High Powered eBike Camping: Enter the Realm of Highly Compromised Decisions and Deeply Ambivalent Feelings

[BikeMike]

New Ford Transit and Tourney PHEV Vans unveiled – New Mobility

Why no DC fast charging?

Featuring a technologically advanced hybrid architecture, the Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid’s front wheels are driven exclusively by a 92.9 kW electric motor powered by a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Ford’s multi-award-winning 1.0‑litre EcoBoost petrol engine acts as a range extender for total driving range exceeding 500 kilometres (310 miles).

Ford is also introducing a new Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid eight-seat people-mover, utilising the same advanced powertrain technology. Offering superior levels of refinement in a spacious rear compartment with unique-in-segment conference seating, the Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid makes an ideal executive shuttle for businesses aiming to meet clean-air targets in areas such as inner cities or airports.

A charging port located within the front bumper enables the new Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid to be charged in 4.3 hours using a domestic 240-volt 10-amp power supply, or 2.7 hours using a commercial type-2 AC vehicle charger. Additional electrical energy is captured through regenerative charging when the vehicle decelerates or brakes.

An optional 12-volt Epower Pack will enable operators to run high-power electrical equipment such as power tools or site lights from the vehicle’s high-voltage battery, using an easily accessible connection delivering up to 6 kW of power.

The Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid people-mover has a pure electric driving range of up to 53 km (33 miles) NEDC, the Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid also is covered by Ford’s eight-year/160,000 km (100,000-mile) battery pack warranty.

 

[BikeMike]

Mercedes-Benz launches its electric EQV minivan for ~$64,000

Mercedes-Benz is launching its electric EQV minivan in Europe for €71,388.10 (incl. 19% VAT), which is the equivalent of a...

electrek.co

The electric EQV MPV was first unveiled last year when we learned that it is equipped with a 100 kWh battery pack, but the company is limiting the usable capacity to 90 kWh. They believe it’s going to result in 405 km (250 miles) of range on a single charge.

To charge the battery pack, the EQV is equipped with an 11 kW on-board charger and it can DC fast-charge at up to 110 kW, which Mercedes claims can charge the battery pack from 10 to 80% in less than 45 min.

As for the electric motor, it has a peak power output of 150 kW and it enables a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). We took a drive in a prototype last year and had lots of good things to say about the vehicle:

Here are some of the specs of the Mercedes-Benz EQV:

CO2-emissions	0 g/km
Electricity consumption (combined)1	26.4 -26.3 kWh/100 km
Range (combined)2,3	417 – 418 km
Charging standard	CCS
Minimum charging time at wallbox or public charging station (AC charging, up to 11 kW, series)	< 10 h (0-100 %)
Minimum charging time at fast charging station (DC charging up to 110 kW, series)	approx. 45 min (10-80% SoC)
Drive	Front wheel drive
Power (peak)	150 kW (204 hp)
Power (duration)	70 kW (95 hp)
Max Torque	362 Nm
Battery	Lithium-Ion
Battery capacity (usable)	90 kWh
Battery capacity (installed)	100 kWh
Lengths	5,140 mm, 5,370 mm
Wheelbases	3,200 mm, 3,430 mm
Top Speed	140 km/h (series), 160 km/h (option)
Luggage compartments (max. depending on equipment)	1.030 litres, 1.410 litres
zGG	3,500 kilograms

 

[BikeMike]

Toyota Culture and History

 

[BikeMike]

Working Backwards With the Electrical System​

The Best 12v Battery Option For Toyota Prius

It will more than likely take you by surprise, but the day will come. You will get in your Toyota Prius and it will not be ready to go. The 12v will be dead, and you will be left thinking about what to do next. Lucky for you, I have the answer.

www.torquenews.com

I am just trying to understand the Prius electrical system design philosophy, so i can eventually integrate as smoothly as possible.

I plan to primarily rely on the two 110VAC outlets powered by the HV battery. Some electrical power, like LED lights, might be better served by a low voltage auxiliary battery. I want to start small and only add what is absolutely necessary. I hope the Sienna refrigerator and 110VAC microwave or portable induction stove can suffice for most cooking.

AGM vs Lead Acid

Absorbed Glass Mat or AGM batteries are in all years of Toyota Prius. The only exception to this is Prius Prime. The reason they are used in our cars over lead acid batteries is because

• they do not spill. In the even of an accident the battery acid could leak in a regular battery and cause issues with getting acid all over next to the high voltage in your trunk.
• AGM is also a battery that can take abuse and keep on working, it is also
• better in extreme climates as well. The downside is one of these can easily run you between $150 to $235 depending where you get it from.

Lead Acid on the other hand is cheaper and still gets the job done, however

• due to the differences in the makeup of the batteries the charging system on the
• Prius is designed to charge an AGM battery, not a Lead Acid. This means that even though a Lead Acid may work, your car
• will not charge it properly and it will fail sooner than you want it too. So while it may seem the LA battery is the cheaper option, you may end up spending more over time vs getting the right battery for the right job.

According to Prof. Kelly, if you want the vehicle to function as designed, use what battery is required for the car.

Choosing The Right AGM

• Visit Torque News homepage for more stories.

While talking to John, I relayed to him that at my school we have a 2004 Prius with a 12v battery that keeps going dead. I told him we spent quite a bit of money on our yellow top optima. He chuckled and proceeded to tell me that

• not all AGM batteries are created equal.

The Toyota Prius battery from the dealer can easily run you upwards of $235 dollars. For a battery that hardly does more than

• power up some computers and
• allow the high voltage system to come on, this can seem like a lot. In fact, that it just about all it does, really. It
• does not get used all that much. This is one reason that these batteries fail. They just are not maintained as well as they probably should be.

There is also another side to this story, and it is one I have been dying to tell everyone. The aftermarket batteries we are buying at autozone, walmart or wherever are not being built to the same standards as the Toyota OE ones. This means that the

• internal resistance of each battery, even though it is for Prius,
• will not yield the same results as the one you get from the dealer.

Three batteries that I looked at were from Autozone, O'reilly and NAPA. Each one has a 3 year warranty and all cost between $199 and $237 dollars. The Toyota Truestart battery runs between $176 dollars and $237 which is basically the same as aftermarket. It also carries a similar warranty as well. I am sure you can see where I am going with this.

Conclusion

It may seem silly to spend that kind of money on a 12v battery and especially one from your local Toyota dealer. However, if you are a Prius enthusiast like myself, you should be able to see that

• the right battery for your car is the Toyota Truestart AGM battery. It is
• designed to charge and discharge at the optimal rate that your
• Prius monitors with the DC-DC converter.

 

[BikeMike]

Induction Cooktop

Induction cooking - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Some induction stoves use

• precise proportional temperature control, while others only use a few discrete steps.
• The temperature control in stead of power control and limited discrete steps combined with the fact that the
• boiling point of water varies with air pressure (and therefore altitude), can make it difficult in finding the right setting for simmering a pot of water.
• a pan boils dry it can get extremely hot – a thermostat in the surface will turn off the power if it senses overheating to prevent cooker failures and potential fires.
• Noise if the cookware has loose parts or if the multi-ply layers of the pot are not well bonded to each other;
• cookware with welded-in cladding layers and solid riveting is less likely to produce this type of noise.
• In typical cooking, the energy delivered by the cooker is only partly used to heat the food up to temperature; once that has occurred, all the subsequent energy input is delivered to the air as loss through steam or convection and radiation from the pan sides. Since there is no increase in the food temperature, the DOE test procedure would consider the efficiency substantially zero
• Energy lost from gas cooking heats the kitchen, whereas with induction cooking, the losses are much lower. This results in less heating of the kitchen itself and can affect the amount of ventilation required.
• Asian manufacturers have taken the lead in producing inexpensive single-induction-zone surfaces; efficient, low-waste-heat units are advantageous in densely populated cities with little living space per family, as many Asian cities are.
• Units may have one, two, three, four or five induction zones, but four (normally in a 30-inch-wide unit) is the most common in the US and Europe. Two coils are most common in Hong Kong and three are most common in Japan. Some have touch-sensitive controls. Some induction stoves have a memory setting, one per element, to control the time that heat is applied. At least one manufacturer makes a "zoneless" induction cooking surface with multiple induction coils. This allows up to five utensils to be used at once anywhere on the cooking surface, not just on pre-defined zones
• Cast iron pans and any black metal or iron pans will work on an induction cooking surface. Stainless steel pans will work on an induction cooking surface if the base of the pan is a magnetic grade of stainless steel. If a magnet sticks well to the sole of the pan, it will work on an induction cooking surface. An "all-metal" cooker will work with non-ferrous cookware, but available models are limited.
• When boiling water, the circulating water spreads the heat and prevents hot spots. For products such as sauces, it is important that at least the base of the pan incorporates a good heat conducting material to spread the heat evenly. For delicate products such as thick sauces, a pan with aluminum throughout is better, since the heat flows up the sides through the aluminum, allowing the cook to heat the sauce rapidly but evenly.

The heat that can be produced in a pot is a function of the surface resistance. A higher surface resistance produces more heat for similar currents. This is a “figure of merit” that can be used to rank the suitability of a material for induction heating. The surface resistance in a thick metal conductor is proportional to the resistivity divided by the skin depth. Where the thickness is less than the skin depth, the actual thickness can be used to calculate surface resistance.[14] Some common materials are listed in this table.

Skin depth at 24 kHz[14]

Material	Resistivity (10−6 ohm-inches)	Relative permeability	Skin depth, inches (mm)	Surface resistance, 10−3ohms/square (thick material)	Surface resistance, relative to copper
Carbon steel 1010	9	200	0.004 (0.10)	2.25	56.25
Stainless steel 432	24.5	200	0.007 (0.18)	3.5	87.5
Stainless steel 304	29	1	0.112 (2.8)	0.26	6.5
Aluminum	1.12	1	0.022 (0.56)	0.051	1.28
Copper	0.68	1	0.017 (0.43)	0.04	1

To get the same surface resistance as with carbon steel would require the metal to be thinner than is practical for a cooking vessel; at 24 kHz a copper vessel bottom would need to be 1/56th the skin depth of carbon steel. Since the skin depth is inversely proportional to the square root of the frequency, this suggests that much higher frequencies would be required to obtain equivalent heating in a copper pot as in an iron pot at 24 kHz. Such high frequencies are not feasible with inexpensive power semiconductors; in 1973 the silicon-controlled rectifiers used were limited to no more than 40 kHz.[14] Even a thin layer of copper on the bottom of a steel cooking vessel will shield the steel from the magnetic field and make it unusable for an induction top.[14] Some additional heat is created by hysteresis losses in the pot due to its ferromagnetic nature, but this creates less than ten percent of the total heat generated.[15]

 

[BikeMike]

Simplification Rule #1: Keep water tanks on roof.​

The DC-to-DC converter or other high temperature electrical components might be vented to interior, below seats. Best to keep water out of cargo area of EVs.

• Take advantage of gravity to replace water pump.
• When is water heater necessary?
• Heat water from solar properties of roof and container?
• Is passive solar parabolic heating adequate?
• Can gym membership suffice?

​

 

[BikeMike]

Simplification Rule #2: Use devices powered by re-chargeable batteries as much as possible, rather than hardwiring.

• Try to minimize AC and DC requirements as much as possible.
• Less is more.
• Take path of least resistance and greatest flexibility.
• Planning can reduce perceived and actual needs.

 

[BikeMike]

Simplification Rule #3: Insulate to Conserve Energy​

• Use small refrigerator to freeze ice packs
• Find cooler with highest thermal properties
• Buy ice when necessary
• Insulate windows
• Use FLIR video to precisely define thermal needs
• Use thermos to store hot water when necessary

Window insulation film - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[BikeMike]

Kotatsu - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Japanese kotatsu style might be more effective heating and use of minivan space.

A sleeping bag is probably the closest Western equivalent.

• A sleeping bag can function as passive heating for an Ottoman chair.
• A tray supported by the arms of the ottoman can serve as desk/table.

Most Japanese housing is not insulated to the same degree as a Western domicile and does not have central heating, thus relying primarily on space heating. Heating is expensive because of the lack of insulation and the draftiness of housing. A kotatsu is a relatively inexpensive way to stay warm in the winter, as the futons trap the warm air.[3] Families may choose to concentrate their activity in this one area of the house in order to save on energy costs.[10] In the summer, the blanket may be removed, and the kotatsu used as a normal table.

 

[BikeMike]

Simplification Rule #4: Keep interior items small and modular in shape.
​

• Get the trailer hitch package to move awkwardly shaped items outside the minivan.
• Buy the package with rear backup cameras, because the hitch may extend a few feet past the bumper.
• The rear of the van can be thought of as accordion space that entends or collapses for the length of the trailer hitch, using the trailer hitch bar for support.
• Figure out how you want to extend the rear.
  • Get a custom trailer hitch, if a conventional one unavailable.
  • Think of trailer hitch area as minivan patio area.
  • Can also be enclosed by extending from roof racks.

• Try to fit all items in stackable containers the size of plastic milk containers for flexibilty and convenience.
• Everything is built around the transformative nature of reclining Ottoman chairs. Items need to be slid to accomodate instantaneous space needs.
• No interior should have dimensions other than one or two feet.

 

[BikeMike]

https://www.kbb.com/reviews/2021-toyota-sienna-first-review/

• Removing the third row seats probably makes most sense.
• The rear area can be partitioned off for storage.
  • Access to the rear door doesn't seem very important.
• The captain's chairs have a 25" track that can be used to center the chair depending upon recline length. This partition is for
  • sleeping and
  • Work area
    • makeshift table/desk using chair arms
    • Use trays or kitchen countertop
• The forward partition adjacent to the sliding doors can be used as
  1. kitchen
     • Stand up facing inside to prepare food.
     • Brace countertop on captains chair armrest or on back when seat folded down.
     • Put cubbyhole rack behind front row seats to brace one end of countertop.
       • Store food and utensils.
       • Cooler in this area.
       • Refrigerator only holds six cans, so hindering access is unimportant
     • Food washed outside.
       • No need for Permanent sink.
       • Solar heated hot water overhead in roof rack area.
  2. dining
  3. bike storage at night.
  4. Bathroom
  5. 
     
  6. The size of this area can be adjusted by moving captains chairs along track.
  7. The sliding doors can be opened to sit facing outside.
  8. A Japanese style table will fit in this partition, if useful.

Conversely, you could build a typical bed platform by placing wood on the rear seats. Fold down the captains chairs to support the other end of the wood. A large storage space would be created under the platform. Hinges or ratchets in the center would accomodate any recline angle.

• The standard layout features the long-slide 2nd-row captain’s chairs with a stowable center seat for an 8-passenger configuration.
• Some XLE, as well as all XSE, Limited, and Platinum models, feature a 7-passenger configuration with
  • upgraded 2nd-row captain’s chairs incorporating the long-slide feature.
  • The Platinum adds ottoman leg rest features to its 2nd-row seating.

Favorite Features

• SUPER-LONG-SLIDE 2ND-ROW SEATS
  All Sienna models are equipped with 2nd-row captain’s chairs that
• slide fore and aft by up to 25 inches. This can provide limousine-like seating, as these chairs will
• butt up to the 3rd-row seats and extend even farther back when that row is stowed in the floor.

 

[BikeMike]

Thermostat controlled AC and DC water heater. Can be directly powered by 100W solar panel.

 

[BikeMike]

​

The Hydraulic Bed or Mobile Office Using Ikea Standup Table​

​

​

Simplification Rule #5: Use Hydraulics to Maximize Space​

Hydraulics are the essence of popup camper vans. Motorized hydraulics are a premium Ford F150 feature:​

​

​

​

I will probably add a very spacious 4x8', manual hydraulic bed platform that fits flush with the roof. The platform will be positioned below the moonroof to open up the sky at night.​

​

​

I found this idea amusing because it is the poor man's version of the $175,000 Winnebago Revel Power Lift Bed. I have an Ikea motorized desk that measures 33x66 inches. The table could be plugged into the 110VAC outlet to raise and lower it. A piece of 4x8' plywood could be put on top of the desk to extend the entire width of the cargo area. The entire cargo area could be converted into a vertical platform.​

​

I would probably cut the plywood down to five or six feet to make the sidedoor area more accessible. I have not given any thought to practicality. Perhaps, the desk could be used to house bikes underneath? Alternatively, provide more sleeping surface area. Anyhow, the plywood would need additional support, because the Ikea table cannot support human weight.​

​

A mobile office might be More practical. The desk would brace against one side of the minivan. Whatever the purpose, the table makes better use of space placed against the side of the minivan.​

​

Hydraulic motors can provide great flexibility and utility.​

​

​

​

​

​

Here's the essence of Ford F150 lay-flat driver seat using hydraulics.​

​

​

​

​

 

[BikeMike]

Toyota’s Quick-Charging Solid-State Battery Coming in 2025

The batteries will offer more range in the same size pack, but the automaker still has to solve the technology’s life-span problem.

www.caranddriver.com

• Toyota built a working solid-state battery-powered prototype vehicle that was supposed to be shown off at the Olympic Games this summer.
• Toyota is partnering with Panasonic to put solid-state batteries into limited production in 2025, but don't expect them on your Toyota vehicle that soon.
• For one thing, the automaker still needs to solve the problem that plagues solid-state batteries: a short life span.

This revelation explains why Toyota has moved the Sienna line to all hybrid. Electric technology is strategic to future sales. Quite frankly, a hybrid-only Sienna confounded me. Why would Toyota risk inevitable sales losses?

In other words, hybrid-only is bridge technology on the path to li-ion battery

The solid state battery is developed by a joint Panasonic and Toyota subsidiary company.

The possibility that new battery technology can obsolete existing technology within the warranty period, changes my buying philosophy. I will trade in to obtain newer battery technology. I had been basing my decisions on ten year ownership. I felt the Plantinum trim model cost was justified over a ten period. I have now decided on the lowest cost trim model that enables the 100VAC outlet, which i believe is XSE. That means no Ottoman or refrigerator in trim model.

 

[BikeMike]

https://www.kbb.com/reviews/2021-toyota-sienna-first-review/

• Removing the third row seats probably makes most sense.
• The rear area can be partitioned off for storage.
  • Access to the rear door doesn't seem very important.
• The captain's chairs have a 25" track that can be used to center the chair depending upon recline length. This partition is for
  • sleeping and
  • Work area
    • makeshift table/desk using chair arms
    • Use trays or kitchen countertop
• The forward partition adjacent to the sliding doors can be used as
  1. kitchen
     • Stand up facing inside to prepare food.
     • Brace countertop on captains chair armrest or on back when seat folded down.
     • Put cubbyhole rack behind front row seats to brace one end of countertop.
       • Store food and utensils.
       • Cooler in this area.
       • Refrigerator only holds six cans, so hindering access is unimportant
     • Food washed outside.
       • No need for Permanent sink.
       • Solar heated hot water overhead in roof rack area.
  2. dining
  3. bike storage at night.
  4. Bathroom
  5. 
     
  6. The size of this area can be adjusted by moving captains chairs along track.
  7. The sliding doors can be opened to sit facing outside.
  8. A Japanese style table will fit in this partition, if useful.

Conversely, you could build a typical bed platform by placing wood on the rear seats. Fold down the captains chairs to support the other end of the wood. A large storage space would be created under the platform. Hinges or ratchets in the center would accomodate any recline angle.

The layout is revised because the Ikea Standup table will serve as desk and countertop space. The Ikea table will be placed adjacent to a sliding door for outdoor access while cooking. The height needs to be adjusted when used as a desk from the interior.

The hydraulic bed platform that tucks up into the celing also revises the layout.

Finally, the decision to not buy the Platinum model affects the builtin features. The super long sliding track may still be important to position the Ikea table. The captains chair track might serve as a tie down point, by inserting rings into tracks with a T-adapter . I am guessing the XSE model will be the final choice.

• Some XLE models, as well as the
• XSE, Limited and Platinum are seven-seat models featuring the
  • Super Long Slide second-row captain’s chairs with the
• Limited and Platinum FWD models equipped with ottomans

Another desired customization is a second 12VDC battery to run the sound system when the ignition is off. Hopefully, the sound system circuit can be connected to the second battery. A second battery might confuse the DC-to-DC converter software, if the amp-hours are doubled, but i doubt it.

The tow package also needs to be added to the final cost. A roof rack will be required to hold water and a solar panel.

The AWD drive will increase HV battery capacity.

2021 Toyota Sienna minivan: All hybrid and a wild design

Toyota's family hauler has been redesigned from the ground up and is packed full of new tech and luxury features.

www.cnet.com

Toyota will offer accessories from Yakima that have been designed for the Sienna including a bike rack, cross bars and a rooftop carrier. Who needs an SUV when you have a minivan?

 

[BikeMike]

I like the Humble Road channel. The cardboard brainstorming simulation is an excellent technique to test the dynamics of a plan. What he is referring to as 80-20.

 

[BikeMike]

The proper way to think about the 110VAC outlet is they are another form of USB charging ports. They are only intended to be used temporarily, while supervised. Cooking is the point of diminishing returns. Heating is beyond the point of diminishing returns. The 110VAC outlets have much less value than home outlets; don't get confused or blur the distinction. The 110VAC outlets have hidden risks not found in home outlets.

The 110VAC outlets are ambiguous. The 110VAC outlets are more like a stove, than a home outlet. You wouldn't turn on the stove if there were any chance you might fall asleep. You should never use the outlet with self-regulating devices like a heater. The engine will automatically turn on when the HV battery needs recharging.

Proper use of the 110VAC outlet means forming habits. The most important habit is to only plug in rechargeable devices. Plug in Bluetooth speakers to recharge them. Never power a sound system from the outlets, despite the fact they are prominently advertised and promoted for that use. Cooking from the 110VAC is OK because you have already formed the unplugging habit.

Another habit to develop is to use a sleeping bag, rather than plugging in a heater. Never plug in a night reading light. Develop the habit of using a light powered by rechargeable batteries.

You would never smoke in bed. You should never use the 110VAC while bed or relaxing.

 

[BikeMike]

The Ottoman seats are another highly ambiguous feature that can result in mistaken value. A bright line needs to drawn between napping and sleeping. The Ottoman chairs have value for napping, but not overnight sleeping.

The price details have not been published yet. Let's assume a $2,000 difference between models. I need to buy the XLE model to get the 110VAC outlet option. AWD and towing package are available on all models. I wouldn't use the Ottomans for sleeping, so the Platinum model is a low value. I probably reach the point of diminishing returns with the XLE model, unless I plan to do a lot of napping in the minivan.

The primary difference between the XLE and higher model XSE seems to be in the sound system. I have a very good sounding Bluetooth speaker. Playing music from my cellphone to the Bluetooth speaker is a safer and cheaper option than upgrading from XLE to XSE for the hardwired sound system. Adapting to new technology means developing new habits. Recharging the sound system, rather than plugging them into AC outlets, is the new safer, cheaper and higher quality habit to develop.

Recharging, rather than hardwiring, is the point of diminishing returns.

The same concept applies to most minivan configuration. Installing fixed items seems to exceed the point of diminishing returns. For example, a portable induction stove offers more versatility and flexibility than one built into a cabinet that wastes a great deal of space. An immovable bed frame and mattress is another example. A simple, thin plywood bed platform that can be tucked up to the ceiling with hydraulics makes better use of space than permanently partitioning the minivan. A thin plywood platform will require an inflatable mattress for comfort. These subtle distinctions make a significant difference in tight spaces.

Extending storage space with a tow hitch and attachments is yet another example. Bikes do not require a fixed allocation of space inside the minivan. Bikes or battery packs can be brought inside the minivan for charging in cold temperatures. The awkward shape of bikes makes storage outside the minivan a more effective solution.

I expect solid state battery technology to obsolete 2021 battery technology before the ten year 2021 warranty expires in 2031. Doesn't building out a minivan to last until 2031 seem inappropriate? I want to minimize the fixed, permanent, stationary and technology investment in camping for the minivan. I also do not want to pay for features that will not pay off. I expect to trade in the minivan in less than five years. The battery and electrical system is all important to me. I will upgrade as soon as better Battery technology becomes available to.

The point of diminishing returns is a very fine and expensive line that requires a bright light.

 

[BikeMike]

Renting allows me to test how the battery and 110VAC works. In fact, renting gets around the li-ion obsolescence problem. I only need this van for vacations/travel.

Rent a Toyota Hybrid

www.toyota.com

 

[BikeMike]

Solid state is game over, if this Tesla rumor is true! We shall find out on September 22.