Electric Vehicles (EV) Thread

Driving and riding in Hua Hin and Thailand, all topics on cars, pickups, bikes, boats, licenses, roads, and motoring in general.
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StevePIraq
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by StevePIraq »

For private owners who may only use a car locally electric would be extremely good here as the price of electricity is low. Even for farmers who do minimal km electric pick ups would be good.
Personally I do not think they will become too popular here.
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by STEVE G »

Yes, the vast majority of my driving in Thailand is to town and back which is a round trip of just over 20km so an EV would be ideal for that if they were available.
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Re: Electric Cars

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But would you want one with a Thai manufactured battery, the present ones are rubbish

Good article here on the future of EVs etc in Thailand.

https://home.kpmg.com/th/en/home/insigh ... focus.html
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STEVE G
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by STEVE G »

StevePIraq wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:24 pm But would you want one with a Thai manufactured battery, the present ones are rubbish
Presumably if a mainstream manufacturer like Toyota or Honda introduced an EV, they would find a decent battery, wherever it was made.
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Re: Electric Cars

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It should be relatively easy to rig up solar panels on your carport to make them even cheaper to run
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by STEVE G »

I was surprised to see a Chinese made electric car being used as a taxi in Europe yesterday, I didn't realise that any were available here.
http://bydeurope.com/vehicles/e6/index.php
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Re: Electric Cars

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That reminds me of yet another looming pollution problem. What is the world going to do with millions of tons of waste lithium cell car batteries in a few decades when they wear out and can't be charged any longer? (I'm assuming these batteries are lithium)

Can they be recycled, or are the dangerous chemicals associated with them simply going to go into the ground and seas? Pete :cheers:
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Re: Electric Cars

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Lithium car batteries can be successfully recycled. Tesla has been sending used batteries to Toxco in the US for years.

Toyota also recycle

https://www.toyota.com.au/hybrid/battery-recycling
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Re: Electric Cars

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^ That is good news. :thumb: Pete :cheers:
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by PeteC »

What about pick up trucks which are used for hauling loads, and 4WD SUV's that are used off road. Do current electric engines have enough torque for these jobs, and does any major manufacturer have this type of electric vehicle in the planning?

I guess the same question could be asked concerning passenger vans so popular here when hauling people. Pete :cheers:

EDIT: Perhaps the torque is there, but batteries would drain too quickly under those type of loads and usage.
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by Dannie Boy »

PeteC wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 7:51 am What about pick up trucks which are used for hauling loads, and 4WD SUV's that are used off road. Do current electric engines have enough torque for these jobs, and does any major manufacturer have this type of electric vehicle in the planning?

I guess the same question could be asked concerning passenger vans so popular here when hauling people. Pete :cheers:

EDIT: Perhaps the torque is there, but batteries would drain too quickly under those type of loads and usage.
As you say Pete, the torque is there in abundance, the problem at the moment is the range - I don’t believe that any current vehicle could manage Bangkok-Hua Hin return on one charge, so unless and until battery power improves, the market isn’t there - I’m sure manufacturers are working on it though so maybe in 5 years there will be a solution
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by oakdale160 »

Just a little off topic-- The number of electric bikes in China has really exploded. These are not the regular bikes with a small hub motor but more sturdy bikes with bigger engines. There are now--wait for it 200 million electric-bikes in China now. The original ones a decade ago had to conform to 20/40 rules (Not capable of more than 20K/K or weigh more than 40K) but that has changed. They are still bikes, you pedal, but when you want a boost of power. starting up at the lights or going up a hill or even a little extra speed you twist the throttle and off you go, You can charge from a normal house socket.
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Re: Electric Cars

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I just saw a show the other night showing that the Tesla, Nissan, Toyota are get 220-260km range in Europe, in pretty aggressive city and highway driving. This is not the pick-up, 4WD I was talking about above, just your normal electric sedans. Pete :cheers:
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by Dannie Boy »

PeteC wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 8:37 am I just saw a show the other night showing that the Tesla, Nissan, Toyota are get 220-260km range in Europe, in pretty aggressive city and highway driving. This is not the pick-up, 4WD I was talking about above, just your normal electric sedans. Pete :cheers:
The Jaguar iPace is a 4WD SUV that is claimed to have a 480 km range although I doubt it will achieve that in a real life situation, but it indicates that they are getting closer to making this type of vehicle a realistic option - albeit the iPace is expensive at approx £60k, but I assume that within a few years the technology will filter down in to more affordable vehicles including pickups
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Re: Electric Cars

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The show I was watching focused on Sweden. They seem to be at the lead in Europe concerning electric vehicle use. The list of incentives for buying one is as long as your arm including free charging, free city parking, bus lane usage, free ferry passage and quite a few more. Pete :cheers:
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