11555 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

This is interesting:

 

France and England have banned internal combustion engines. Oh, the consequences are still a long way off — ink still fresh, the decrees won’t take effect for 23 years — but, in the few short months since Paris and London started this trend, there’s been an avalanche of anti-ICE (internal combustion engine) legislation: Germany (home to the diesel scandal that empowered these bans) is contemplating similar proscriptions. So is Scotland. Even China, home to roughly 47 per cent of the world’s coal use, wants to at least appear environmentally friendly and is contemplating identical restrictions. No one is talking about such blanket bans in North America yet, but the pendulum has swung and my 40-year-old engineering curriculum reminds that momentum, once initiated, is an energy not easily subdued.

What will be the effect of such bans?

Well, for one, as EV advocates claim, emissions (of the tailpipe variety at least) will be completely eliminated. Even accounting for the fact that the world’s two largest auto markets — China and the United States — are far too dependent on dirty coal to be truly green, automobile pollution will be, as trumpeted, reduced.

 

http://driving.ca/au...ing-gas-engines

[Hotel Mike]

There is another very beneficial effect of substituting electric vehicles for gas and diesel. Quiet! I've been walking downtown talking and one of the WM trucks drove by. Impossible to continue conversing. I can't wait for the reduction in decibels downtown.

[LJ]

Well England produces most of it's electricity from burning gas and coal, so not much of a saving there. France on the other hand uses mostly nuclear power so it is pretty clean and cheap.

[LeoVictoria]

Well England produces most of it's electricity from burning gas and coal, so not much of a saving there. France on the other hand uses mostly nuclear power so it is pretty clean and cheap.

 

Even in England there is a huge savings.   

5 years ago driving the Tesla Model S in the winter in England emitted 124g CO2 per km.    5 years later driving the same car in the winter emits only 74g/km.  Same as a Prius which is much smaller and less powerful.    In the summer it's much better since there are more renewables on the grid.  Down to 41g/km.     

 

https://www.drax.com...ity-generation/

 

That's the thing about electric cars, by shifting emissions to the grid, they get cleaner over time.   Gas cars only get dirtier over time.

[LeoVictoria]

GM plans 2 new EVs within 18 months and 20 new ones in 5 years.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...-cell-1.4316655

 

What was that about electric cars being a fad again?    

 

 

In the article they say "Automakers, including electric vehicle market leader Tesla Inc, lose money on electric cars because battery costs are still higher than comparable internal combustion engines."   This isn't actually true.  Tesla makes money on every car they sell (at least the Model S and X) but the company loses money because they are investing more back into production expansion and R&D than they bring in.   Just like Amazon lost money for many years despite being profitable on a per-sale basis.

Edited by LeoVictoria, 02 October 2017 - 10:17 AM.

[Coreyburger]

Well England produces most of it's electricity from burning gas and coal, so not much of a saving there. France on the other hand uses mostly nuclear power so it is pretty clean and cheap.

 

Gas yes, coal no: http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

[MarkoJ]

Out of curiosity....if most cars are charged at night does the grid really have to increase in capacity?

[VicHockeyFan]

Out of curiosity....if most cars are charged at night does the grid really have to increase in capacity?

 

Yes.  There is only so much water falling from the sky and going down rivers to the ocean.  Right now we turn down the dams at night, but the water backs up and we have to use it later.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 02 October 2017 - 12:10 PM.

[LJ]

Gas yes, coal no: http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

While they have gone a period of time, a few months only, without burning coal it is still available and ready to be used if required.

[LeoVictoria]

Yes.  There is only so much water falling from the sky and going down rivers to the ocean.  Right now we turn down the dams at night, but the water backs up and we have to use it later.

 

Not quite as simple as that.   Yes eventually there isn't enough water flow but I don't think we are close to that point yet.  Would need to look at BC Hydro's capacity reports to get that info.     The bigger issue is reducing peak load at the moment, hence their experimenting with ToU rates.  

Edited by LeoVictoria, 04 October 2017 - 07:54 AM.

[LeoVictoria]

While they have gone a period of time, a few months only, without burning coal it is still available and ready to be used if required.

 

And total coal generation will only be reduced every year.   Even in the US where people are still suffering from the delusion that coal jobs are ever coming back.  

It's interesting how the International Energy Agency has been so catastrophically bad at predicting the rise of solar.

 

Source: https://twitter.com/...391552/photo/1 

Edited by LeoVictoria, 04 October 2017 - 08:17 AM.

[LeoVictoria]

EV's are so much simpler, even Chevy can't help but make a reliable one.  

 

 

https://electrek.co/...reliable-chevy/

Edited by LeoVictoria, 20 October 2017 - 08:18 AM.

[rjag]

http://www.catocargu...e-road-in-2032/

 

 

If you buy a new car or light truck today, you can reasonably expect it to last until 2032, perhaps longer.

 

I doubt very many folks will drive a car north of 200km before selling it, however interesting note was the last few sentences where it shows Consumer Reports most and least reliable brands/vehicles.

 

 

Least reliable vehicles: Chevrolet Camaro, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Jaguar F-Pace, GMC Acadia, Fiat 500, Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Volvo XC90, Cadillac Escalade and Tesla Model X.

 

Why, with so few moving parts is the Tesla noted here? 

Edited by rjag, 24 October 2017 - 09:52 AM.

[LeoVictoria]

Why, with so few moving parts is the Tesla noted here? 

 

Because of the falcon wing doors, which have a ton of moving parts and have never been done before. 

[lanforod]

Because of the falcon wing doors, which have a ton of moving parts and have never been done before. 

 

Seems to be plenty of cars with falcon wing doors. Dating back decades. How'd Tesla screw it up?

[LJ]

Tesla is also having some major production problems, they were supposed to have 20,000 model 3's out the door by the end of the year and so far less than 300 have been.

[rjag]

like these falcon wing doors?

 

 

 

[RPPB]

Those are gull wing doors hinged at the roof only. The model X has falcon wing doors with another hinge mid-door.

[lanforod]

Those are gull wing doors hinged at the roof only. The model X has falcon wing doors with another hinge mid-door.

 

Seems that's true though it sure doesn't look like that's the case. Looks the same as those two old cars.

https://www.google.c...j_5FQEE_O-KxYM:

Edited by lanforod, 25 October 2017 - 11:37 AM.

[RPPB]

Watch around 1:30 in, it becomes more apparent near the end of the opening cycle.

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=Vox78WUVtd8