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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JWWhite
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Re: Electric Cars

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A push for a battery leap to eliminate "blood cobalt"
The U.S. government is funding a push to reinvent lithium-ion batteries so they contain little or no cobalt, an increasingly expensive metal found largely in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where activists say workers often toil in inhumane conditions.
The big picture: Cobalt — contained in virtually every commercial lithium-ion battery on the planet — has unusual energy density and the ability to stabilize volatile electrochemistry. But its price has swung wildly given booming demand for electric cars in China, from Tesla, and elsewhere — in addition to electronic devices like smartphones.
By seeking to eliminate or seriously reduce the metal's use in batteries, the Department of Energy, along with several startups, may complicate what has been one of the primary quests of the last decade: to create a safer, cheaper battery that lasts much longer than current technology.
In a June speech in Washington, D.C., Peter Faguy, a senior manager in the battery research effort at DOE, used the term "blood cobalt" to describe the metal, suggesting that removing it from lithium-ion batteries is a moral issue.
What's going on: The DOE is funding three-year research efforts at Argonne and Lawrence Berkeley national labs.
Jason Croy, who is leading the Argonne effort, said that a leading solution is to swap in nickel. That does well in achieving high energy, but so far hasn't proven stable enough for use in commercial batteries. He said manganese is another potential substitute.
At Berkeley, Gerbrand Ceder, the project leader, said he is working on an entirely different material — a battery made with disordered rock salt, which he said does not require cobalt for stability. He said the battery can be charged at a high five volts, a key quality when high energy is sought.
The bottom line: Ceder said cobalt may never be removable from electronic devices because the space for a battery is so small that the metal's density is needed.
https://www.axios.com/lithium-ion-batte ... 04bbe.html
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by GroveHillWanderer »

oakdale160 wrote: Wed Aug 15, 2018 7:49 am There are so many f these battery stories--eventually one of them will be true.
What are most people waiting to hear? Initially I suggest
1 A car that will go about 500k (300+ miles) on one charge
2 Can be fully charged in 30 min.
so you can drive for 5 hours, stop and refuel yourself and car and drive another 5 hours.
Tesla already has two models of electric car with a 500km range. Other manufacturers have announced plans to release cars with that range within the next 1-3 years. Most recent electric car batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in 30 mins if using a 'quick charge' station.
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Re: Electric Cars

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In the west maybe but not available in Thailand
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Re: Electric Cars

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Here's a novel turn for electric cars. Kalashnikov of Russia has revealed it's stake in the game. https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... c-supercar. Don't laugh.
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Re: Electric Cars

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Also from the Guardian, electric cars are not really all that green after all.

But what about the environmental effects of building the car?
A report by the Ricardo consultancy estimated that production of an average petrol car will involve emissions amounting to the equivalent of 5.6 tonnes of CO2, while for an average electric car, the figure is 8.8tonnes. Of that, nearly half is incurred in producing the battery. Despite this, the same report estimated that over its whole lifecycle, the electric car would still be responsible for 80% of the emissions of the petrol car. More recently, an FT analysis used lifecycle estimates to question the green credentials of electric cars, especially heavy ones.
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Re: Electric Cars

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hhinner wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 4:17 pm Here's a novel turn for electric cars. Kalashnikov of Russia has revealed it's stake in the game. https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... c-supercar. Don't laugh.
V being the Roman numeral for 5, that makes it a C5.
About right I'd say!
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Re: Electric Cars

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Well, had my test drive of the Tesla Model S on Saturday afternoon.......

WOW! Just WOW! :shock: What a performance! I knew from reports and specs it would be impressive, but hell, until you actually experience it first hand. I did a 0-90 run in just over 5 seconds which certainly got the Adrenalin pumping! Mid-range acceleration also incredible. Very smooth drive, handles the road extremely well, very comfortable and IMHO a very good looking car.

The Model 3 I have put a deposit on is a little smaller - around the size of a C-Class Mercedes rather than an E-Class which I would say the Model S is similar to. The Model 3 does not have the performance or range of the Model 3, but you're still talking 0-60 in a shade over 5 seconds and a reported range of 225-250 miles - good enough for me! :thumb:

Hoping to get a test drive of the Model 3 in the next couple of months when they become available in the UK.

:cheers: :cheers:
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by STEVE G »

I'm seeing Tesla's on the road everyday now here in Luxembourg and what is interesting is that you see them in the car parks of those investment bank type places, alongside all the Porsche's and Ferrari's and some of the most desirable cars around.
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Re: Electric Cars

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STEVE G wrote: Mon Aug 27, 2018 5:46 pm I'm seeing Tesla's on the road everyday now here in Luxembourg and what is interesting is that you see them in the car parks of those investment bank type places, alongside all the Porsche's and Ferrari's and some of the most desirable cars around.
The Model S is certainly "Supercar" Performance - and at £75K, at wosre half price of the "Usual Suspects". The Model 3 is £30K basic, and with a massive performance. OK, not cheap, but take a new C-Class Merc being only just shy of £50K..... It's not a bad deal. I'm a confirmed "Petrol Head" with a 250 AMG Merc and a Porsche Boxtster - neither of which come close on performance (note - I have taken both mine to 145 MPH + on track days - the Merc being around 6.5 sec 0-60). The performance of the Tesla is quite honestly frightening - and in all honesty is only going to improve (more so on range).

Being a "Petrol Head", and changing to an Electric Car - would I then be an "AC Head"?

:cheers: :cheers:
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Re: Electric Cars

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Nissan works with MEA on wall chargers

posting.php?mode=reply&f=44&t=34965

Japan's Nissan Motor Thailand is teaming up with Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) to install quick-charging outlets in households, supporting the future introduction of the Nissan Leaf, a fully electric vehicle (EV), in the Thai market.

On Monday both parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to study know-how from MEA in developing the outlets for battery EVs.
The MoU is for two years. The outlet type is an EV wall box in a residential garage.
Antoine Barthes, president of Nissan Thailand, said this is part of Nissan's plan to introduce the Leaf here.

"With technical expertise from MEA, Nissan wants to give a clear answer to future buyers that this EV wall charger will be more secure, stable, safe and offer more quality," he said.
"The partnership aims to offer an affordable EV, with a related building block for EV usage. The wall box complies with Nissan's certified Electric Mobility Operator (EMO) scheme, which we use in other countries where the Leaf is marketed."

Mr Barthes said the Leaf comes with a charging type CHAdeMO, Japan's trade name for a quick charging method for battery EVs.
The EV wall chargers and public stations in Thailand must be of the same standard.

The Thai government is expected to set the EV charging standard for public charging as type two, similar to European markets, while CHAdeMO is type four.

He said after Nissan concludes its study of the MoU, it will seek qualified suppliers to provide the EV wall chargers for the Nissan Leaf.
The company also plans to team up with other agencies to support expansion of EV charging stations in provincial areas in the near future.

Mr Barthes refused to disclose a date for launching the Leaf in the local market.
The company is committed to selling the car in Thailand by March 2019 at the latest, he said.
The Yokohama-based parent firm announced in March 2018 the Leaf will be introduced in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, but the model has yet to be marketed in any countries in the region.

Nissan recently asked Frost & Sullivan to conduct research on the future of EVs in Southeast Asia.
In Thailand, over 300 people participated in the study.

The detailed report for Thailand found there is significant latent demand for EVs, with 44% of respondents saying they would undoubtedly consider an EV when they make their next purchase decision.
"It is clear that Nissan expects a potential EV market to develop in Thailand," said Mr Barthes.
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by oakdale160 »

The leaf is an attractive car in some ways but it has a shorter range than others. 240K/120m makes it fine for running around town but if setting off for a HH to BKK run with the frequent stops delays etc it might be a nervous drive.
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by oakdale160 »

Sorry, that should be 150 miles
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Re: Electric Cars

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AK-47 maker reveals electric car modeled after widely mocked Russian sedans
It was the car that gave the Soviet bloc a bad name.

At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union’s Moskvich sedans were lampooned in the West as some of the worst cars ever made. Which is why it’s so surprising that Russia’s leading weapons manufacturer would want to base its brand-new electric concept car on the retro lemon.

The CV-1 is the first electrical car to be made by Kalashnikov, which has been producing the AK-47 assault rifle and its derivatives since the early 1950s.

The prototype, unveiled last week in Moscow, will allow Kalashnikov to compete “with the world’s electric car manufacturers, like Tesla,” the company said.

The concept car incorporates several original solutions, including a high-speed battery modular control system and a “revolutionary” compact inverter, Kalashnikov said. This will allow the “super car” to have a sizzling performance, including the ability to reach 60 mph in 6 seconds and a range of 220 miles on a single charge.

Kalashnikov said that the car’s body was modeled on the Moskvich’s IZh 2125 Kombi model, a compact car designed by the Soviets in the late 1960s.

The unveiling sparked a storm of mockery on social media, Russia’s RT network reported. “I have a strong feeling that they didn’t even touch the body as they found it in a junkyard and put the (new) kit on it,” said a tweet cited by RT.

This is the second time in recent weeks that Kalashnikov has announced a concept vehicle. Earlier this month, at the Army 2018 expo in Moscow, the company unveiled a 13-foot, 4.5-ton robot model resembling a Star Wars light armored walker. It too got roasted on social media, RT reported.

Kalashnikov’s AK-47 assault rifle and its knockoffs are reportedly the most produced firearms in the world. At least 35 million having been made in about three dozen nations. U.S. troops have faced opponents equipped with the weapon in all conflicts since Korea, including Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is regarded as a weapon of choice of insurgents of all stripes, drug gangs and terrorist groups.

In recent years, its producer, Concern Kalashnikov, has branched out into other products, including knives, perfume, keychains, umbrellas, night lights, toys and other items shaped like the AK-47. There is even a Kalashnikov Vodka in bottles shaped like the famed assault rifle.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2018/0 ... an-sedans/
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Re: Electric Cars

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Carmakers brace for shocks as electrified future looms

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ne ... recent_box

PARIS: Auto industry executives gathering this week for the Paris Motor Show will be rubbing shoulders with unusual company: dozens of tech experts eager to tackle what many consider the ultimate connected device.

Electric vehicles are the stars of this year's show, with premium brands like Mercedes and Audi finally jumping into the fray, but the promise of self-driving cars is also on display with dozens of start-ups on hand.

"Each of these new cars requires 100 million lines of code: That's five to six times more than in a Boeing," Luc Chatel, head of the French auto industry association, told executives on Monday.

The enthusiasm for the electrified revolution is partly out of necessity, as regulators and local officials try to cut down on the smog chocking many large cities.

In Europe, carmakers are racing to comply with tough EU limits on CO2 emissions that take effect by 2021, and the introduction of tougher emission testing standards in the wake of the "dieselgate" cheating scandal.

After investing billions of dollars in new batteries despite a still-uncertain payoff, companies are also betting that electric cars will help their bottom lines.

More reliable and with fewer moving parts than combustion engines, electric motors require far fewer workers to install and service.

But industry chiefs know they won't be able to develop the full potential of an electrified, always-connected future on their own.

Google, Nokia and French IT specialist Atos are among the tech groups sending staff to the Paris show with pledges to help automakers navigate their industry's seismic shift.

"Obviously every company would love to do everything by themselves," Carlos Ghosn, head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, said in a keynote address Monday.

"There is an explosion around the services of mobility, where carmakers are going to play a role, in partnership with others," he added, predicting that "we're going to see in the Motor Show less and less car companies."
Ghosn expects his group to sell 14 million cars by the end of 2022, of which 10% will be all-electric.

- Steep prices, uncertain future -

But joining with tech companies means ceding part of the profit, not exactly a welcome prospect for an industry just recently back on a stronger footing after years of bailouts for many in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.

Automakers are also grappling with lithium-ion battery costs that keep electric vehicle prices well above those of traditional cars -- the new models are still loss-makers for most companies.

Mike David, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, forecast that prices would not come down to competitive levels until 2025.

And with new technologies comes the chance for upstarts to jump in: Tesla's market value is greater than that of Renault and PSA combined despite production snafus and recent blunders by its flamboyant founder Elon Musk.

Adding to the headwinds are changing consumer tastes: More people now live in urban centres where alternative modes of transport from cycling to scooters are flourishing amid the zero-emission zeal.

Many no longer see the need for owning a car, electric or not.
"Single-use vehicles are wasteful," said Ian Simmons of Magna International, a parts maker specialising in "green mobility".

Car-sharing and ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft -- which are racing ahead with their own autonomous driving research -- will require heavy tech investments in cars and city infrastructure, he said.

But with Audi and Mercedes showing off all-electric SUVs this week -- shortly after Ferrari announced an ambitious plan for hybrids -- more buyers might be convinced their performance has caught up with combustion engines.

"Their arrival also dispels any doubts over battery or quality issues," JATO analyst Felipe Munoz wrote in a research note.
The Paris Motor Show opens to the public on Thursday and runs until Oct 14.


But joining with tech companies means ceding part of the profit, not exactly a welcome prospect for an industry just recently back on a stronger footing after years of bailouts for many in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.

Automakers are also grappling with lithium-ion battery costs that keep electric vehicle prices well above those of traditional cars -- the new models are still loss-makers for most companies.

Mike David, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, forecast that prices would not come down to competitive levels until 2025.

And with new technologies comes the chance for upstarts to jump in: Tesla's market value is greater than that of Renault and PSA combined despite production snafus and recent blunders by its flamboyant founder Elon Musk.

Adding to the headwinds are changing consumer tastes: More people now live in urban centres where alternative modes of transport from cycling to scooters are flourishing amid the zero-emission zeal.
Many no longer see the need for owning a car, electric or not.

"Single-use vehicles are wasteful," said Ian Simmons of Magna International, a parts maker specialising in "green mobility".

Car-sharing and ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft -- which are racing ahead with their own autonomous driving research -- will require heavy tech investments in cars and city infrastructure, he said.

But with Audi and Mercedes showing off all-electric SUVs this week -- shortly after Ferrari announced an ambitious plan for hybrids -- more buyers might be convinced their performance has caught up with combustion engines.

"Their arrival also dispels any doubts over battery or quality issues," JATO analyst Felipe Munoz wrote in a research note.
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Re: Electric Cars

Post by HHTel »

We've come a long way since the first 'electric car'!!

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