Electric cars and the grid..... it has begun.

[bricol]

California, the state with the highest EV adoption rate, doesn't factor EVs into its rate of roadway wear because they weigh under 10,000 pounds and aren't expected to create additional maintenance costs, according to Nicole Mowers, a spokeswoman for Caltrans

"The difference between the weight of a standard light vehicle with an internal combustion engine and an EV is not significant enough to cause concern," Michigan Transportation Department spokesman Jeff Cranson said

Have you seen how many over-sized pick-ups and SUVs constitute the average US states "standard vehicle" ? No wonder a two tonne car isn't a worry.

In fact, even my medium sized Challenger weigh close to 2 tonne . . . which I guess is why it doesn't quite corner as well as my 600kg Caterham

So the answer is - more Caterhams

 

[mtt.tr]

Have you seen how many over-sized pick-ups and SUVs constitute the average US states "standard vehicle" ? No wonder a two tonne car isn't a worry.

In fact, even my medium sized Challenger weigh close to 2 tonne . . . which I guess is why it doesn't quite corner as well as my 600kg Caterham

So the answer is - more Caterhams

An ev caterham good thinking

 

[redlig]

An ev caterham good thinking

Hopefully with realistic V8 soundtrack for added realism.

 

[mtt.tr]

Hopefully with realistic V8 soundtrack for added realism.

4pot cross flow?

 

[daleyd]

Have you seen how many over-sized pick-ups and SUVs constitute the average US states "standard vehicle" ? No wonder a two tonne car isn't a worry.

In fact, even my medium sized Challenger weigh close to 2 tonne . . . which I guess is why it doesn't quite corner as well as my 600kg Caterham

So the answer is - more Caterhams

I'm guessing if they currently have an oversized SUV they'll be replacing it with an oversize electric SUV (Rivian anyone?) so the point still stands

 

[dobbslc]

Think skinny bird in Stilleto heels v a fat bloke in wellies. Which one is going to sink and poke holes in your lawn?

I'd say there's a crossover point where they both go down at the same time...
Edit: I read that as far bird in wellies not bloke

Real world data from my few months running a hybrid…

I’ve posted a picture in another thread a while back, but I’m now a few more miles in with my plug in hybrid company car. Here’s a pic from this morning after 2500 miles and 5 months of driving it (in hilly wales no less!) It’s not my choice as a car so I’ve got nothing invested in this, and nothing to prove - those figures are just what they are.

View attachment 375010

For ref its 200bhp - the petrol car it replaced was 180bhp and over 4 years it averaged 43-44mpg. I’m not going to pretend they would suit everybody but that’s a quite significant improvement, my journeys have been a mix of mainly long distance and some shorter stop/start stuff.

What car is that?

 

[daleyd]

I'd say there's a crossover point where they both go down at the same time...
Edit: I read that as far bird in wellies not bloke

What car is that?

It's a SEAT Leon FR - not by choice but everyone has a gripe about our new company car scheme so we have pretty much all ignored any attempt to engage in selecting a new car, so when our old contract ran out we ended up with the lease companies standard long term "loan cars". A few people ended up with Audi A3 which is effectively the same car but most of us have these.

Not bad to be fair, boot is a bit small but its nippy enough and it's a good saving on company car tax so overall I'm pretty happy with it. I've not changed driving style (Knowingly at least) so the mpg increase is pretty good. It helps if you can charge it up, which I try to do whenever I can, though even if you can't it still get's 50 odd mpg - presumably due to the regen braking and coasting. If you charge it it will do about 30 miles on battery alone, or you can use it as a self charging type and it will use the electric motor around town and at low speeds.

 

[8ob]

The only thought on hybrids is the mpg is being assisted by another power source, may be time to introduce a kw per mile gauge. Wouldn't or shouldn't be hard to gauge the KW used while plugged in on charge and subtract that from the 10kw that exist in a litre of diesel / 8.9 petrol when being used to arrive at a true kw per mile figure.`

Bob

 

[daleyd]

The only thought on hybrids is the mpg is being assisted by another power source, may be time to introduce a kw per mile gauge. Wouldn't or shouldn't be hard to gauge the KW used while plugged in on charge and subtract that from the 10kw that exist in a litre of diesel / 8.9 petrol when being used to arrive at a true kw per mile figure.`

Bob

I think there is one somewhere, I'll see if I can find it. A full charge costs about 70p on an overnight cheap rate, so in terms of cost benefit it's currently worthwhile to do so, but as I said even when not charged from the wall and just running as a normal car it's still about 10 mpg better than the car it replaced, with an extra 20 bhp.

 

[dobbslc]

So that's 70p to do 30 miles?
My Surf is about £10! OOOF

 

[Blobber]

I think there is one somewhere, I'll see if I can find it. A full charge costs about 70p on an overnight cheap rate, so in terms of cost benefit it's currently worthwhile to do so, but as I said even when not charged from the wall and just running as a normal car it's still about 10 mpg better than the car it replaced, with an extra 20 bhp.

But isnt that price subsidised by the rest of us suckers?

 

[daleyd]

But isnt that price subsidised by the rest of us suckers?

No, it’s just cheap overnight electric, same as economy 7 is/was. As far as I’m aware it’s not subsidised by anyone other than me paying a higher price in the day.

 

[bricol]

An ev caterham good thinking

I believe they are looking at a new car that is different, heavier than a seven, but electric and sporty.

Then once someone creates a light enough electric drivetrain to borrow, much as they borrow current IC drivetrains, they want to re-invent the seven as electric.

Owned/run by a Japanese organisation now, with plenty of experience and contacts in the mainstream automotive world, so fingers crossed it will continue.

Can't see me replacing mine though.

 

[Morrisman]

Although I agree with your point, let’s not Tesla bash ! How many you looked at ? Nice fat grippy tyres … mine would use its 500 odd hp to spin skinny tyres all day long if the computer allowed it.

And when you see just how quick the Tesla is in the quarter mile, without spinning its tyres......

 

[redlig]

4pot cross flow?

Fireblade?

 

[barracuda816]

I feel there are some people who are hell bent to wanting to dislike electric vehicles.

I understand that the cost and ppm might not work out. And ofcourse they will be taxed (similar to ice cars now) but ice cars are not the future. Most city’s are either taxing them off the roads or will soon begin too.

And there is no deniying that they are more efficient. And eco friendly. Burning fuel in a small engine is not as efficient as a power station. Then when you factor in renwables and nuclear and the transmission losses I would imagine are less then shipping and distribution of fuel.

Yes current battery tech is not soo eco friendly. But most can and will be recycled as virgin metal cost are rising.

There is a interesting bloke on YouTube under engineering explained. Who does some fairly deep dive comparisons. Worth a watch.

If you are lucky enough to have pv on your land then even better.

I’m not saying they are perfect or for every one. There are a lot of factors to over come. But they are improving so much quicker than ICE (which is at the end of its life) it’s just an evolution of tech. Same as horses to steam, to ICE now it’s ICE to electric.

Some of the arguments here are just clutching at straws.

 

[GRW]

I've got an e-mtb and it's great (basically a hybrid of human and leccy) - I'm not totally anti-Electric everything.
Would I spend a huge pile of money (even if I had it) on an EV or Hybrid though? Hell no (but I'd baulk at any recent ICE too). There's not any real world step for me with one (inc. Environmentally) when you look beyond the actual tailpipe emissions (a fraction of the story), they are stupidly expensive (so hardly an economic decision) and less convenient where I live and distances/areas I cover, and they've got a design short life, not a consumer durable, and you're locked out of any mtce and hostage to the Mfr/Dealer.

Add all that up - and I'll be taking another option for as long as I'm able.

 

[maroon]

I don't know enough about them to be for or against electric vehicles.

Whether they follow the trend of the ipod of the "next big thing to get landfilled" or whether they become the next table and chairs that are still in use today.

I think advertisers trying to flog them ain't painting the full picture though. A Hush up of the flaws, I think it's too early to tell. When it comes to repair scrapping and recycling. Especially regarding battery's and motors ect.
Are people going to throw away whole cars as it's cheaper to get a whole car than change/fix a battery (like in the way of tv's) a few years down the line. In say ten years or something

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I feel there are some people who are hell bent to wanting to dislike electric vehicles.

Neither like nor dislike.
Just don't agree they are going to solve all our problems.

For eg. The many millions of people commuting to work everyday.

London. Why did we never decentralise and spread out around the country.

Haulage. M1 northbound this afternoon. 2 lanes front to back with HGV trunking up the country.

Instead of HS2 so people don't have to have a zoom meeting why not expand and develop a rail network to get more trucks off the roads.

Air travel.

Private air travel....

Shipping most of what we need halfway around the world to exploit cheap labour.

 

[maroon]

Shipping most of what we need halfway around the world to exploit cheap labour.

Sorting this out will do more for the world than half the population nipping to the shops and a local commute in an electric vehicle.