EV (electric vehicle) News and Discussion

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#1583167 30-Jun-2016 10:04

Linuxluver:

Electric cars still have just a 0.1% market share worldwide. But they make up more than 1% of the fleet in seven countries, including China, where registrations tripled last year. Norway had the highest share of electric cars, at 23%,

The IEA are using confusing wording here, Those figures are share of *new* sales.

As a % of total light fleet, EVs in Norway are 2.6%

https://ssb.no/en/transport-og-reiseliv/statistikker/bilreg/aar/2016-03-30#content

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#1583562 30-Jun-2016 19:55

Linuxluver:

Tesla has announced plans for an EV motorhome, the "Model H". It's a pluggable hybrid (PHEV - also has petrol engine) powered by Tesla's Powerwall.

You might want to check the date on that article.

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#1583595 30-Jun-2016 20:22

Scott3:

Linuxluver:

Tesla has announced plans for an EV motorhome, the "Model H". It's a pluggable hybrid (PHEV - also has petrol engine) powered by Tesla's Powerwall.

You might want to check the date on that article.

That hulk will need a nuclear reactor to power it to go round America ... it's like travelling across continents over there!

Linuxluver

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#1583697 30-Jun-2016 21:24

Scott3:

Linuxluver:

Tesla has announced plans for an EV motorhome, the "Model H". It's a pluggable hybrid (PHEV - also has petrol engine) powered by Tesla's Powerwall.

You might want to check the date on that article.

Oh.

Yeah. Thanks. (cheeks turn pink).

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#1583863 1-Jul-2016 09:04

Hey guys, haven't been following this thread closely but it is a very interesting topic and I came across this talk yesterday which I thought might be relevant.

WARN: it is very long (50mins) but contains some pretty interesting (and exciting!) predictions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxryv2XrnqM

RUKI

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#1583942 1-Jul-2016 10:51

SumnerBoy:

Hey guys, haven't been following this thread closely but it is a very interesting topic and I came across this talk yesterday which I thought might be relevant.

WARN: it is very long (50mins) but contains some pretty interesting (and exciting!) predictions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxryv2XrnqM

Tony Seba is so much diconnected from the reality ....

He is right only about "disruption" being an appropriate term to apply. He is talking about obvious and well known things and facts of the past, but when he is starting to manipulate numbers and speculate about the future, using affirmative language instead of tentative - he is making a lot of mistakes and loosing the audience...

What he is suggesting is only applicable to very limited number of very small areas - not even covering 1% of the places where people live and work..

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#1583961 1-Jul-2016 11:29

Linuxluver:

There seems to be a lot of momentum building up around EVs (electric vehicles) both globally and in NZ. I'm thinking this topic could support some true geekery over time around EVs.

So...news item: Renault had announced they were going to launch the "Zoe" EV car and the "Kangoo" EV van in NZ this year. There is a Renault dealership at the end of my street and I was looking in their newly renovated and expanded premises each time I passed for some sign of the Zoe or Kangoo.

Nothing.

So this week - in my acquisition obsession phase after buying a Nissan LEAF - I checked out the Renault web site and tried to request a brochure. But none of the EVs were in the list.

Hmm.

But they did have a separate section for electric vehicles and it included a form to request information about them. OK...done.....but te sense is they are reluctant to promote them. I soon found out why.

Today, Renault phoned me and asked when I thought i might be interested in a test drive. I explained I have an Nissan Leaf, but I'm always looking out for other / better options. Six months from now would be fine.

He was a bit relieved to hear it as their entire allocation of EVs has been bought by Air New Zealand. Every last one.They won't get more for at least 6 months.

That explains why everything went quiet around the Zoe after the initial press coverage in April.

The EV space is heating up.

There was a full EV van in Rangiora on sale in trade me - fully specced. ~300km range. Was tempted when looking but couldn't afford the outlay. That's what makes EV something only the well off can afford - ironically considering it lowers running costs. We ended up with a second hand honda Fit, 1.3l , 11k on the click. it gets 15-19km / litre, making it even more economical than the Prius. Second hand 8k, vs 18 - 30k second hand for most EVs with a lot more Kms on the clock.

The technology needs to get a lot cheaper before it will trickle down to the masses. also will need more addons to make V8 noises etc for the bogan masses to take it up .

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#1584700 2-Jul-2016 17:23

nunz:

There was a full EV van in Rangiora on sale in trade me - fully specced. ~300km range. Was tempted when looking but couldn't afford the outlay. That's what makes EV something only the well off can afford - ironically considering it lowers running costs. We ended up with a second hand honda Fit, 1.3l , 11k on the click. it gets 15-19km / litre, making it even more economical than the Prius. Second hand 8k, vs 18 - 30k second hand for most EVs with a lot more Kms on the clock.

The technology needs to get a lot cheaper before it will trickle down to the masses. also will need more addons to make V8 noises etc for the bogan masses to take it up .

True. the folks buying EVs today are willing to pay the extra money (or borrow it) so they know they aren't burning fossil fuels anymore. It's a function of how seriously one takes climate change....and makes it a personal priority to do something about it. The idea there is that climate change is unlikely to wait until it's convenient for us to do something about it....so compromise is required.

But if one doesn't feel that way (or just can NOT afford it).....then a cheap, more efficient petrol-burning car is at least a step in the right direction. I certainly won't give you a hard time. But I will (as above) attempt to explain what motivates some people to buy EVs even though there are cheaper, petrol-powered options.

As for the costs. My LEAF is costing me about $1.50-$2.00 / day (at 21 cents / KW unit) in home electricity to run. I can reduce that even further by stopping in at Vector's rapid charger in Newmarket and charging to 80% in about 20 mins....then go home and top it up to 100% (an extra 4kw-5kw) for about $1. EVs also have lower ongoing maintenance because the motors are so much more simple...and there are no gears.

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Linuxluver

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#1584707 2-Jul-2016 17:37

Next Sunday (July 10th) in Whangarei, Northpower and betternz.org are putting on a showing of the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car". It's a doco about the EV1....an electric car produced in the mid-90s in the US that was very popular with people who leased it (you couldn't buy), including actor Tom Hanks and director, Steven Spielberg. But in the end they were all taken back and crushed.

Why?

The doco sets out to answer that question.

To help, one of the people featured in the documentary, Chelsea Sexton, will be at the showing and will be part of a Q& A afterward.

The details are here. ($20 / pp)

There is also a Monday evening showing at the 18-seat Bridgeway Cinema in Northcote, Auckland....but I'll probably drive to Whangarei for the day, the experience of taking my LEAF cross-country...and to attend the Q&A.

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#1586307 5-Jul-2016 11:53

That new fully electric battery operated Mercedes is amasing! :-)

https://youtu.be/arQ8_PW-RiA

old3eyes

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#1586383 5-Jul-2016 12:46

RUKI:

That new fully electric battery operated Mercedes is amasing! :-)

https://youtu.be/arQ8_PW-RiA

But who will be able to afford it??

Regards,

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#1586385 5-Jul-2016 12:52

RUKI:

That new fully electric battery operated Mercedes is amasing! :-)

https://youtu.be/arQ8_PW-RiA

"Batteries not included"

Watch it!

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#1586490 5-Jul-2016 15:33

I drank the cool aid.

Bought UK 2014 Gen 2 leaf over the weekend, hopefully delivered later this week.

Second car so no range anxiety.

Thought it would more interesting than another small Japanese hatchback..

A.

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#1586506 5-Jul-2016 16:02

Would you mind sharing what it cost?

Linuxluver

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#1586566 5-Jul-2016 18:24

afe66: I drank the cool aid.

Bought UK 2014 Gen 2 leaf over the weekend, hopefully delivered later this week.

Second car so no range anxiety.

Thought it would more interesting than another small Japanese hatchback..

A.

Update: Congratulations. :-) I'll be interested to see how you find it in the weeks ahead.

I'm loving the learning of a whole new culture around travelling by car.

I use the Plugshare app.

I had an RFID tag from charge.net.nz ($1 each - I got three, delivered in a day or two after web order).

Learning when to charge (less than you think).....and how to manage the time so it doesn't get in the way (fast chargers vs any other sort).

Today I drove from Greenlane (Akld) to Kaiwaka (102km) and arived on 31%. At that rate, my range would have been around 150km in total. I fast charged at Kiawaka (19 mins to get to 80% - I had a quick bite to eat at the 4 Square where the chrger is located) and then drove back to the twin fast chargers at Silverdale (Kings Plant barn). I arrived there on 34%. I fast charged there to 80% (18 mins), chatting to two other LEAF owners who had stopped to charge, and then drove home, arriving on 56%.

Whangarei and back on Sunday. I'm going to the screening of "Who Killed the Electric car" at Northpower on Sunday afternoon. One of the people featured in the doco will be part of a Q&A.

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