Electric Vehicles!

[badger]

Shoot, my wife won't drive my car now. She considers pumping the gas to get it started, then waiting 10 minutes for it to warm up, quite primitive. Never mind the absence of AC, cruise control and power windows! Oh, the horror... the absolute horror!!!

My wife doesn't like driving her car, but she drove herself to work for a month, just in case I might not be able to see very well after my eye operations.
Our little Jimny atv is hers but I am on the insurance to drive it. I love it!

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Ran across an interesting article about driving a classic car vs an ev. A bit bias I think and slightly slanted in one direction, but none the less food for thought. https://www.motorious.com/articles/features-3/classic-cars-greener/

 

[badger]

Ran across an interesting article about driving a classic car vs an ev. A bit bias I think and slightly slanted in one direction, but none the less food for thought. https://www.motorious.com/articles/features-3/classic-cars-greener/

Interesting article!
I was with friends recently when when I was asked about my electric 'vespa' and one of them explained loudly that I am not green at all, in fact positively high carbon...... an imposter! All this in half amusing but half serious tone. Of course, I didn't buy an EV to save the planet (!) but because I've been interested in EVs for many years...built an electric bike about 40 years ago.

On most occasions when it takes me to the shops, etc somebody will ask me about it. I've owned wonderful big-cc bikes, used to drive an ageing lady's Corvette once a month (!) , once had a Nissan sx 3000 company car (?) and have owned a home made mini-moke which turned the occasional eye, but no machine that I have ever driven attracts as much interest as this little EV scooter. We are definitely getting interested in EVs here, but my neighbour's big V8 gas guzzler can turn every head when it cruises off up the road. Yeah.

Fashions are so strange. I've ridden vespas for 57 years and there were times when bunches of school kids would point and joke as I rode past, and then a few years later bunches of school kids would show wondrous desire.... and then on to the next generation. At the moment they show extraordinary interest in this one.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Yeah, my interest in EV's is purely selfish. Nothing to do with reducing my carbon footprint, saving the planet or any other popular catch phrase. I just like the idea of being able to fill-up at home and not having to change the oil. Well that and the prospect of a sub-6 sec 0 to 60!

 

[badger]

Yeah, my interest in EV's is purely selfish. Nothing to do with reducing my carbon footprint, saving the planet or any other popular catch phrase. I just like the idea of being able to fill-up at home and not having to change the oil. Well that and the prospect of a sub-6 sec 0 to 60!

Ha ha ! Oh, and yeah, you're looking at a slightly more serious machine if you want high acceleration like that. EVs sure do have torgue though, my little scooter can take off brilliantly.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Hey look, the Meyers Manx Dune Buggy is back and it's electric!

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/meyers-manx-2-0-electric-dune-buggy-debut/​

 

[wil]

Is it on a VW bug ev chassis?

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Is it on a VW bug ev chassis?

Not a lot of tech data yet, but just studying the promo pics, it appears to have an aftermarket VW type torsion bar front suspension setup and some sort of independent arrangement out back. So, the chassis makeup appears to be a combo of new and old. According to the article I linked to, it's powered by a pair of electric motors, one driving each rear wheel. So evidently, both transmission and differential have been eliminated, as with VW's current electric chassis module. Supposedly pre-production test models will be available next year and full production will begin the following. Darn neat vehicle.

 

[wil]

2 n 4 hub motor/alternators look to be the current move...coasting and breaking recharges to conserve energy....

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Electric Vehicles Spontaneously Combust In Florida After Hurricane Ian​

I"n a surprising glitch, at least nine electric vehicles suddenly caught fire in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Florida officials have reported."

Electric Vehicles Spontaneously Combust In Florida After Hurricane Ian

Recent reports spark serious concern over vehicle safety following saltwater flooding.

www.yahoo.com

 

[badger]

Electric Vehicles Spontaneously Combust In Florida After Hurricane Ian​

I"n a surprising glitch, at least nine electric vehicles suddenly caught fire in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Florida officials have reported."

Electric Vehicles Spontaneously Combust In Florida After Hurricane Ian

Recent reports spark serious concern over vehicle safety following saltwater flooding.

www.yahoo.com

Yes........ EVs on fire are a whole new headache for fire departments. After a motorway crash an EV burst in to flames and the fire dept couldn't control it for ages! After it was brought under control the flames erupted again and the 'hot' car was put on a transporter and raced to a yard where a huge skip had been filled with water to receive it. I watched all this on a TV reality program about crash recoveries.

The most common Lithium fires around here are caused by folks fiddling with (stand-on) EV-scoot batteries. I saw a picture of a Tesla 'chassis' which is in fact the battery, one massive flat surface under the entire moror.....imagine sitting on top of that in the event that it goes wrong?

Having said all that, I'm delighted with my Artisan EV2000r 'vespa' scooter. I don't know how/shy but it's top speed is slowly increasing with use from the original 30mph up to 38mph now. Don't know how but I'm quite pleased about that. The other day I rode over to a big motorcycle dealer...... huge Indians and Harleys outside, many now costing up to £25000 new, and I went in to wander around the large showroom; when I cam out there was a large group assembled around and staring at ...my artisan scooter! Crazy but true. And a few months back a police constable stopped me to ask about it.....he thought his Mum would like one.

But Lithums and fire.... very bad.

 

[badger]

More exciting EV waffle!
I'm reading that EVs on longer journeys and needing to use fast-charge facilities cost as much to run as petrol/diesel vehicles. The way that Electricity costs are going to increase are causing lots of folks who travel long distance to review any green plans that they might have held.

Although home charging is still less expensive I began to wonder what it really costs to run my Little EV2000r artisan 'vespa' scooter. I am keeping a record of what our electricity costs us each day and so I can measure the cost of a journey by inspecting our meter before and after a battery charge whilst other equipment is turned off. To travel 10 miles in to the local city (Canterbury) and back, including climbing up 4 hills of 1-12 gradient, 20 miles total = £0.90p To travel exactly that same journey in my wife's Suzuki Jimny costs £9.

So there. I hope that this post stunned you all in to amazement....

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Although home charging is still less expensive I began to wonder what it really costs to run my Little EV2000r artisan 'vespa' scooter. I am keeping a record of what our electricity costs us each day and so I can measure the cost of a journey by inspecting our meter before and after a battery charge whilst other equipment is turned off. To travel 10 miles in to the local city (Canterbury) and back, including climbing up 4 hills of 1-12 gradient, 20 miles total = £0.90p To travel exactly that same journey in my wife's Suzuki Jimny costs £9.

Is that a fair comparison though? I wonder what it would cost you to operate a petrol scooter the same distance...?

I was just reading an article about a fellow with a 10 year old Nissan Leaf. The gist of it was, though he saved a bundle on fuel and maintenance over that 10 year period, he now needed to replace the lithium ion battery pack. That particular car has a relatively low kwh battery, but with labor can still exceed $10,000 to replace! Ya pays now or ya pays later I suppose...

 

[badger]

Is that a fair comparison though? I wonder what it would cost you to operate a petrol scooter the same distance...?

Yeah, it's fair. If I want to pop in to the local city I can do this for £0.90p or £9. Those our my choices.
It's a comparison between what we have.

I was just reading an article about a fellow with a 10 year old Nissan Leaf. The gist of it was, though he saved a bundle on fuel and maintenance over that 10 year period, he now needed to replace the lithium ion battery pack. That particular car has a relatively low kwh battery, but with labor can still exceed $10,000 to replace! Ya pays now or ya pays later I suppose...

Absolutely! And I get the impression that many EV owners still think of them as IC cars; for instance, whereas they used to fill up once a week (maybe) they now might think that they can top up the batteries once a week, and batteries on a low charge for long periods of time don't last so long. But where IC cars are banned from city centres (as they will be soon imo) the hybrids and EVs are a must.

I think there might be a future for a 'big-battery' hybrid with a smaller IC charging motor for remote charging., but at the moment I think it's not a good idea to buy EVs for long distance travel.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

I have one friend with an electric Kia. As per manufacturer recommendations, he charges to 80%, allowing the batteries to drain to 20% before plugging in again. He charges at home with a level 2 charger. In the 2 years he's had the car, the batteries have already been replaced twice due to recalls. One of which came with a warning not to park the car in a attached garage or near the house!

Think I'll keep my old heap a while longer. Of course the problem there is, cars of that vintage were never designed to run on the carburetor clogging, valve burning trash they sell at the pumps these days.

 

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Yes........ EVs on fire are a whole new headache for fire departments. After a motorway crash an EV burst in to flames and the fire dept couldn't control it for ages! After it was brought under control the flames erupted again and the 'hot' car was put on a transporter and raced to a yard where a huge skip had been filled with water to receive it. I watched all this on a TV reality program about crash recoveries.

The most common Lithium fires around here are caused by folks fiddling with (stand-on) EV-scoot batteries. I saw a picture of a Tesla 'chassis' which is in fact the battery, one massive flat surface under the entire moror.....imagine sitting on top of that in the event that it goes wrong?

Having said all that, I'm delighted with my Artisan EV2000r 'vespa' scooter. I don't know how/shy but it's top speed is slowly increasing with use from the original 30mph up to 38mph now. Don't know how but I'm quite pleased about that. The other day I rode over to a big motorcycle dealer...... huge Indians and Harleys outside, many now costing up to £25000 new, and I went in to wander around the large showroom; when I cam out there was a large group assembled around and staring at ...my artisan scooter! Crazy but true. And a few months back a police constable stopped me to ask about it.....he thought his Mum would like one.

But Lithums and fire.... very bad.

Lithiums and water are even worse iirc. That was what caused a major fire several years ago (an anonymous man had a rather large collection of lithium batteries stored in an abandoned paper mill when the batteries spontaneously combusted, and the fire department couldn't use its hoses (water) because the lithium would've gotten even hotter, expanding the fire. That's one reason why "you" can't bring lithium batteries onto commercial aircraft (and also why there were problems with the Galaxy Note 7 phone.)

I think that there was one flight where someone mishandled a shipment of lithium batteries that had one or two batteries combust, ending up with everyone on board dying due to the whole shipment catching fire during the flight (I have to look up the accident report again.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

 

[badger]

I have one friend with an electric Kia. As per manufacturer recommendations, he charges to 80%, allowing the batteries to drain to 20% before plugging in again. He charges at home with a level 2 charger. In the 2 years he's had the car, the batteries have already been replaced twice due to recalls. One of which came with a warning not to park the car in a attached garage or near the house!
It will take a couple of decades for battery problems to get sorted out, I guess. I'm very glad that I bought an Artisan but battery care and safety is my top concern.

Think I'll keep my old heap a while longer. Of course the problem there is, cars of that vintage were never designed to run on the carburetor clogging, valve burning trash they sell at the pumps these days.

Ah, yes....... In the UK I only put the best 95' octane petrol in my wife's jimny, because vehicles using the lower performance fuel are getting problems with overheating, wear, etc ....

Back in the 80's the UK started switching over from leaded to unleaded fuel at the pumps and drivers more interested in green issues etc switched immediately. What they didn't realise was that their engines were designed to run on leaded fuel which lubricated the valve, rocker and cam machinery at the top of their engines.......... = mashed up engines and very expensive rebuilds/replacements!

I'm very interested in EVs indeed, but am happy to just observe what's happening.

Another story:- My wife wanted to have big 'chunky-tread' tyres on her Jimny atv just because she likes the look, loves the road noise (!) and all her work colleagues are horsey people and use these tyres on their rangers and wagons. They were fitted yesterday but the tyre people thought her decision was very strange; I did love her answers! :-
Mechanic:- They're noisy you know!
Wifey:- Yeah! Great!
Mech: They don't hold the road as well.
Wifey: All our town has a 20mph limit.
Mech: Not so good on ice.
Wifey: I'll be in bed if there's ice.
etc etc and finally the mechanic said:
Mech: I just think it's daft to put mud-type-tyres on road vehicles.
Wifey: Yeah. That's fashion...totally daft. Do you think that owning a Ferrari is daft?
Mech: No!
Wifey: On Jersey Island the speed limit is 20mph apart from one central road at 30mph. Everybody who can afford one buys...... a Ferrari.
The mechanic laughed, got the point, and wished her Joy with her chunky tyres.

 

[badger]

Lithiums and water are even worse iirc. That was what caused a major fire several years ago (an anonymous man had a rather large collection of lithium batteries stored in an abandoned paper mill when the batteries spontaneously combusted, and the fire department couldn't use its hoses (water) because the lithium would've gotten even hotter, expanding the fire. That's one reason why "you" can't bring lithium batteries onto commercial aircraft (and also why there were problems with the Galaxy Note 7 phone.)

That's it. Absolutely.
Our Fire departments still don't know how to control a lithium-battery fire, a perfect (televised!) example was in my post.
I wonder if and when the Insurance companies will 'click' on to all this?
I've heard of mobiles combusting, and kid's E-scooter battery fires are often reported now. Shorting out a lithium battery is terrifyingly exciting, it seems.

I think that there was one flight where someone mishandled a shipment of lithium batteries that had one or two batteries combust, ending up with everyone on board dying due to the whole shipment catching fire during the flight (I have to look up the accident report again.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

Dreadful........ absolutely horrific. We are going to need new battery technology very quickly, but these tragedies show just how dangerous lithiums can be.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

My wife wanted to have big 'chunky-tread' tyres on her Jimny atv just because she likes the look, loves the road noise

Ha, I spent a good chunk of my working days as a tire salesman. Every now and then somebody would come in wanting Gumbo Mudders. I always asked them if they had a good loud radio!

 

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Here's the airplane accident involving lithium batteries (Warning; deaths):

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine