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

[Rockburner]

Having less cars is very definitely a good thing, however, I think that will be a generational thing, and would require MUCH better public transport FIRST, in order to allow people the freedom of movement they have now with their cars.

[Rockburner]

Vapourware at the moment, but this looks rather nice...


https://www.alphamotorinc.com/ace

There's a "performance edition" too.

https://www.alphamotorinc.com/ace-performance-edition

[demographic]

This popped up in my recommended YouTube stuff today and I thought some of you might be interested. Talking about large flywheels for energy storage at industrial scale.



This is something I've worked on quite a lot with composites. Carbon fibre is ideally suited to this application cause you can make it really really strong. Our highest performing rotors could nudge 1,000,000g at the edge when spinning at full speed.

The power density compared to a magnet was huge, up to 10 times the power/weight ratio. Overall storage capacity was less, but they can certainly soak up a lot of juice very quickly.

I'm a bit late to this post and although I've seen some stuff about flywheel energy storage (there was a bus somewhere that used it) the figure of 1,000,000gs is bloody going some isnt it?
From memory you've worked in aerospace, submarines (at Barrow, Marra?) And on posh and or racecars.

Who out of those was using the energy storage flywheels*?
I'm guessing the cars cos I'm sure I read something about racecars having energy storing flywheels to store power from regen braking but I've also heard of them using supercapaciters as well.
Not really sure where we are as to which ones better at the moment.



*As opposed to the normal power smoothing flywheels that pretty much any combustion engine has

[Asian Boss]

Fewer cars is indeed part of the solution.

The Polluting Proles won't like it but once the shift to textured insect protein is foisted upon them, they'll realise they have to suck it all up.

Also the massive reduction in air travel.

There's many decades of damage to be undone, especially for those in developed countries, and even more so for older people.

[Mr. Dazzle]

This popped up in my recommended YouTube stuff today and I thought some of you might be interested. Talking about large flywheels for energy storage at industrial scale.



This is something I've worked on quite a lot with composites. Carbon fibre is ideally suited to this application cause you can make it really really strong. Our highest performing rotors could nudge 1,000,000g at the edge when spinning at full speed.

The power density compared to a magnet was huge, up to 10 times the power/weight ratio. Overall storage capacity was less, but they can certainly soak up a lot of juice very quickly.

I'm a bit late to this post and although I've seen some stuff about flywheel energy storage (there was a bus somewhere that used it) the figure of 1,000,000gs is bloody going some isnt it?
From memory you've worked in aerospace, submarines (at Barrow, Marra?) And on posh and or racecars.

Who out of those was using the energy storage flywheels*?
I'm guessing the cars cos I'm sure I read something about racecars having energy storing flywheels to store power from regen braking but I've also heard of them using supercapaciters as well.
Not really sure where we are as to which ones better at the moment.



*As opposed to the normal power smoothing flywheels that pretty much any combustion engine has

Lots of people use em for all kinds of things. Anywhere you want very high power density with efficient in/out. Just a few examples of real applications we've put them in...

- Train stations on routes with lots of stop/start (e.g. the tube). Train dumps its braking energy into a bank of flywheels in the station, then sucks it back out again.
- Cranes in container ports. This is an ideal use! Pick up a 20 tonne container and then immediately put it down again. The total energy change in the container is zero, it goes from being on the ground to being on the ground again. Previously the energy used in the crane to pick it up was lost now they can get 90% of it back.
- Race car KERS.
- Remote location power supplies. Smallish generator runs constantly but then the flywheels provide big surges of power when you switch a fat bit of kit on. Means you can have a much smaller and cheaper generator.
- Super reliable UPSs for things like hospitals. A bank of flywheels can power a whole building for 30s while diesel generators kick in. Previously they had banks of lead batteries that take up loads of space and generate hydrogen gas.

And yes, a million gee is properly going some.

The ones we made used a magnetic composite so you didn't need to mechanically interface with the flywheel. You used magnetic fields acting directly on the composite. It means there is one less energy transfer and that the flywheel can spin in a vacuum for minimum drag.

[Phoenix]

I’ve been searching for a modern electric version of the old Bubble Car - Isetta. There are a few tiny cars in Europe but I can’t find anything here other than the SMART car.

Shucks!

[Kneerly Down]

...require MUCH better public transport FIRST, in order to allow people the freedom of movement they have now with their cars.

Even were public transport able to mostly replicate the car flexibility I can't see me subjecting myself to the complete lack of leg and shoulder room that most buses have, let alone having to travel in such close proximity to random people.
And if all trains were like the old Caledonian Sleeper lounge car I'd use them a lot more also!

[Rockburner]

I’ve been searching for a modern electric version of the old Bubble Car - Isetta. There are a few tiny cars in Europe but I can’t find anything here other than the SMART car.

Shucks!

I think the SMART is about as small as you can get these days for 2 people, whilst still (just about) adhering to crash-safety requirements.

[Kneerly Down]

I’ve been searching for a modern electric version of the old Bubble Car - Isetta. There are a few tiny cars in Europe but I can’t find anything here other than the SMART car.

Shucks!

The Renault Twizy is over a foot shorter than the SMART car.

[Rockburner]

I’ve been searching for a modern electric version of the old Bubble Car - Isetta. There are a few tiny cars in Europe but I can’t find anything here other than the SMART car.

Shucks!

The Renault Twizy is over a foot shorter than the SMART car.

IIRC that's registerable as a 'quad' rather than a car.

(also, they're not exactly UK-weather friendly).

[Mussels]

I'm not surprised Jaguar are making the change sooner, I looked at the current options and they are underwhelming. Petrol engines that are slower and do less mpg to than the previous diesel versions, I'll stick with the one one I have for a few more years.
I like that they are thinking about fuel cells as well so they can get longer distances without compulsory long delays at service stations.
All they need to do now is produce it at a price that people can afford, that may mean they attract Tesla customers rather existing Jag owners but the price will drop back down eventually.

[Mr. Dazzle]

AFAIK Tesla's pricing is unsustainable. They make money by selling carbon credits to other car manufacturers which allows them to get under overall emissions targets.

As soon as other car manufacturers start making predominantly electric cars they won't need Tesla's credits. Therefore Tesla will have to make cars which wipe their own face financially.

I'm sure Tesla are aware of this. No idea what their plan is though.

[Kneerly Down]

Sad to see the loss of another GA airport, but it'd be good for the region if this goes ahead...
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/busi ... 02796.html

[demographic]

I’ve been searching for a modern electric version of the old Bubble Car - Isetta. There are a few tiny cars in Europe but I can’t find anything here other than the SMART car.

Shucks!

Dunno if its over here yet but there's the Citroen Ami thing?
Max speed 28mph mind. Likely ok for big city use but I couldn't see it faring well somewhere like Manchester where sometimes to get across the city a motorway is the best way though.

[Phoenix]

Thank You Mr KD. I shall have a gander at the Twizy. A bit expensive for what they are - and with no windows fitted! Maybe a Honda quad with a massive umbrella would suit.

It appears they are called ‘Quadricycles’.

[Rockburner]

I'm sure Tesla are aware of this. No idea what their plan is though.

Sell to someone in China, make as much profit as possible, and skedaddle?

[Kneerly Down]

When looking at any Renault/Nissan electric vehicle, make sure the battery is owned rather than leased.
From the look of it most Twizys do a couple of hundred miles a year and yet cost £50 a month or so to lease the battery.

[Asian Boss]

Even were public transport able to mostly replicate the car flexibility I can't see me subjecting myself to the complete lack of leg and shoulder room that most buses have, let alone having to travel in such close proximity to random people.
And if all trains were like the old Caledonian Sleeper lounge car I'd use them a lot more also!

I don't want to sit sharing germs with people either, but I think my next move will be to somewhere with a short commuting time to wherever I want to work, and then it'll be bicycle or scoot. I'm not sure I could go back to two hours a day driving to/from work.

When I'm in the UK I see people driving their kids half a mile to school and I think the same as the Asian Boss, make them eat insect protein for a couple of months until they've changed their attitude.

They will eat the insects forever, not just two months.

And no more two (ghastly) holidays a year abroad - it will be Skegness or Blackpool only.

And if they do have a car it will be one of those Renault Twangos.

And the insects will be grown on human excrement.

[demographic]

Insect protein?
FFS, get with the programme, Soylent Green is the way forward.

By the people, For the people and Of the people.

[slowsider]

Insect protein?
FFS, get with the programme, Soylent Green is the way forward.

By the people, For the people and Of the old people.

ftfy

I'm on a saga-free diet.