Electric Cars , Your views.

[androiduk2002]

Since I first started on my 2330 course , one thing that is at the back of my mind , is to be a "green electrician" keeping up with modern "microgeneration" ideas and schemes and other green ideas.

One that IMHO will be something to come in to play in the not to distant future is electric cars........ as these are at present out of reach (cost wise) of your average joe and as we all know things always start off expensive and as time progresses costs always come down in a several years I believe they will a viable purchase for most.

So I started looking at several to get an idea of what is required , now I remember a review of the Tesla posted on here and I seem to recall it was favourable so I thought I work at this make .

http://webarchive.teslamotors.com/display_data/home_connector_installation.pdf

High Power Wall Connector | Charging Solutions | Tesla Motors

90 Amp breaker ! ! ! on a 240V single phase ! ! ! for a 4 hour recharge or a 50 Amp for a 6 hour recharge. A sign of things to come ?

We will see a purpose made range of charging posts suitable for domestic use ? Will they be secure enough to have in your front garden ? will the manufacturers have approved installers ?.

I think it this could be open to a good discussion from all , maybe some one has had experience all ready of a supply for a car ? or maybe no has even thought of it.

The floor is open to have your say or your views guys and girls, I await some good posts from you all.

Andy

 

[Doc Hudson]

Interesting links, Some costs do come down with time, other things whilst feasable for a small scale niche market are not practical for long term large scale use. Look at the costs of lap-top and cordless power tool batteries, these have all been around for a few years now, but are still exceptionally expensive relative to the product itself. Historically many great ideas were predicted to be the next new thing, but have not materialised. Electric cars should be good for commuting to work or around city's. But fully loaded going on holiday 300+ mile trip, would have to be some sort of hybrid as I am not convinced an electric only could manage.

Doc H.

 

[androiduk2002]

Doc I fully agree with the fully loaded on holiday comment but as a round town second car for the wife to do the school trip / shopping with I am not so sure.

Electric Car Comparisons

With some cars at below

 

[NozSpark]

TBH I don't think electric cars are anywhere as green as they are made out to be as they use electricity which is generated by a dirty great bit coal/oil/gas power station, I know there are green alternatives to this like solar/wind/tidal but they are not up to it at the moment..

And nuclear power,,, well......

IMHO hydrogen cell cars seem to be the future

 

[sprocketflup]

Was just gonna say about hydrogen cells myself.

Now if only the greedy petrochemical companies would relax thier grip on the balls of the worlds major governments, we might see some decent progress being made. I am 100% sure they would already be powering a heck of a lot of the world if there was no money in oil headbang

 

[kme]

My initial thought was a la Noz`s comment - all you`re doing is moving the "greenhouse gas" production to a central location.

They did the same thing with industry at the turn of the last century; and the result was huge smog clouds over the towns - so that wasn`t too well thought through, was it???

Its a "gimmick", IMO - look at LPG cars: 3 yrs ago it was 34p (ish) per Litre, now its in the 80s (`cos there`s more of `em).

D`you remember when petrol cost more than diesel? As it ought to, since it is a more refined version of the same product? But now it costs more - because of the explosion in the number of diesel cars....which were marketed why? `Cos the fuel was cheaper. Now it costs more; yet many of us STILL have diesel cars.......

My thinking is: My car is diesel; my van is diesel. Less chance of making a fur cup at the forecourt, IYKWIM?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Isn't the big problem the battery lifespan and the cot of replacement batteries that is the BIG limiting factor?????

If you can afford to sell your leccy car every 3 years and get a new leccy car then you can probably manage without having to stick a new battery in it........

BUT from what I have heard if you do have to buy a new battery its second mortgage time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:_| :_|

 

[Andy™]

also, will the national grid be able to cope with demand? if everyone got one, then as soon as they get home, it goes on charge. all that extra demand at the same time would not be possible if loads of people stated buying them

and then there is the mostly 'ignored' fact the energy used to charge the batteries comes from buring fossil fuels, but engines are not very efficient so overall it may waste less fuel