Are we on the brink of an electric car revolution?

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 26 Mar 2016, 21:08

kenneal - lagger wrote:The problem with heat pumps is that people install them instead of insulating their house properly. The salesmen sell them on the basis that you can save money by only spending £8K on a heat pump whereas external insulation would be twice as much. They're putting in much bigger systems than would be necessary if the houses were insulated properly and the system isn't working that well because it's overloaded a lot of the time. Much too much electricity is being used.

If you are installing a ground source heat pump and claiming the Renewable Heat Incentive payment then there is some significant, though imperfect, pressure to ensure that at least the obvious insulation measures have been carried out. Without them you don't get the RHI.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 28 Mar 2016, 05:15

I did say proper insulation which current requirements aren't.

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 28 Mar 2016, 07:09

clv101 wrote:It would be really good to get a couple of decent electric bikes there - and let people ride them. Folk need to experience them first hand to appreciated what a modern £1500 machine can do.

Won't you just tell us? Can it say carry a 270 lb. rider up a fifteen percent grade for two miles and still go ten miles on a charge?
Not saying it wont, I don't know anything about what they can do today,. I'm just saying what the task would be if I wanted to ride one down to the village to get a six pack.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:28

A 270lb rider needs to exercise on a non-electric bike first and get some of that weight off.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 28 Mar 2016, 09:51

I finally got around to trying out a fast charging station for my Leaf yesterday. Very easy and fairly quick, although the charger has three different cables for different standards of charging port. Like everything else, there is no accepted standard between manufacturers. Fortunately there were two chargers, because the second was blocked by a parked ICE car. (This is likely to become a major friction point in future, as the number of electric cars is rising, and there is likely to be a lot of waiting your turn as I don't expect the number of charging points to grow as quickly.)

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 28 Mar 2016, 13:00

biffvernon wrote:A 270lb rider needs to exercise on a non-electric bike first and get some of that weight off.

So they keep telling me. At least I'm 6' 3" tall so not entirely round.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 28 Mar 2016, 14:28

vtsnowedin wrote:
biffvernon wrote:A 270lb rider needs to exercise on a non-electric bike first and get some of that weight off.
So they keep telling me. At least I'm 6' 3" tall so not entirely round.

Just gone pear shaped?

Pepperman · Post by **Pepperman** » 01 Apr 2016, 08:49

Well Tesla launched the Model 3 this morning (here if you can be bothered).

Range north of 215 miles, $35,000 (more like £30,000 in the UK probably, comparable with a BMW 3 Series), 130,000 pre-orders already placed, first deliveries expected end of 2017. They're also doubling their supercharger network.

Pepperman · Post by **Pepperman** » 01 Apr 2016, 08:54

The Model 3 puts Tesla within reach of millions more customers. In 2015, only 2.1% of new cars purchased in the US cost $75,000 or more, but 35% – or 5.5m – cost $35,000 or more

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2 ... are_btn_tw

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Apr 2016, 17:00

The Dutch are getting on their metaphorical bikes.

http://electrek.co/2016/03/31/netherlan ... ales-2025/

http://insideevs.com/netherlands-moves- ... sel-sales/

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 02 Apr 2016, 02:11

kenneal - lagger wrote:
vtsnowedin wrote:
biffvernon wrote:A 270lb rider needs to exercise on a non-electric bike first and get some of that weight off.
So they keep telling me. At least I'm 6' 3" tall so not entirely round.
Just gone pear shaped?

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 02 Apr 2016, 13:26

Richard Heinberg of electric transport:
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?opt ... ival=16018

Post by **adam2** » 03 Apr 2016, 13:31

This report suggests very significant interest in electric cars. Large numbers of advance orders for the latest and RELATIVELY affordable model from Tesla.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35953817

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 03 Apr 2016, 19:18

Here's Elon Musc launching the new Tesla - he starts by talking about air pollution and global warming. Pity that isn't the starting point for all motor industry presentations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4VGQPk2Dl8

AutomaticEarth · Post by **AutomaticEarth** » 03 Apr 2016, 20:17

adam2 wrote:This report suggests very significant interest in electric cars. Large numbers of advance orders for the latest and RELATIVELY affordable model from Tesla.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35953817

With the trend towards leasing, lots of people could afford the Tesla, if the leasing arrangements are right

I thought about leasing myself recently, but decided to just get a really small car and buy it outright.

If you've got a garage on your house, and can run an electrical outlet to it, and are in the market for an upmarket car, I can't see why one of these Teslas shouldn't be considered. It makes a change from all the 'upmarket' German cars clogging up the railway car parks during the week