Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?

[Horse]

Rather worryingly my wife is thinking about getting an electric car. Being as she can run out of fuel in a diesel I should buy a warm coat, a generator and a book.

Filly complained when I insisted that she have a waterproof and warm hi-viz coat in her car.

Until the cold damp morning when a bung came out of the fuel system, losing half a tank in less than a mile. She got away from the car, and wore the big coat, when phoning the AA (who asked "Do you need the fire brigade?" to which Filly replied that, if she did, she would have phoned them first).

[cheb]

Good reply, delivered in a suitable style I hope.

[wheelnut]

I have no particular objection to electric cars except for the current lack of cohesive charging facilities.

Once the charging network mirrors the current fuel network in that you can pull up at any charging station, charge for 20 mins then be on your way then I’ll be happy to get onel

[Mr. Dazzle]

Fans of 80s Hot Hatches and neon shellsuits rejoice...the Renault 5 is coming back, in electric form!

[Asian Boss]

Rather worryingly my wife is thinking about getting an electric car. Being as she can run out of fuel in a diesel I should buy a warm coat, a generator and a book.

Filly complained when I insisted that she have a waterproof and warm hi-viz coat in her car.

Until the cold damp morning when a bung came out of the fuel system, losing half a tank in less than a mile. She got away from the car, and wore the big coat, when phoning the AA (who asked "Do you need the fire brigade?" to which Filly replied that, if she did, she would have phoned them first).

I'm sure that will have hastened their response.

[Mussels]

Fans of 80s Hot Hatches and neon shellsuits rejoice...the Renault 5 is coming back, in electric form!

They put the wide boy fat tail pipes at the wrong end.

[Horse]

Filly complained when I insisted that she have a waterproof and warm hi-viz coat in her car.

Until the cold damp morning when a bung came out of the fuel system, losing half a tank in less than a mile. She got away from the car, and wore the big coat, when phoning the AA (who asked "Do you need the fire brigade?" to which Filly replied that, if she did, she would have phoned them first).

I'm sure that will have hastened their response.

I did wonder whether, if someone had dropped a match, it would have done the comedy cartoon thing and a trail of flames would have followed her down the road ...

Edit: she had driven into cul-de-sac and turned around, so would have seen it go past!

[Horse]

Re speed of charging, I happened across a mention of 'Storedot' and fast charging. In particular, this, from June 2019, is interesting:

https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/ ... nutes.html

Tel Aviv, Israel, 12th June 2019 – Yesterday for the first time, StoreDot and its strategic partner BP demonstrated a live, full-charge of a two-wheel electric vehicle (EV) in just five minutes. An electric scooter equipped with StoreDot’s ultra-fast charging battery demonstrated that this technology can charge an electric vehicle in only five minutes. This proof-of-concept represents a major milestone for ultra-fast charging battery technology and its game-changing potential to accelerate the adoption of EVs.

StoreDot’s ultra-fast charging battery technology offers the potential to bring electric vehicle charging times down to current refueling times. When coupled with the required ultra-fast charging infrastructure, it is expected to dramatically improve the EV ownership experience and play a key role in the earlier adoption of EVs – reducing the environmental impact of transportation as a result.

But although a potentially great breakthrough (albeit the 'required infrastructure' caveat), that's not the bit that really interested me. Further on:

“Ultra-fast charging is at the heart of BP’s electrification strategy, which is why we invested in StoreDot last year, and why we are supporting this technology demonstration today”
Jon Salkeld, technology director for BP’s AMU

It might be, in a few decades, that people look at the name BP and say "How quaint, 'petroleum'."

[Horse]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... ging-times

[Cousin Jack]

Re speed of charging, I happened across a mention of 'Storedot' and fast charging. In particular, this, from June 2019, is interesting:

https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/ ... nutes.html

Tel Aviv, Israel, 12th June 2019 – Yesterday for the first time, StoreDot and its strategic partner BP demonstrated a live, full-charge of a two-wheel electric vehicle (EV) in just five minutes. An electric scooter equipped with StoreDot’s ultra-fast charging battery demonstrated that this technology can charge an electric vehicle in only five minutes. This proof-of-concept represents a major milestone for ultra-fast charging battery technology and its game-changing potential to accelerate the adoption of EVs.

StoreDot’s ultra-fast charging battery technology offers the potential to bring electric vehicle charging times down to current refueling times. When coupled with the required ultra-fast charging infrastructure, it is expected to dramatically improve the EV ownership experience and play a key role in the earlier adoption of EVs – reducing the environmental impact of transportation as a result.

But although a potentially great breakthrough (albeit the 'required infrastructure' caveat), that's not the bit that really interested me. Further on:

“Ultra-fast charging is at the heart of BP’s electrification strategy, which is why we invested in StoreDot last year, and why we are supporting this technology demonstration today”
Jon Salkeld, technology director for BP’s AMU

It might be, in a few decades, that people look at the name BP and say "How quaint, 'petroleum'."

Good news, and I hope it comes to something, but.................................

the cynic in me why they chose a scooter.

It couldn't be because an urban scooter could reasonably manage with a small capacity battery? No, the marketing department would never be so cynical.

[Cousin Jack]

FWIW gas boilers cannot be installed in new build homes from 2025 in the UK.

Another good intention that will come back to bite the UK in the arse.

I have a nice new(ish) house with nice warm underfloor and radiators heating powered by gas. When the boiler needs replacing (estimate 2030ish) gas boilers either will not exist, or will cost a fortune since they won't be allowed in new build and manufacture will be small scale. Electric costs approx 4x as much per kw. No garden, so ground source heat pump is no use, and air source heat pumps typically make a noise (the neighbours would complain), and also deliver temperatures too low for the system.

[Wreckless Rat]

FWIW gas boilers cannot be installed in new build homes from 2025 in the UK.

Another good intention that will come back to bite the UK in the arse.

I have a nice new(ish) house with nice warm underfloor and radiators heating powered by gas. When the boiler needs replacing (estimate 2030ish) gas boilers either will not exist, or will cost a fortune since they won't be allowed in new build and manufacture will be small scale. Electric costs approx 4x as much per kw. No garden, so ground source heat pump is no use, and air source heat pumps typically make a noise (the neighbours would complain), and also deliver temperatures too low for the system.

Whilst I am with you on the folly of binning off gas, for a number of reasons, not least that sole reliance on leccy forces people into a very closed market, but.... air source heat pumps do not make noise, certainly not enough for neighbours to moan about.

[Cousin Jack]

Whilst I am with you on the folly of binning off gas, for a number of reasons, not least that sole reliance on leccy forces people into a very closed market, but.... air source heat pumps do not make noise, certainly not enough for neighbours to moan about.

As I understand it they have fans (which do make some noise) and need planning permission (which is an invite for neighbours to complain). Being realistic the only place to site the outside bit of a pump is on my patio, which is only a very few metres from other patios. They can't see, but they can hear, and even a quiet fan is noisy in n environment that is otherwise silent. Not a problem if you live in a city, but I don't. I suspect it would be a problem for me if my neighbour decided to fit one.

[Wreckless Rat]

Whilst I am with you on the folly of binning off gas, for a number of reasons, not least that sole reliance on leccy forces people into a very closed market, but.... air source heat pumps do not make noise, certainly not enough for neighbours to moan about.

As I understand it they have fans (which do make some noise) and need planning permission (which is an invite for neighbours to complain). Being realistic the only place to site the outside bit of a pump is on my patio, which is only a very few metres from other patios. They can't see, but they can hear, and even a quiet fan is noisy in n environment that is otherwise silent. Not a problem if you live in a city, but I don't. I suspect it would be a problem for me if my neighbour decided to fit one.

They do have fans, but they are slow spinning fans so are all but silent. Although only small I have two, one is attached to my office which is a wooden shed, and I cannot hear it in her nor outside, a very light breeze or rustling trees are louder.

Neighbours objecting to green energy installations like heat pumps are unlikely to succeed.

My biggest objection is simple. The UK produces such a tiny % of world emissions, its a pointless exercise until China, the USA, India etc curb their emissions - the UK's piddly little 1% means nothing.

[Horse]

but.................................

the cynic in me why they chose a scooter.

It couldn't be because an urban scooter could reasonably manage with a small capacity battery? No, the marketing department would never be so cynical.

I had exactly the same thought. However, put it in context of that being 18 months ago, but today's announcement is of a factory having built 1,000 of them.*

* Cum grano salis

[Yambo]

Re speed of charging,

Is fast charging OK for the batteries long term? I don't know but I do know that fast charging isn't necessarily good for lead acid batteries.

Is it possible that repeated fast charging is actually detrimental to these new fangled batteries resulting in a shorted lifespan ?

[irie]

Re speed of charging,

Is fast charging OK for the batteries long term? I don't know but I do know that fast charging isn't necessarily good for lead acid batteries.

Is it possible that repeated fast charging is actually detrimental to these new fangled batteries resulting in a shorted lifespan ?

Perhaps it will be.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-00757-7

Thermally modulated lithium iron phosphate batteries for mass-market electric vehicles

Here we demonstrate a thermally modulated LFP battery to offer an adequate cruise range per charge that is extendable by 10 min recharge in all climates, essentially guaranteeing EVs that are free of range anxiety.
...
Furthermore, we reveal that the limited working time at the high temperature presents an opportunity to use graphite of low surface areas, thereby prospectively prolonging the EV lifespan to greater than two million miles.

[Horse]

Re speed of charging,

Is fast charging OK for the batteries long term? I don't know but I do know that fast charging isn't necessarily good for lead acid batteries.

Is it possible that repeated fast charging is actually detrimental to these new fangled batteries resulting in a shorted lifespan ?

Potentially not great. Covered in the second article. However, would all charges be of the 'fast' variety?

[JamJar]

Is fast charging OK for the batteries long term? I don't know but I do know that fast charging isn't necessarily good for lead acid batteries.

Is it possible that repeated fast charging is actually detrimental to these new fangled batteries resulting in a shorted lifespan ?

Does it matter when the car manufacturers warranty the batteries for 8 years?

[Kneerly Down]

As I understand it they have fans (which do make some noise) and need planning permission

From 1 December 2011 the installation of an air source heat pump on domestic premises is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, provided ALL the limits and conditions listed below are met.

You can do many more things without planning if they're 'green' now.
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/2 ... c%20metres