day work.

Almost one-third (29%) of respondents stated ULEZ expansion was the main reason they intend to switch to electric.

Nearly three quarters of van drivers said reliability was no longer a reason not to buy an electric vehicle. However, charging time was the number one concern around purchasing an electric van amongst 57% of respondents.

https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/van-drivers-say-electric-vans-cost-effective-fuel-type-15-05-2024

Martyn1981

Another big BEV test/trial - mining truck in Brazil, only 240tn.

Caterpillar is putting MASSIVE 240-ton electric haul truck to work in Vale mine

Mining company Vale is turning to Caterpillar to provide this massive, 240-ton battery-electric haul truck in a bid to slash carbon emissions at its mines by 2030.

Caterpillar and Vale have signed an agreement that will see the Brazilian mining company test severe-duty battery electric mining trucks like the 793 BEV (above), as well as V2G/V2x energy transfer systems and alcohol-powered trucks. The test will help Vale make better equipment choices as it works to achieve its goals of reducing direct and indirect carbon emissions 33% by 2030 and eliminating 100% of its net emissions by 2050.

Martyn1981

Can't decide if this is ridiculous or genius, but impressive to see it operating (testing I assume) in London.

Cityshuttle’s 6-Wheeled E-Cargo Bike System Is Like A Pedal-Powered Semi Truck

https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cityshuttle-epack4-800x445.webp

Like most cargo bikes, with widths narrow enough to fit in bike lanes, the Cityshuttle ePack has the ability to navigate city streets with ease, while also having the capacity to fit 4 cubic meters (4000L) of goods in its trailer. That’s a lot of packages, and with a payload limit of 350 kg (771 lb), the ePack appears to be well-suited for commercial last-mile deliveries, enabling a single driver to haul and deliver a fair bit of cargo without incurring a large carbon debt or adding to local air pollution.

With dual 250W electric motors providing assistance to the driver’s efforts up to 25 kmh (15.5 mph), and a range of 60 to 100 km from its swappable batteries, the ePack also features double wishbone suspension on all 6 wheels, plus cargo-specific hydraulic disc brakes for stopping power. It also incorporates turn signals, head- and tail-lights, brake lights, and daytime running lights for overall safety and visibility in traffic, while the onboard GPS tracker, CCTV, motor immobilizer, two locking doors, and an alarm system help keep the cargo safe as well.

Martyn1981

Volvo is coming up with solutions for charging heavy plant on work sites.

Volvo CE brings mobile charging to the construction job site

Volvo CE and Penta revealed two new mobile charging solutions for North American construction fleets at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Las Vegas.

Volvo CE unveiled two Volvo-branded mobile charging units at a press conference held last night, calling them the next logical step towards full job site electrification.

The first mobile charger, PU750, is a mobile DC fast charging solution developed to be an ideal solution for fast-charging larger equipment onsite without the need for a converter. The portable power unit (hence, “PU”) packs 750 usable kWh into a towable chassis that can fully charge the batteries in a machine like the Volvo EC230 Electric excavator from 0-100% three times before needing to be recharged itself.

On the AC side of the equation, the new Volvo PU130 is a portable Level 2 charger, designed for more compact machines (like the ECR25 Electric we first covered last April).

Volvo co-developed the PU130 with Portable Electric, and used its proprietary 48-volt technology, the PU130 provides the ability to charge equipment in less than an hour with 130 kWh of energy storage capacity and a 20 kW charge rate, while simultaneously providing up to 40 kW of onsite power to run portable offices or other buildings.

henrik777

JKenH said:

It’s not too clear from this report whether VW interviewed drivers or owners. Many van drivers (any stats, anybody?) drive company vans so cost to run might not be foremost on their minds. 

Van drivers say electric is most cost-effective

British van drivers (52%) believe that electric vans are more cost effective to run than petrol or diesel vans, according to a study by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK.

Over two-thirds of the UK’s van drivers also say that electric vans would suit their business needs and day-to-day work.

Almost one-third (29%) of respondents stated ULEZ expansion was the main reason they intend to switch to electric.

Nearly three quarters of van drivers said reliability was no longer a reason not to buy an electric vehicle. However, charging time was the number one concern around purchasing an electric van amongst 57% of respondents.

https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/van-drivers-say-electric-vans-cost-effective-fuel-type-15-05-2024

I'm sure DPFs particularly euro 6 also have a large bearing on this. There's going to be a court case about these eventually. Horrid and very few can diagnose issues without the parts cannon being fired willy nilly.

Sometimes a new dpf doesn't fix the issue ! (usually as it's the symptom not the issue)

Martyn1981

More BEV buses, this time in Hull. This project appears to represent about 20% of the current fleet.

Hull To Buy 40 Electric Buses

Following a successful bid to the Government to fund electric buses in Hull and the East Riding, Hull City Council’s Cabinet has approved plans to enable the purchase of 40 electric buses and the allocation of circa £2 million of funding from the authority for the installation of charging infrastructure to support the rollout of the vehicles in the city, including for the use of local bus operators and the council’s own fleet of passenger vehicles.