Battery Electric Vehicle News / Enjoying the Transportation Revolution

Grumpy_chap

Martyn1981 said:

There are also the planned 'more affordable models', due out soon, that might canabilise some 3 & Y sales.

Possibly, but it really does depend how the "more affordable models" develop (if at all).  If they truly are alternative to "more affordable" ICE models then the impact on the existing models might be limited - in the same way that the Mini does not really take sales from the 3-series.

Oddly, and entirely of her own volition, my wife prompted today that she'd be happy to go for an EV next time if she could have one exactly the same as her Fiesta, but electric exactly the same as the TM3.  Quite a turn around as she was really rather struggling to get familiar with the TM3 when we first got it.

I note the Inster that others have mentioned.  It looks quite funky but reminds me more of the original Panda from the 1980's.

michaels

Isn't the inster about 7k more than you can get an MG4 for?

Exiled_Tyke

michaels said:

Isn't the inster about 7k more than you can get an MG4 for?

According to CarWow the Inster base price is  £4k cheaper. 

Martyn1981

Grumpy_chap said:

Martyn1981 said:

There are also the planned 'more affordable models', due out soon, that might canabilise some 3 & Y sales.

Possibly, but it really does depend how the "more affordable models" develop (if at all).  If they truly are alternative to "more affordable" ICE models then the impact on the existing models might be limited - in the same way that the Mini does not really take sales from the 3-series.

Oddly, and entirely of her own volition, my wife prompted today that she'd be happy to go for an EV next time if she could have one exactly the same as her Fiesta, but electric exactly the same as the TM3.  Quite a turn around as she was really rather struggling to get familiar with the TM3 when we first got it.

I note the Inster that others have mentioned.  It looks quite funky but reminds me more of the original Panda from the 1980's.

Certainly need to see it to get your head around the size. It's pretty small, but very flexible. Jack (from Everything Electric) when reviewing it, was able to sit in the back, behind his own driving position, despite being about 6ft 5in, which impressed him. But efficiency (which starts of good) drops a lot if you drive fast, as it is a box on wheels. That seems perfectly fair to me and expected for a vehicle like this.

Would Mrs Grumpy (sorry for being so informal) be interested in the Puma BEV then perhaps? It's also receiving good reviews.

Exiled_Tyke

Inster is terrific.  Pretty high spec for such a small car.  The order is confirmed.  Delivery imminent.  

Martyn1981

I don't know if anyone has been following this story, but the large BEV ferry being built in Tasmania has now been launched. Still needs to be outfitted and finished, so a long time to go, but still worth a quick read/update I think.

‘World’s largest’ electric ship measuring 130 metres launched by Tasmanian boatbuilder

An Australian boatbuilder has launched what it describes as the world’s largest battery-power ship, describing it as a “a giant leap forward in sustainable shipping” and the “most important” project it has ever done.

Incat, a manufacturer based in Tasmania, constructed the ship – called Hull 096 – after being contracted by the South American ferry operator Buquebus to build a vessel to run between the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires, and Uruguay.

Launching the ship in Hobart on Friday, the company said it would operate entirely on battery-electric power, carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles across the River Plate, which forms the border between Argentina and Uruguay.

1961Nick

It is possible that the demand for a cheaper Tesla is increasingly being filled by 3-4 year old Model 3's for around £20K. They've proved to be remarkably reliable/durable & capable of Starship mileages with minimal battery degradation. The 8 year battery/drivetrain warranty provides a lot of reassurance against big bills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBxSWmzN4NI

QrizB

And it's not just Teslas that are accumulating miles.

There's a Vauxhal Vivaro-E Life on Autotrader now. 2021 reg, 200k miles, £7300.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504091154560

From the pictures it's evidently been well used, and (considering the practical range on one of these is something like 100 miles) it's seen ~2000 charge cycles in that time.

Martyn1981

Shocking and pleasing news that I hadn't expected.

[ I don't know to what level "feature electric drivetrains" means exactly, but certainly positive.]

Global Ferry Electrification Accelerates: 70% Of New Orders Go Electric

Seventy percent of ferries currently on order globally now feature electric drivetrains, a remarkable shift underscoring just how rapidly maritime transportation is decarbonizing. Norway has about 70 electric ferries running already, and there are likely north of 200 globally. There are about 15,400 ferries in operation around the world, new ones are overwhelmingly being purchased with electric drivetrains, and most operators have electric retrofit plans for existing vessels.

This transition, which seemed speculative just a decade ago, has moved swiftly from niche experiments in sustainability to mainstream procurement decisions, and the industry is now firmly on a trajectory toward large-scale electrification. The launch of vessels such as the China Zorrilla catamaran ferry, designed to operate between Argentina and Uruguay on a 200 km route at 25 knots multiple times a day, exemplifies the accelerating trend.

QrizB

Martyn1981 said:

[ I don't know to what level "feature electric drivetrains" means exactly, but certainly positive.]

Diesel electric?

Coal-fired steam turbine electric, with stokers furiously shovelling coal like something from a Titanic movie?