What will power our vehicles in the future?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › What will power our vehicles in the future?

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richms

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#3090817 16-Jun-2023 16:53

Canuckabroad:

I think there are a couple providers now who do some manner of time of use pricing - they often call them an EV or an EV and solar plan that has different pricing for peak/off peak/night rates. A significant portion of EV owners in the owner groups appear to be using those plans to charge their EV's overnight during off-peak hours. Some of those also have allocated rates for reimbursing solar sent up into the grid to accommodate solar and eV customers without the need to have a local battery.

I have looked at those, and the cheapness of overnight power and what I put into the car doesn't offset the higher daytime usage for me, it would be more expensive than my current mercury plan.

Solar export is the same, but I might do 1 or 2 units a month for the days I skip a morning shower so the hotwater isnt running when the suns hitting the panels.

Richard rich.ms

Technofreak

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#3097588 30-Jun-2023 10:53

I see Joby are trumpeting their clearance from the FAA to conduct production testing.

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/joby-cleared-for-production-flight-testing/?MailingID=1407

This item puts some reality into the eVTOL folly.

https://youtu.be/rcXDg3o1bDE

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Obraik

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#3195717 15-Feb-2024 12:22

The future is looking even worse for Hydrogen as an energy source for ground transport. Shell in California has announced that it is shutting down all filling stations.

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Technofreak

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#3222448 24-Apr-2024 16:13

Whereas in New Zealand hydrogen seems on the up.

NZ Herald article, pay walled unfortunately

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/green-hydrogen-fuelling-has-arrived-in-the-north-island-for-heavy-transport/SWG44H7VVBFYLIPTMJDKWK36U4/

Some main points from the article.

Hiringa Refuelling partnering with Truck Rentals and Waitomo Group
Three filling stations open with the fourth on its way.
These stations will be able to serve 95% of the heavy freight routes across the North Island

Another article about the same set up.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/515088/hydrogen-fuelling-station-opens-in-south-auckland

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Technofreak

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#3266550 31-Jul-2024 12:47

Air New Zealand has dumped it's 2030 carbon targets as they are proving too hard to meet. Surprise, surprise.

While not obvously stated I expect that means we won't see the much touted electric aircraft next year as announced or any time soon.

https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/markets/air-nz-puts-2030-emissions-targets-in-the-too-hard-basket?utm_source=nzh&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=nzh-home

The only thing that surprises me about this announcment is the amount of time took to see the light of day.

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Dinga96

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#3266657 31-Jul-2024 16:57

I wish they would get on and at least start putting more effort into biofuels.Maybe they are intending to but are held up for some technical reasons.Still bit disappointing to see all the media releases about electric planes were probably just gw.

Canuckabroad

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#3266660 31-Jul-2024 17:04

It certainly sounds like Air NZ is stopping their trials with electric planes. There is still Ocean Flyer which has had stories written about their Seagliders - doing short (<300km) hops in about an hour starting in I think 2026?

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Technofreak

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#3319755 12-Dec-2024 22:00

Well it seems Air New Zealand is still on the electric aircraft bandwagon.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/inside-air-new-zealands-plane-of-the-future-batteries-included/EJWV7PC6LVE5FH2KXKIYYKFB6I/

I wish they would compare apples with apples. USD$600-700 per hour for a single engine unpressurised turbo prop will include pretty well all costs including capital costs. To compare that to USD$17 per hour for electricity plus a nominal $200 degradation in the battery is really slight of hand. Those figures don't include capital costs or maintenance costs.

The tyres still wear out, the brake pads still need replacing, the various systems on the aircraft still need servicing. The airframe will still require inspection and maintenance as will the engine and propeller. Composites bring their own unique issues as well.

It might be cheaper to run but certainly nowhere near a factor of three times as the article might have you believe.

The parts number comparision is slight of hand as well, the electric arcraft is composite which significantly reduces the parts count. The construction method has very little to do with it being electric. They're also comparing a multi-engine, pressurised retractable with a single engine unpressurised fixed gear aircraft. Apples with apples.

There's plenty of other info in that article to take issue with. The aircraft is quite slow and unpressurised. Both undesirable characteristics for passenger use. (Yes, I know it's only slated for freight work, at least initially). Flights will take twice as long and take place at altitudes where most of the weather and turbulence occurs.

I'm doubtful on the claim that flying low gives better battery efficiency. Perhaps there is a salient point I am over looking. However I don't think someone knows about IAS vs TAS and air density and drag. Basically the air is less dense the higher you go therefore is takes less energy to push/pull the aircraft through the air. That is the main reason why commercial aircraft fly as high as they do.

I haven't had the time to work out estimates of the energy requirements for the stated range and the battery weight for that range. I suspect there might be some smoke and mirrors there too.

It's going to be interesting the see how it all goes. If it all happens as soon as they state, we don't have too long to wait.

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tweake

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#3320263 13-Dec-2024 19:28

Technofreak:

Well it seems Air New Zealand is still on the electric aircraft bandwagon.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/inside-air-new-zealands-plane-of-the-future-batteries-included/EJWV7PC6LVE5FH2KXKIYYKFB6I/

I wish they would compare apples with apples.

yeah.

it takes all of 5 passengers. its not going to profitable even for a cargo run. the old caravan is 13 passengers, super caravan i think is a couple more.

however its a good test vehicle. try it out, see what other complications arise. odds are it will end up as a charter plane to fly wealthy people to their own air strip. even with the next gen batteries with double the energy density, passenger aircraft are not a good fit.

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