EV (electric vehicle) News & Discussion

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#1797157 9-Jun-2017 11:00

tripper1000:

I reckon aero-dynamics will be improved by EV truck makers - you simply can't afford to waste energy/range by dragging turbulence down the road.

My old man used to drive trucks - he said it was quite noticeable that less throttle was needed when drafting another truck or bus, however conversely he reckoned the extra throttle needed when another truck started drafting him was noticeable. Myth Busters did an episode on drafting trucks.

Tesla are making an announcement in September about their future semi-truck offering.

The "Nikola One" is also now emerging. It's electric, but fueled by hydrogen fuel cells. The range claimed for it is 1200 miles. That would be most of way from Auckland to Christchurch, assuming SH1 re-opens in the next year or two. This could be a valid application of hydrogen fuel cells as long-haul trucking companies may be able to stage depots at 500km intervals. The gear for making the hydrogen and storing it is really expensive, but a large organisation might be able to justify ot over time due to the cost savings and performance improvements.

Or just put it on a train.

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Linuxluver

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#1797170 9-Jun-2017 11:08

afe66: My only worry about the Zoe is lack of DC rapid charging. IE UK Zoe page linked above doesn't list a DC option under charging.

How many 3 phase high amp AC charging units are there in Nz?

Great if just local use where you can charge up at home with maybe 32A single phase but longer trips?

Please correct me if I'm missing something.

A.

You're not missing anything. The Zoe takes a while to charge even on the fastest chargers. It's also slow to charge on 10amp - normal house power. My LEAF can get 8% / hour at 10amp.....but a Zoe gets more like 5% / hour. It's better at 16amp....and gets better as the current goes up. But you're still left with a car that charges charges slowly at normal power and takes at least 90 mins to get to 80% from 20% even on the fastest AC chargers. If you'd gone really low and needed to get to 100% you could be looking at 2 hours or more. You'd do it because you loved it. :-)

The LEAF has a smaller battery, but charges much faster than the Zoe at all levels and has better charging infrastructure.

That all said.....for a town / region car the Zoe would be awesome. Plus if you're in the areas with Type 2 43kw AC fast charging then the Zoe would be fine for a trip from Auckland to - say - Napier with quick top-up at Te Kauwhata...and a 90-min break in the middle at Taupo. Then fill up at the Unison charger in Napier. One longish charging stop in a day is OK with me, but two would be onerous. You might spend as much time charging the LEAF overall, but it's in 20 min chunks. Better for the head. :-)

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Linuxluver

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#1797200 9-Jun-2017 11:28

Yesterday saw TWO DC fast chargers opened by Charge.Net at the National Army Museum at Waiouru.

They support CHAdeMO and CCS Type 2 DC fast charging at 50kw.

These chargers, along with the ones in Cambridge, Taupo, Turangi (opened on the last 2 months) and Mangaweka (opened in the last 4 months), pretty much complete the chain of fast chargers down SH1 between the far North at Kawakawa and down to Wellington on the North Island.

From Managaweka, you'd still have to cross over to Palmerston North (81.7km) for your next charge as Otaki may be too far away (137.4km with some big hills in there) for most EVs. But it's now possible to drive from Auckland to Wellington the same day in an EV that can DC fast charge, like the 30kWh LEAF. Hyundai Ioniq, BMW i3 or any of the Teslas.

The growth of EVs is now seeing providers like Vector and Charge.Net opening pairs of fast chargers, at least on major routes rather than just the one.

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KrazyKid

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#1808730 29-Jun-2017 10:51

I see in the ODT this morning that someone has started a website aimed at collect EV data from NZ owners.
They want to provide regular updates and stats (monthly maybe) on actual mileage, number of charges etc etc.

http://flipthefleet.org/

afe66

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#1808849 29-Jun-2017 12:03

I signed up with flip the fleet while it was in? Beta so I got a free osm dongle. 😊😊😊

MikeB4

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#1808867 29-Jun-2017 12:25

Followed a Tesla S Dark grey this week from Pukerua Bay until the start of the Kapiti expressway where whoosh it was gone. What a fantastic looking piece of kit. Its design looks like it could come from the Jaguar/Aston Martin stable, very nice indeed. I snapped a couple of pics of it but they are too big to post here.

Linuxluver

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#1812424 4-Jul-2017 11:18

KrazyKid:

I see in the ODT this morning that someone has started a website aimed at collect EV data from NZ owners.
They want to provide regular updates and stats (monthly maybe) on actual mileage, number of charges etc etc.

http://flipthefleet.org/

If you (anyone) have an EV, then sign up and record your monthly stats. I've been logging mine since December.

It will, over time, record real world NZ data about EV use generally, various models and battery performance info by vehicle make / brand.

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Linuxluver

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#1812426 4-Jul-2017 11:21

MikeB4:

Followed a Tesla S Dark grey this week from Pukerua Bay until the start of the Kapiti expressway where whoosh it was gone. What a fantastic looking piece of kit. Its design looks like it could come from the Jaguar/Aston Martin stable, very nice indeed. I snapped a couple of pics of it but they are too big to post here.

Last weekend I saw one Tesla model X each day at the Vector Greenlane chargers - one white, one red and one black. The Model S is now a common sight in Auckland if you look around.

I could mine my mortgage for one......but I'll wait for the Model 3. :-)

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Linuxluver

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#1812429 4-Jul-2017 11:26

The Lightyear solar-powered EV. (You would mainly charge it by plugging it in....or leave out in the sunshine for a month).

Looks like a gimmick to me. The car just won't be big enough to generate more than a couple of kWh / day at the most......which is nice for free power, but would only add 12-16km to the range.....depending on efficiency.

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Linuxluver

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#1812725 4-Jul-2017 17:08

I'm looking at the monthly stats for EVs. They are published by the Ministry of Transport.

Some highlights.

As of June 30th.

There were 168 Tesla cars registered in NZ, in total, and 112 of those have been registered since January 1st, 2017. It became possible to order a Tesla for delivery in NZ last November.

In all of 2016 there were 1,452 "light EVs" registered for the first time in New Zealand. Auckland was home to 905 of those. This total includes pluggable hybrids as well as pure battery electric EVs.

In the first half of 2017, there have been 1,375 light EVs registered. Only 77 short of the total for all of last year. Auckland is home to 748 of those.

As of June 30th there were 1095 new or used pluggable hybrids registered compared with 2,669 pure battery electric EVs. (There are also 70 "Heavy EV" vehicles registered.) Of the pure battery EVs 1,707 are Nissan LEAFs is any age.

Regionally, just over half of all EVs are registered in Auckland (1,987 of 3,768). Wellington is in 2nd place with 432, followed closely by Canterbury on 418. Bringing up the rear is the West Cost a total of 5 EVs of any kind, though Gisborne gave them a run for their money with a total of only 9.

If there is a "typical EV owner" in NZ, it would be a Nissan LEAF driver who lives in Auckland, Wellington or Canterbury.

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KrazyKid

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#1813820 6-Jul-2017 13:35

According to Stuff Volvo is going to stop producing pure ICE from 2019. Only Hybrid and all electric cars after 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/94440568/geelys-volvo-to-go-all-electric-with-new-models-from-2019

MikeAqua

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#1813826 6-Jul-2017 13:44

KrazyKid:

According to Stuff Volvo is going to stop producing pure ICE from 2019. Only Hybrid and all electric cars after 2019.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/94440568/geelys-volvo-to-go-all-electric-with-new-models-from-2019

It's only new models of cars that won't be available as ICE only. Existing ICE models will continue to be produced.

How that applies to update of existing models? Not sure.

Mike

PhantomNVD

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#1817520 9-Jul-2017 22:35

And this looks like an awesome alternative to Tesla S series too...

The 2019 "Lucid Air"
<https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=ePJ8xcL3HAE

*edit - fixed link

MikeAqua

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#1817734 10-Jul-2017 11:23

Linuxluver:

tripper1000:

I reckon aero-dynamics will be improved by EV truck makers - you simply can't afford to waste energy/range by dragging turbulence down the road.

My old man used to drive trucks - he said it was quite noticeable that less throttle was needed when drafting another truck or bus, however conversely he reckoned the extra throttle needed when another truck started drafting him was noticeable. Myth Busters did an episode on drafting trucks.

Tesla are making an announcement in September about their future semi-truck offering.

The "Nikola One" is also now emerging. It's electric, but fueled by hydrogen fuel cells. The range claimed for it is 1200 miles. That would be most of way from Auckland to Christchurch, assuming SH1 re-opens in the next year or two. This could be a valid application of hydrogen fuel cells as long-haul trucking companies may be able to stage depots at 500km intervals. The gear for making the hydrogen and storing it is really expensive, but a large organisation might be able to justify ot over time due to the cost savings and performance improvements.

Or just put it on a train.

1,200 miles is more than enough range for a semi. You would need a driver change long before then. In NZ that would mean stopping and changing drivers and/or tractor units.

+1 for the train. In the US you see massive trains long-hauling - lots of semi-trailers and shipping containers.

Unfortunately we have completely botched rail in this country.

Mike

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#1822996 15-Jul-2017 18:26

A team in Hamilton have converted a Mustang into an EV....and they hope it's the fastest road-legal EV on the planet. :-)

Note: They say most production EVs use electric motors with brushes. That is incorrect. Every EV I know of uses AC power internally and the motors are brushless. Any Nissan LEAF or Tesla is certainly brushless.

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