Electric Car thread

[tomjasz]

As I scientist myself, I can confidently state this: Science says nothing but scientists do.

"Rocket scientist"?

 

[Readytoride]

And now for a lighter post...

Yesterday while driving my electric car on the local highway I noticed a Rivian (electric) truck behind me. Said so to my hubby who eagerly checked the rear view mirror on his side. He reads the Rivian forums every day and is learning everything he can about the vehicle before we get ours which is the planned longest range model (sadly won't be until sometime in 2024).

As the Rivian moved out to pass, I stuck my hand out the window with a thumbs up, and then gave the driver a friendly wave as he passed. They already knew they were passing an electric car (my license plate says so even though my Leaf is rather stealth looking), but were obviously tickled to be recognized for what they were driving. I got big waves and smiles from both the driver and passenger as they cruised by.

It was a nice moment shared by complete strangers. It made me think that sometime in the future it will be the reverse - the antique and vintage ICE cars (those that are carefully and lovingly restored, not the rusting, toxic spewing rattletraps that should be sitting in a scrapyard already) will get the looks and smiles because they will be rare.

 

[Mulezen]

I read recently where Rivian has delayed the long range trucks… supply chain issues and their behemoth partners Amazon and Mercedes needs are the reasons for the delays. Amazon drivers are apparently happy with their Rivian delivery vans. Rivian’s partnership with Mercedes includes an interest in another company with a solid state battery advanced enough to be designing a production facility.

 

[procreator]

"Rocket scientist"?

Toilet paper, actually.

Before you laugh, consider which you'd be willing to give up (permanently) first: Smart phone, e-bike, laptop, or toilet paper?

PS - They don't make Sears catalogs anymore.

 

[WattsUpDude]

Not sure if it’s coming to the USA, but it looks like there’s a 500 Abarth E car coming out.

I sold my Abarth shortly after we got the Bolt since it didn’t fit our life anymore (2 young kids and a long commute). But as a hot hatch fan, I’m looking forward to more diversity when it comes to future E cars.

 

[Mulezen]

Not sure if it’s coming to the USA, but it looks like there’s a 500 Abarth E car coming out.

I sold my Abarth shortly after we got the Bolt since it didn’t fit our life anymore (2 young kids and a long commute). But as a hot hatch fan, I’m looking forward to more diversity when it comes to future E cars.

The Koreans are coming on strong

 

[Sparky731]

A very intriguing suggestion within a letter to the editor in the WSJ the other day: the idea of a transcontinental EV race akin to the 1909 endurance challenge.

The race would be between actual production vehicles, not just the experimental EVs that raced in 1968. Multiple classes.

Surely Tesla would win most aptly per the Tesla charging station network.

The interest would be in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th etc. places. It would be a great marketing opportunity.

 

[WattsUpDude]

A very intriguing suggestion within a letter to the editor in the WSJ the other day: the idea of a transcontinental EV race akin to the 1909 endurance challenge.

The race would be between actual production vehicles, not just the experimental EVs that raced in 1968. Multiple classes.

Surely Tesla would win most aptly per the Tesla charging station network.

The interest would be in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th etc. places. It would be a great marketing opportunity.

This is relevant
Out of spec

 

[procreator]

The Koreans are coming on strong

I fully expect there will be a whole new set of players in the EV landscape. The big motor companies are heavily capitalized and cannot pivot on a dime. They are optimized to design and build vehicles around gasoline-powered drivelines. While they have some EV offerings, newcomers can come in with fresh ideas and not tied to the historical ways of designing and building vehicles. I am old enough to remember when the Detroit big three tried putting diesel engines in gas-powered cars in the 1980's. An unmitigated disaster.

Companies like Tesla can design an EV from scratch and capitalize around building it. There are and will continue to be others like Tesla who have fresh ideas and the courage to execute them. Of the existing ones, only the nimble ones will survive, unless the gov't deems them "too big to fail" and bails them out as they have in the past.

I also predict that there will be a convergence of technology, especially concerning battery design. The economics of each company designing its own battery and figuring out how to dispose of or recycle it are too difficult. Companies will get together and agree on various technologies, and then concerted development will occur. We have seen this with cell phones (e.g., 4g, 5g) and a host of other technologies.

 

[Zekeer]

This will never happen on a global scale . There's no infrastructure to support it . Pushing EV's on people isn't about climate awareness . It's about controlling people . It amazes me how most people just fall in line . Sad but funny and it's always been this way . Follow the crowd , you'll fall off the cliff and go splatt:

 

[scrambler]

Sure, the fact that electric propulsion makes for a better car than internal combustion engine in pretty much every regard must have nothing to do with it

 

[Handlebars]

Sure, the fact that electric propulsion makes for a better car than internal combustion engine in pretty much every regard must have nothing to do with it

It's not the propulsion that is the big problem, it's the energy storage part.

 

[PDoz]

I also predict that there will be a convergence of technology, especially concerning battery design. The economics of each company designing its own battery and figuring out how to dispose of or recycle it are too difficult. Companies will get together and agree on various technologies, and then concerted development will occur. We have seen this with cell phones (e.g., 4g, 5g) and a host of other technologies.

Thankfully this is already happening in the motorbike ev world ( rather than motorbike as toys) , with everyone from ktm to honda , samsung and piagio aiming at a standardised swappable battery design.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a mobile box that could use the same tech . Imagine buying car " skins" like we can with power tools , and going back to the good old days when a SERVICE station had attendants refueling - imagine all those jobs with attendants replacing batteries at the service centre!

small print...imagine having an attendant replace the battery whilst a tesla driver has to wait to charge!!!

Perhaps reflect on how backward a country looks that DOESN'T have this infrastructure ....India are already moving towards using it in their tricycle taxis....

Check out Honda's swappable battery stations for electric motorbikes, hoping to go global

Honda’s swappable battery packs, known as the Honda Mobile Power Pack e: (MPPe:), are soon getting their own Gogoro-style battery...

electrek.co

 

[procreator]

This is pretty awesome. I can understand how it can work for rickshaws and delivery motorcycles.

I like your idea of having skins with swappable batteries. I love my DeWalt cordless tools. Maybe DeWalt will start making ebikes.

 

[Mulezen]

A general piece on EV’s…hopefully readable

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/13/...ytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

 

[Taylor57]

A general piece on EV’s…hopefully readable

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/13/...ytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Good read. I have mixed feelings after owning an EV for a year now. The 7500 tax credit was great but only getting 160 miles on a full charge was not so great. Yeah, I was driving 80 and had the AC on for part of the trip, but I thought for sure I would do better than 160. Also, it seems like every EV charging station has one problem or another-and I'm in So Cal. Hanging on to my ICE car for now as my EV is a nice grocery getter...

 

[Zekeer]

So I am clear to understanding . You guys are saying to go to a vehicle that needs constant changing is progress. When we already have vehicles that automatically charge the battery during operation . Please explain how this is progress? How we supposed to fly ?? LOL Where is the grid technology to support all this ? That's not even being worked on . A battery exchange house ?? Seriously ..
Motorcycles weigh about 1/6th the weight of a small car . Plus a gas bike can go forever on a few gallons of gas.
Plus we need gas and oil to make the EV. Not to mention maintaining them . Then there's the cost of the EV itself . Most can't afford one .
I fail to see how this is progress. When the lifestyle you currently experience is all because of gas/oil and coal .
Please explain
I also don't get how you people don't understand . When they say we have to have a massive reduction in carbon to survive . Duh::: Human Beings emit C02 ??? And there are approximately 8 billion carbon emitters ?????? This is where these Globalists' are heading .

 

[procreator]

You guys are saying to go to a vehicle that needs constant changing is progress.

I appreciate your sentiments, but I think you're painting with an awfully broad brush. Perhaps you already did, but if you peruse the entire thread you will find there is a whole spectrum of opinions.

My concern is that policy-drivers, be they in the government or media, often pick the "best of" information that supports their positions, and the "worst of" information with which to paint opposing positions. I suppose we are all prone to this fallacy.

It is undeniable that there has been tremendous technological progress in EV space. It is also undeniable that as the use of EVs has expanded, serious issues have been uncovered that may not be solved by technology. The NYT article referenced above highlights some of these issues.

 

[Zekeer]

I appreciate your sentiments, but I think you're painting with an awfully broad brush. Perhaps you already did, but if you peruse the entire thread you will find there is a whole spectrum of opinions.

My concern is that policy-drivers, be they in the government or media, often pick the "best of" information that supports their positions, and the "worst of" information with which to paint opposing positions. I suppose we are all prone to this fallacy.

It is undeniable that there has been tremendous technological progress in EV space. It is also undeniable that as the use of EVs has expanded, serious issues have been uncovered that may not be solved by technology. The NYT article referenced above highlights some of these issues.

I have no problem with EV . What I have a problem with as I have said before . The supposed urgency to get rid of gas/oil . They are pushing a false narrative to even suggest such a thing is possible . All of our polymers and other plastics used in vehicles are oil based products -batteries need coal . To eliminate carbon emissions to saveeeee the planet . Is simply a lie being pushed to regulate us . Something they can't do off the grid. Seriously who are they trying to kid with this Climate change bull? Every time 1 volcano spews ash sets this C02 nonsense on it's #$#$ . Nord Stream ???
That's my problem. EV are fine / But they should be part of the Energy source . Not all of it .

 

[pmcdonald]

This thread is what it looks like to live through a transition. There will be the doomsdayers, the contrarians, the polayannas, the pragmatists, the holdouts. And somewhere in the middle of it all the market will continue to respond to the policy and consumer demand of the moment.

EVs represent a minuscule part of our market here in Australia. But the trend is real. Manufacturers can't get enough product to market to meet demand here.

One interesting local development: BYD launched here recently. Their vehicles feature a tray arrangement for the batteries. In theory they could be quickly swapped out at a petrol station by an attendent, similar to a swap and go gas bottle. Watch this space.