11498 replies to this topic

[rjag]

Yup, but the virtue signalling for E-buses gets unwarranted publicity that they can carry into the next election as the herd will read that its a done deal and not a study

[dasmo]

If it’s being talked about now it wouldn’t happen until 2030 so let’s talk about it now....

[rjag]

If it’s being talked about now it wouldn’t happen until 2030 so let’s talk about it now....

 

Because its important that Victoria spends more taxpayer money doing their own study and not just wait to see the outcome of all the other major Cities????

 

I'm not against the concept and think it will be a great move but there is zero reason at this time to spend money on a consultant report when so many other larger entities are already looking at it....when its closer to reality and mainstream adoption in major urban areas is happening then it will come naturally. 

 

https://www.reuters....s-idUSKBN1E60GS

Edited by rjag, 13 December 2017 - 08:42 AM.

[LeoVictoria]

Because its important that Victoria spends more taxpayer money doing their own study and not just wait to see the outcome of all the other major Cities????

 

I'm not against the concept and think it will be a great move but there is zero reason at this time to spend money on a consultant report when so many other larger entities are already looking at it....when its closer to reality and mainstream adoption in major urban areas is happening then it will come naturally. 

 

https://www.reuters....s-idUSKBN1E60GS

 

I do agree that it's a bit too early to commission a study.    They probably could have waited 6 months or so.   

Right now it's about a wash between EV and diesel buses on costs based on the case studies I've read.    Of course that is not considering the externalities of diesel pollution in town.  

In less than 5 years it will be a no brainer even disregarding all environmental arguments.

[VicHockeyFan]

Probably. So let’s just let it play out.

[Mike K.]

Won't we have autonomous buses by 2030?

[Mike K.]

I mean things can't get much worse than the Uptown Express...

 

[rjag]

I do agree that it's a bit too early to commission a study.    They probably could have waited 6 months or so.   

 

 

Simplest way to approach this is to make a statement supporting the future transition and a commitment to adopt best practices as opportunity arises...there, done!

 

No need to spend thousands of $'s on a study that wont say much more at this point or 6 months from now or 5 years from now.

[LeoVictoria]

Simplest way to approach this is to make a statement supporting the future transition and a commitment to adopt best practices as opportunity arises...there, done!

 

No need to spend thousands of $'s on a study that wont say much more at this point or 6 months from now or 5 years from now.

 

Things get done by people doing them.  It's not always as simple as sitting around and waiting for everyone else to do the work.   For a tourist and tech town there are also advantages to being an early adopter on this kind of thing.  

Edited by LeoVictoria, 13 December 2017 - 11:23 AM.

[rjag]

Things get done by people doing them.  It's not always as simple as sitting around and waiting for everyone else to do the work.   For a tourist and tech town there are also advantages to being an early adopter on this kind of thing.  

 

There is zero reason to commission a consultant to report on something that a small minnow in a very large pond can influence. We will see change, but neither BCT nor CRD nor the Province as a whole has the pull when it comes to new standards in bus technology. Heck there are more buses in Beijing than in all of Canada, they have 25,000 buses moving 4 billion passengers, Canada as a country has approx 20,000 buses

 

Buffet invested big time into BYD and they opened a plant in NA recently to produce E-Buses http://www.businessi...ric-bus-2017-10

 

Like I said before, Victoria does not need to waste any money doing a study, thats simply grandstanding and it will say nothing that we dont already know and will have zero influence on BCT's plans to convert the fleet.

 

As for the early adopter thing, lets look at the hydrogen cell buses rusting in Whistler http://www.cbc.ca/ne...iesel-1.2861060 $1.34 per km compared to $.65 per km for diesel buses....$90 million down the drain....thats early adoption 

[LeoVictoria]

There is zero reason to commission a consultant to report on something that a small minnow in a very large pond can influence. We will see change, but neither BCT nor CRD nor the Province as a whole has the pull when it comes to new standards in bus technology. Heck there are more buses in Beijing than in all of Canada, they have 25,000 buses moving 4 billion passengers, Canada as a country has approx 20,000 buses

Buffet invested big time into BYD and they opened a plant in NA recently to produce E-Buses http://www.businessi...ric-bus-2017-10

Like I said before, Victoria does not need to waste any money doing a study, thats simply grandstanding and it will say nothing that we dont already know and will have zero influence on BCT's plans to convert the fleet.

As for the early adopter thing, lets look at the hydrogen cell buses rusting in Whistler http://www.cbc.ca/ne...iesel-1.2861060 $1.34 per km compared to $.65 per km for diesel buses....$90 million down the drain....thats early adoption

You seem to be confusing developing electric busses vs figuring out how they will work on our routes. A good report will specify at what point (I.e. at what price) electric busses will be feasible to deploy and on what routes.

Edited by LeoVictoria, 13 December 2017 - 07:32 PM.

[Mike K.]

Isn't that a little premature, though, since we don't really know just how advanced and how expensive the technology will be in 2025? It's all a tremendous guessing game at this point, sort of like where solar was in the early 1990's.

[LeoVictoria]

They may very well be starting to replace buses with electric right now if the trial goes well.

[dasmo]

All I know is I’m willing to pay more taxes for those chopped tour buses that roar and idle and stink to be ruled electric only....

[Mike K.]

I’m with you there. Those buses are gross. I can’t believe they’re allowed to operate with that nasty of an emissions output.

[spanky123]

Isn't that a little premature, though, since we don't really know just how advanced and how expensive the technology will be in 2025? It's all a tremendous guessing game at this point, sort of like where solar was in the early 1990's.

 

The difference is that batteries have been around forever. Costs and capacities don't improve at anywhere near the rate of newer technologies.

[LeoVictoria]

Tesla has accumulated about 400 orders for the semi so far (publicly announced ones anyway)

 

https://electrek.co/...ric-trucks-ups/

Edited by LeoVictoria, 19 December 2017 - 10:51 AM.

[LeoVictoria]

Tesla the top automaker by sales volume in Norway this month.  

 

[VicHockeyFan]

But valuing the environment isn't enough to fund the purchase of all those pricey Teslas. The other part of the equation is that it Norway gives ENORMOUS subsidies to people who buy electric cars, all funded by its absolutely monumental sovereign wealth fund:

... if you buy one, the annual registration fee is waived, as are tolls, and you get access to less-congested traffic lanes. If you drive for a living in Norway, an electric car gets you an income-tax deduction. And – here's the biggest difference – the Norwegian government makes electric cars, including the Tesla, exempt from some very, very hefty sales taxes. So when you add all this up…

The difference between the price of a Tesla and the price of a similar gasoline-driven car is huge in Norway compared to other countries. And so in relative terms, the Tesla is a lot cheaper than other cars.

Consumers are also incentivized to get a Tesla now, rather than later, as a lot of the subsidies will end once the country has 50,000 cars. And all that is swell and good.

 

Except this whole plan has one deep, dark, dirty little secret – all of those little extras are funded by the country's aforementioned sovereign wealth fund. A sovereign wealth fund which is largely made up of oil money.

 

https://jalopnik.com...n-no-1651261025

[Mike K.]

As the old Ford adage goes, "you can choose any colour so long as it's [in this case] white!"