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Author Topic: Electric Vehicles  (Read 46564 times)

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AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #570 on: August 02, 2019, 04:51:32 pm »
THINKPROGRESS

AUG 2, 2019, 8:00 AM

Electric ⚡ cars may already be making gas cars as obsolete as ‘flip phones’, experts say   

AERIAL VIEW OF ELECTRIC ⚡CARS AT KANDI ELECTRIC ⚡ VEHICLES GROUP CO. IN CHANGXING COUNTY ON OCTOBER 24, 2017 IN HUZHOU, CHINA. CREDIT: TAN YUNFENG/VCG.

 
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

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Credit: LM & TH ⚡ Automoviles

Thalia ⚡ Electric Car, Designed & Built In Mexico, Nears Production 👍

August 1st, 2019 by Steve Hanley

SNIPPET:

The state of Puebla in Mexico has been home to the country’s auto manufacturing business for almost a century. In the capital city, also called Puebla, entrepreneur Polo Ortiz is working with his son Leopoldo on plans to design and build the first electric car designed and built in Mexico using Mexican workers and Mexican parts.

Full article:

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/08/01/designed-built-in-mexico-thalia-electric-car-nears-production/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

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August 7th, 2019 by Zachary Shahan 

 
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Why Is A Tesla So Hard To Steal?
« Reply #573 on: August 09, 2019, 01:54:52 pm »
August 8th, 2019 by Guest Contributor

This Model S was stolen in the UK; the key was at the back of the house, but Pin to Drive was off and passive entry was enabled. YouTube video by Antony Kennedy. (CleanTechnica editor’s note: Wow. What an interesting video.) 🧐

Assocaited article:

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

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August 17th, 2019 by Guest Contributor

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #575 on: August 18, 2019, 12:44:40 pm »
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August 17th, 2019 by Carolyn Fortuna   


He started nearly a year ago, pushing the Tesla Supercharger network to its limits and attempting to answer questions about what it means to experience all-electric transportation. Arthur Driessen embarked on a Tesla voyage without carbon as a way to determine if, indeed, the advent of electronic vehicles is upon us and what it would take to explore the US through Supercharging.

“April in Alabama and a Tesla,” by Arthur Driessen.

To do so, he needed to figure out the practicality of trying to explore the US in a Tesla without worrying about running out of fuel. Equipped with his Tesla Model 3, a Sony PCM-d100, an iPhone, and a MacBook, Arthur has tried his best to go as far away from a Supercharger as possible. Using only samples from his journeys and sound design through modern audio technology, he’s in the process of creating a fully functional library of instruments to document his travels.

Here’s his story.

Tell us a bit 🧐 about your Tesla.

“I’m driving a Tesla Model 3 Long Range Single Motor. A big reason I bought a Tesla was because of the brand recognition. When I say brand recognition, I am referring to their recognition as leaders in the EV field opposed to your average person knowing what a Tesla is. I had started seeing the Model S around LA in 2012 and was immediately interested in them. They were cool, sleek, and sexy, but what really got me excited about them was the driver assist technology.

“Well-Preserved Ancient Wupatki National Monument in Arizona,” by Arthur Driessen.

“When the X was in development, my boss asked me to go research it for him, which really started my love for the brand. I fell in love with the entire philosophy around them of pushing technology into the automotive industry for the betterment of our society opposed to profit. I bought some stock as I couldn’t afford the car and started looking forward to the day the ‘third phase’ of Elon’s master plan would happen.”

When and why did you purchase your Tesla Model 3, and why did you choose it over other EVs?

“To be honest, I didn’t really think about getting another brand of EV. They seemed more like compliance cars than actual cars a brand would be proud of. I lived in an apartment so I wanted as much range as possible and, most importantly, they didn’t have Autopilot, which was my number one reason of wanting a Tesla.

“That brings us to the announcement of the Model 3. I had been looking at new cars, knowing that my current 2010 Honda Civic had 160,000 miles on it. After watching the announcement, I realized that its release fit up perfectly with the timeline of my car biting the dust.

“Furthermore, I could start putting payments on it right away, effectively giving me a huge head start in the year that I had to wait. I put my $1000 deposit down and awaited anxiously. 2 years to the day of placing my reservation, I received my car.”

“Tesla at the Flaming Gorge, Sweetwater County, WY,” by Arthur Dreissen

How has the Tesla Model 3 responded on the road during your Tesla voyage without carbon?

“On the road, after 86,000 miles (just passed 86 the other day!) it still drives as if I picked it up last month. I have never been happier with a purchase. I have only had to have one repair, which was something to do with a tire squeaking, and Tesla fixed it for free. I go through tires fairly quickly though due to the battery weight, needing to replace them every 20,000 miles. With the complete lack of other maintenance, I don’t mind though.

“The car itself drives beautifully in all types of weather. I was in both the Rockies and Yellowstone during snow storms and was never worried. I’ve gotten ‘stuck’ in snow or sand a couple of times, but with the ‘slip start’ 👍 option in the computer, I have gotten out each time on my own.

“The range is amazing. I almost never worry about range. The only times I’ve worried are driving through extremely remote places like down to the Rio Grande at the Mexico/Texas border or up to International Falls on the Canada/Minnesota border. They are far and few up here but around enough to where, with a little planning, all anxiety leaves. Furthermore, I’ve been able to push the car a bit on range. The most I’ve gotten was 354 miles from a full battery, and that was before the latest update that upped the range a little.”

“Remembering Road Trips Before — the Jack Kerouac House and a Tesla,” by Arthur Dreissen.

What were some highlights from your trip? Why did these stand out over others?

“The first things that pop into mind are places I’ve gone, like Yellowstone in Wyoming or Acadia in Maine. This country is so vast that being able to see all the corners of it has caused me to really fall in love with it. There really is everything one can imagine somewhere in this country, so whether you want to see deserts, or rain forests, or snow capped mountains, it’s all there and it’s all breathtaking.

“The second thing is being able to educate people about EVs. This is such a new technology, and there really isn’t that much information out there about it. It’s downright difficult to find someone who owns an EV to be able to ask questions, and this leads to a lot of ignorance about the tech. Sometimes, just sitting at a charging station for a day and answering questions to anyone who asks is my best day of the week.

“My favorite story about this was when I was in Florida. I was sitting at a charger, and a young woman knocked on my window. She told me that she had her father with her, and he was visiting from Africa. He was 93 years old and had taken a trip to America to visit his daughters and grandchildren. He still lived in a small tribal community, and she was wondering if it was okay if she showed him my car. I was absolutely delighted to talk to him about it and to see his amazement for how far the world had come since he was a little boy in his tribe — it was awe inspiring.

“This leads me perfectly into my third highlight, which is the growth I have been able to find in myself by getting out and exploring the country — to realize how small I am and how small my bubble is. To meet new people every day who have completely different upbringings, who have completely different communities and ways of life, to be able to connect with all of them over this technology, and to be able to be share the excitement of where this technology will bring us.

“It has been enlightening and humbling.”

Awed by Rocky Mountain National Park,” by Arthur Dreissen.

Why is driving a Tesla important to you?

“Driving a Tesla is pretty important to me — important enough to revolve my life around it, which is pretty important, I guess.

“They are the only company that I know of that is putting everything on the line to push a better future for humanity. Every part of the company revolves around that goal, from utilizing sustainable energy, to energy storage, to Autopilot.

“That last part I think is extremely important and an overlooked aspect of the positive affects of the company’s technology. The ability to let your car be on edge, and for you to be a supervisor, eliminates more stress than I can convey. Being a part of this disruption is just downright cool, too. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a part of changing the world?”

“Great Smokey Mountain National Park,” by Arthur Dreissen.

[b]What words of advice might you offer to others about Tesla and the Model 3?[/b]

“There are so many words of advice I could have for people who would want to go on a huge trip like this in an electric vehicle.

“The first would be that, with a little planning, there should be no worry. The speed of the charging is the main thing holding most EV road trips back right now, not the amount of chargers. Of course, I would never complain about more chargers.

“The second piece of advice would be slow down. I’ve realized that the amount of energy efficiency lost between 60 mph and 80 mph is extreme. The car’s computer plans its routes based on the speed limit, so speeding will cut into that drastically. On top of that, everything uses the battery, so if you are on low battery, blasting the heat, and speeding by 20 mph, you’ll end up on the side of the road pretty quickly.

“A great solution I’ve come up with is to always set my battery display to % opposed to miles. The car can’t really predict how much heat you will be using, so 20 miles ’til empty can be abstract, but 10% is always 10%.”

“Watching Washington, DC in a Tesla,” by Arthur Dreissen.
Agelbert revised photo caption: Tesla parked near 🦕🦖 Hydrocarbon Hellspawn Temple of Doom.

Final Thoughts

Arthur Dreissen came up with the idea to take a Tesla voyage without carbon last summer when he piloted two separate road trips. Since then, he quit his job and decided to “go for it full time.”

His voyage has brought him across the US and back. He’s traveled from the Rio Grande to the northernmost reaches of Minnesota. He’s meandered from Illinois to Memphis, up into Kentucky, and through Virginia into Maryland, stopping by DC along the way and for some crab at Chesapeake Bay. His route has taken him into New York and Niagra Falls, through Massachusetts to Cape Ann, and up the New England coast into Maine, where he is right now. From there, he’s headed into New Hampshire and Vermont, then down to Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Throughout it all, Arthur has written a blog that is sorted alphabetically so it will be easily searchable by users “looking for cool places to go around chargers.” Each state drops down to specific towns, and each one listed has a Tesla Supercharger in it, with most having J1772s as well for non-Tesla drivers. Specific posts are linked to and categorized by those charging locations. That way, even when he has stopped writing, individuals who are on similar road trips can know which chargers they will have to stop at and can easily find interesting things to do in the area.

His end goal is to have a living database, “kind of like a combination of supercharge.info and www.atlasobscura.com.”

He’s spent a lot of time on the road listening to biographies of past presidents, “relearning our national history in a more in depth way than public school could ever teach someone.” His Tesla voyage without carbon has allowed him the opportunity to meet people and experience the US in a way that’s been invigorating, illuminating, and transformative.

Thanks, Arthur, for sharing your experience with our readers at CleanTechnica. Happy travels!

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/08/17/a-tesla-voyage-without-carbon-cleantechnica-exclusive/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #576 on: August 19, 2019, 09:40:09 pm »
TruthDig

AUG 18, 2019 NEWS

On the road to nowhere: Petrol and diesel fuel cannot survive much longer.
Mahkeo / Unsplash

Gas-Fueled Cars Will Soon Be a Thing of the Past

By Paul Brown / Climate News Network —  Oil-based fuel already costs three times more than cheap renewables, spelling the end of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles.

Read more:

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/gas-fueled-cars-will-soon-be-a-thing-of-the-past/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #577 on: August 20, 2019, 07:41:16 pm »
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August 20th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

This EV Is Huge, Bright Green, & Never Needs Recharging


Article with above video:

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/08/20/this-ev-is-huge-bright-green-never-needs-recharging/
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AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #578 on: August 21, 2019, 04:08:29 pm »


August 21, 2019


The world’s largest all-electric ferry, dubbed the Ellen, completed its first journey in Denmark

The vessel is powered by a 4.3MWh battery and can shuttle 30 vehicles and 200 passengers. The Ellen is quiet, does not emit fumes or greenhouse gas emissions and can travel seven times farther than previous e-ferries. The boat’s launch comes just months after Denmark’s new Social Democrat government ramped up the country’s emission reduction targets. The European Union plans to roll out 100 more e-ferries by 2030.  (euronews)

Read more:

https://mailchi.mp/climatenexus/wisconsin-joins-the-100-club-the-worlds-largest-e-ferry-and-more?e=0fd17c5b57
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #579 on: August 21, 2019, 04:15:30 pm »
This week on The Energy Gang: The economics of oil are beginning to be challenged by EVs paired with wind and solar.

STEPHEN LACEY AUGUST 16, 2019 🔊

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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August 25th, 2019 by Winter Wilson

🌼 The Best ⚡ Electric Vans — CleanTech 📢 Talk with Tomek Gać


In this episode of our CleanTech Talk podcast interview series, Zach Shahan sits down with Tomek Gać, Co-Founder of Tesla Shuttle and founder and CEO of Quriers.pl and Energia Słonca, to discuss the successes, challenges, and future of electric delivery vehicles. You can listen to the full conversation in the embedded player below. Below that embedded SoundCloud player is a brief summary of the topics covered, but tune into the podcast to follow the full discussion.

Tomek has owned an electric vehicle for six years, which started when he watched a YouTube video about Tesla and thought: it really is possible to produce a compelling electric vehicle. At the time in Europe, specifically in Poland where Tomek lives, getting a Tesla was not an option. Tomek test drove a Nissan LEAF, though, and that completely sealed the deal for him, so he invested in a Nissan LEAF.

Tomek, early on in the development of his company, felt frustrated with the inability to find an electric van to use for his courier business. Why was Tomek so interested in electric delivery vehicles? He explains that, from a company perspective, electric vehicles are cheaper to run, more comfortable for drivers, and important as an indicator that the company takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. But the benefits extend beyond the company. For cities, electric delivery vans are beneficial because they produce no emissions and are much quieter. In crowded city centers, for example, this can make a big difference.


Tomek and Zach explore Tomek’s experience testing the range of electric vans on the market. Currently, Tomek is testing the StreetScooter Work Box. For Tomek, the German-made StreetScooter has fallen short of expectations due to the poor interior quality, but it is much higher quality than some of the current Chinese-made electric delivery vans on the market that tend to have poor range and poor quality. Tomek’s favorite small electric delivery vehicle on the market is the Nissan ⚡ e-NV200, especially the extended version, the Nissan-Voltia ⚡ e-NV200 . (For a detailed look at how the e-NV200 does on the road, read parts one, two, three, four, and five of his road trip from Poland to Sicily and back in the electric van.)


Zach and Tomek also take the time to discuss the current electrodelivery market and how it might change and develop in the next three to five years. While both agree that the ideal is a price drop and range increase, Tomek notes that he is more hopeful for price decreases, as there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of vehicle range. For Tomek, the potential for electric vehicles to transform the delivery industry is under-appreciated.

While Tesla has always been exciting for Tomek, the high price of the car and car repairs make it too expensive to use for his courier company.

Zach and Tomek spend the last part of the podcast on brief commentaries regarding battery storage, Tesla, and electric vehicle range. To hear more on these topics, 📢 listen to the show!

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/08/25/the-electric-van-market-cleantech-talk-with-tomek-gac/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Tesla Model 3 Review: The TRUTH After 26,000 Miles
« Reply #581 on: August 26, 2019, 05:48:11 pm »
Tesla Model 3 Review: The TRUTH After 26,000 Miles
1,883,282 views


Andy Slye
Published on Mar 26, 2019
Tesla Model 3 Review after 1 year & 26,000 miles! Still the best car or was it a mistake?
Get your first audiobook for free when you try Audible for 30 days at http://Audible.com/andyslye or text andyslye to 500500

Get FREE Supercharging when you order a #Tesla #Model3 http://geni.us/t3sla

Almost a year ago I took delivery of my Tesla Model 3 and since then I've driven it over 26,000 miles. Is it still the best car I've ever driven or was it a $50,000 mistake? Let's find out.

In my original Tesla Model 3 review I mainly went over the features of the car but in this video I'm going to go over my experience of owning a #TeslaModel3 and focus on the 3 most important factors:

Reliability:

When I first got my Model 3 I was skeptical on how reliable it would be since it was a first generation of its kind, and there were a few horror stories online from early adopters who were experiencing software & hardware issues.

I can honestly say my Model 3 has been 100% reliable for me so far, and yes even though that should be expected for a brand new car, it’s still a nice surprise how reliable it has been since Tesla is still relatively so young & since Model 3 is a very unique car. Range anxiety does exist, but the Model 3’s energy graph is extremely accurate in predicting the estimated range left when driving so as long as you pay attention to that and plan ahead you’ll be fine and shouldn’t ever have to worry about running out of battery.

For how heavily it’s integrated with software I’m actually surprised my Model 3 has worked this well, and I’ve been extremely satisfied with it over my first 26,000 miles.

Cost:

Out of all those things during the first 25,000 miles in a Model 3 you only need to do tire rotations and I know this isn’t the norm but luckily for me there’s a local tire shop that gives free tire rotations to Tesla owners, just one of the many perks of going all-electric I guess.

The only thing that has cost me money to drive my Model 3 this far is electricity from either at home or a Tesla Supercharger. My city is one of the best locations to put the Model 3 range efficiency to the test and with an average of 248 Wh/mile through all the seasons means the LR Model 3 is one of, if not the most efficient electric car out right now.

It took 6,457 kWh to drive just over 26,000 miles, and since the Model 3 gets about 80% efficiency it actually took about 8,071 kWh and at my current electricity rate of 6.8 cents per kWh that comes to $549 that I’ve spent on electricity to drive my Model 3 over 26,000 miles. I’ve also charged for free at hotels, parking garages, and family members houses so my total cost to drive over 26,000 miles in my Model 3 is less than $600. My monthly electricity costs have only increased by an average of $36. To put it in perspective, a car that gets 30 mpg at $2.75/gallon would cost $2,383 to drive 26,000 miles and if you add a $50 oil change every 4,000 miles that would be an additional $325. This shows how much a person can save in fuel & oil by going all-electric, especially a Model 3.

Enjoyment:

It’s no surprise that the Tesla Model 3 is a joy to drive but I’ll quickly go over a few things that I don’t like because nothing is perfect. The windshield and windows fog up more than any other car I’ve ever driven. Fortunately I got some fog reducer that helps. I wish the frunk had a better closing mechanism or was able to close automatically because I hate leaving hand prints on the hood from closing it. I also wish the driver profiles would save the lumbar setting. Luckily that can be fixed with a software update which is one of my favorite things about the Model 3.

Now moving along to the other things that I enjoy most about my Model 3: How a car can be this simple & minimalist yet pack so much power and torque is something I’ll always be impressed with.

Yes there are times when it phantom brakes but if you're using it as it's designed you will always have a hand on the wheel ready to take over and I love knowing each time I use it it's getting better through the neural network.

It charges overnight while I sleep, it stops charging when it reaches whatever limit I have set, and I wake up to an 80% charge every day or 100% charge if I'm about to take a road trip - no more stopping at gas stations. I can tell it to drive somewhere and it gives me real-time step-by-step directions on the beautiful responsive 15” touch screen which is the best screen in any vehicle out right now in my opinion.

Now after a free software update and even after any battery degradation from driving 26,000 miles, my Model 3 now gets 320 rated miles on a full charge.

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Thanks for watching my video:
Tesla Model 3 Review: The TRUTH After 26,000 Miles

Category Autos & Vehicles
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

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Shopping for a Tesla Model 3

August 28th, 2019 by Zachary Shahan

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Electric Vehicles
« Reply #583 on: August 30, 2019, 05:27:19 pm »
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Jalopnik’s Torch Is Right About Electric ⚡ School Buses  

August 30th, 2019 by Jennifer Sensiba

In a recent article at Jalopnik, Jason Torchinsky (known in the internet auto enthusiast scene as “Torch”) explained how degraded but functional EV batteries could work great for school buses. In short, he suggests using low-cost conversion kits and reusing discarded batteries from other EVs to repower school buses, at a low cost.

An electric ⚡ school bus. Image by eLion. 🌞

While he’s known for his less-than-serious articles, like this one about using electric eels to power a Tesla Model 3 , I think he’s really onto something with this idea. Also, I’m going to add a couple of ideas that could make EV school buses even more green.

The Basic Idea

Converting gas or diesel vehicles to run on batteries can be a big headache.

Take the original Tesla Roadster for example. The original plan was to purchase a slightly modified version of the Lotus Elise, share parts with other manufacturers, and take advantage of economies of scale even at low-volume production. During the design and engineering process, they had to change a thing here and a thing there to better accommodate the EV system, but it all added up. In the end, they only shared 8% of parts with the Elise and the vehicle cost far more than originally planned.

People converting cars to electric in their garages was the only way to get an EV until relatively recently, and is still a great way for the environmentally-oriented to keep older cars on the road. For older cars, like the original Volkswagen Beetle and Super Beetle, the conversion process isn’t that complicated. There’s not much in the way of electronics to deal with when converting. For newer cars, conversions get far more complicated, assuming you want to have things like a working speedometer. Regardless of age, though, finding nooks and crannies to put the battery cells in gets tough, and makes it hard to have a conversion with adequate range for most.

As Torchinsky points out, though, school buses are about as simple as a vehicle can get. You’ve basically got a diesel engine (occasionally gas), a transmission, a frame, a big and ugly metal box on top, and some seats bolted in. Under the bus between the frame rails, there’s tons of room for batteries, so energy density isn’t really a big deal. If that’s not enough, there’s also a lot of room under the hood (once the diesel engine is out) and lots of room under seats.

In these big spaces, you can install the worn battery packs, or cells from those packs, from other EVs as they come cheaply available. When a Tesla, LEAF, or Chevy Bolt loses too much range, the owner will either have the pack replaced or get rid of the car. The energy density has dropped, and there’s no more room for extra batteries to make up for the lost range. School buses, on the other hand, have room to take several such degraded packs and get the needed range.

But will this actually work?

The way school buses get used makes the idea even more workable. Sure, the average family sedan only goes a few dozen miles most days, but people don’t want a car with under 100 miles of range because they’re also occasionally used for longer highway trips. School buses don’t have that problem. They work a fixed route every school day, with average speeds of around 23 MPH and average lengths of around 32 miles. After working that route, the bus sits for 5-7 hours, and works the same route again. Then, the bus sits overnight.

Before anybody points out that buses are used for field trips out of town, or for away sporting events, take a closer look next time you see those buses. They’re often marked “Activity Bus,” and they tend to be larger diesel-pusher vehicles with two rear axles — kind of like a cheap version of a Greyhound bus. Yes, the activity buses are often used in a way that wouldn’t make them good candidates for a “redneck EV conversion,” so we can just leave those buses alone for now. As batteries come down in price, such buses could be replaced with EVs AND they may even be a good source for used batteries when the other buses need them.

Going back to the in-town buses, you basically couldn’t find a better use case for an EV with junkyard batteries. Yes, the bus is big and heavy, but it doesn’t go very fast and doesn’t go very far. To make those buses go 50-60 miles on a charge would probably require the cells from several degraded cars, and there’s plenty of room for that.

But what about ⚡ charging? ???
Not a big problem. At all.

In the afternoon, the buses can charge on 220v and they have until the following morning to charge. There’s no rush. Once the morning run is done, they have several more hours to sit and charge. For routes where the overnight charge is sufficient for the morning run, but daytime charging isn’t enough for the afternoon, you’ll just need a bigger pack, which means more junkyard battery cells.

At the end of the day, it’s all about right-sizing the pack to the job that’s being done. Because the use of the bus is so predictable, it’s very easy to plan for.

Ways We Can Improve On This Concept

Reading the article gave me some other ideas that could prove useful. Or not. I’ll let the reader decide.

Heating

Living in the Southwest, the buses I grew up with and the ones my kids ride in don’t have heaters. They also don’t have air conditioning, which can be awful. Schoolbusfleet.com reports that the expensive EV buses in California generally do the same thing. If you skip the AC and heat, you don’t have to worry about impacts to range. I know from my travels, though, that you can’t get away with that in much of the country. The buses are going to need heaters in many places.

Currently, diesel school buses cycle engine coolant through pipes to a number of heater cores, just like a car. Each heater core has a blower fan, which circulates all of this leftover engine waste heat to safely warm the interior of the bus. But, take away the diesel engine, and you lose the heat source.

One option some New England districts are going for is just slamming a propane heater in. Yes, you lose the ability to brag on zero emissions, but the emissions from heating are much smaller than running a diesel drive engine. For converted buses, you can use a propane demand water heater to provide the existing coolant pipes and heater cores with hot water. Or, you could install a dedicated system. Either way, getting the heat from fossil fuels can be a good way to keep it warm without impacting range and driving up the cost of converting the buses to electric.

Solar

In places that get cold in the winter, but still have a lot of sunlight, solar heating systems could help reduce the use of heating fuel. The simplest way to do this is to put large black tubes on top of the bus and push air through them with fans. The sun heats the black tubes, which in turn heat the air pumped through them, which goes back into the bus. Some people do this with their homes and save a lot on their heating bill. There’s lots of room on top of a bus, so such a system is feasible.

All that space on the roof of the bus gives us another option for improvement: photovoltaic cells. For a normal length school bus, there’s about 8’x 35′ of roof, or about 280 square feet. Assuming 20 watts per square foot (for good quality, high efficiency cells in 2019), that’s around 5600w of max output. Cutting that in half for inefficiencies and losses still gives us 2800w of electricity for a vehicle that’s always left outside. On most days, the vehicle could probably generate 28 kWh of electricity. Assuming 2 miles per kWh, that gives about 56 miles of range per day.

For some routes, it may be possible to run the bus entirely on solar. For many others, it may be possible to put a serious dent in the electric bill with rooftop solar. Even better, the bus company or school district could probably have the cells installed with a power purchase agreement that gives a lower per-kWh price than the local utility company.

With cheap batteries, cheap conversion kits, and cheap electricity from solar power, it would make a lot of sense to start converting school bus fleets. This is an idea schools and bus companies should seriously consider.

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/08/30/jalopniks-torch-is-right-about-electric-school-buses/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Face-Off: 2015 Nissan LEAF S vs. 2018 Tesla Model 3 LR
« Reply #584 on: September 01, 2019, 02:05:44 pm »
Face-Off: 2015 Nissan LEAF S vs. 2018 Tesla Model 3 LR

September 1st, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Last week, Arthur Driessen — the intrepid Tesla Model 3 explorer crisscrossing the United States in his Tesla Model 3 — brought his 2018 Model 3 LR to CleanTechnica’s sumptuous New England regional offices, otherwise known as Blueberry Pointe, my home in Rhode Island. Since picking up up his car in April, 2018, Arthur has put almost 90,000 miles on the car in his quest to visit every Supercharger location in the US.

Tesla Model 3 Image via Tesla.com

Styling: Just over a year ago, I purchased a used Nissan LEAF S. Seeing the two cars side by side was interesting. The Model 3 is sleek and futuristic. It is about as handsome as any mass produced vehicle available. The LEAF? In comparison to the Model 3, it is a bit frumpy looking, a little dated in appearance. Put both cars in a parking lot and people will be drawn to the Tesla. Most would ignore the LEAF. Score one for the Model 3.

Ride: I had never ridden in a Model 3 until Arthur took me for a drive through the countryside. The car’s suspension is firm but comfortable. It swallows bumps and dips with ease. Nothing seems to upset its poise. The LEAF also has a well controlled ride but the Tesla is just that bit more stable and predictable. Score two for the Model 3.

Acceleration: The only street car I have ever ridden in that was as quick as the Model 3 LR was my neighbor’s Mustang Boss 302 back in the ’70s. The single-motor Model 3 LR does not have the eyeball squashing pickup of a Model S P100D with Ludicrous Mode, but it is more than adequate for 99.997% of all driving situations. Especially from a standing start, the acceleration is just stunning. It flattens out a bit as the car gathers speed, but it’s still delightful. The LEAF has good acceleration, but nothing like the Tesla. Score three for the Model 3.

Interior:
Let’s face it. The Model 3 interior is light years ahead of the LEAF’s interior. That minimalist dash with the single touchscreen makes the LEAF dash look like a steampunk-inspired throwback. The LEAF interior is fine. The Tesla interior is brilliant. Score four for the Model 3.

Audio: The sound system in the Model 3 is fantastic — clearly the best I have ever heard in any car or home environment. The three-part harmonies of Crosby, Stills, & Nash never sounded so good. The LEAF audio system is OK but nothing special. Score five for the Model 3.

Steering: The steering wheel in the Model 3 feels like a scalpel in the hands of a skilled surgeon. The car carves smooth, consistent arcs through linked S turns and imparts a sense of confidence and control that is a step up from any other vehicle I have experienced. The steering in the LEAF is good. I can strafe the apex of my favorite off-ramp at 70 mph just the way I did with my Mazda RX7. But the Model 3 is more accurate, more precise. Score six for the Model 3.

Passenger Space: This one is a bit of tossup. The Model 3 has a little more leg room front and rear, but the LEAF has a hatchback, which means bulky items fit more easily in the LEAF than in the Tesla. But the Model 3 has that awesome glass roof that further expands the sense of space for those inside. Score seven for the Model 3.

Navigation: The Model 3 has a superb navigation system that now features Google Maps. The LEAF has no navigation capability. Although, anyone with a smartphone can use the Google Maps app and mount their phone on the dashboard. But the small phone screen cannot compare with the enormous Model 3 screen for clarity and ease of use. Score eight for the Model 3.

Driving Assistance: This one is no contest. The Model 3 has the full suite of driver-assist functions — adaptive cruise control, forward emergency braking, and lane centering. It also has Tesla’s much ballyhooed Autopilot. The LEAF has none of those things. Score nine for the Model 3.

A note about Autopilot: I had never experienced Autopilot before and I was underwhelmed by it. I live in an area that has many two lane roads that occasionally widen out into passing lanes on one side or the other. The Model 3 always sought the double yellow center stripe even when driving at or below the speed limit, whereas a human driver would tend to stay to the right in the passing areas unless overtaking a slower vehicle.

For some reason, every time a passing lane occurred on the roads we were driving on, a large truck was approaching from the opposite direction. The impression was, at least for a brief moment, that the Tesla was steering directly into the path of the oncoming truck. It was very unsettling, although I grant that more familiarity with the system would probably alleviate some of my initial apprehension.

Also, the self steering around curves felt clunky. A human driver tends to anticipate a turn, turn in a bit early, hold the line through the turn, then unwind the wheel gradually upon exit. The Tesla waited too long to initiate the turn, seemed to make a number of mid-corner corrections, and waited too long to finish the turning maneuver. The Honda Clarity I test drove last year did a better job of taking turns the way a human driver would, but it was unable to cope with sharper turns at all.

I found this behavior disconcerting and not confidence inspiring. I was always hyper vigilant during turns because the system left me doubting it would follow the correct path. As a result, I was never able to relax behind the wheel and enjoy the ride. I probably would not use Autopilot nearly as much as my host did on anything but controlled access highways with nothing but gentle turns.

Nissan LEAF Photo by the author.

Price: The Model 3 LR single motor car is not available at this time on the Tesla website. The Standard Range Plus lists for $38,990, while the Long Range version with dual motors lists for $47,990. Let’s split the difference and say a LR single motor car would cost about $43,000 if you could still order one.

I paid $10,000 for my used Nissan LEAF. It is suitable for 90% of my driving needs in terms of how far it can go on a single charge. I enjoy driving it, especially knowing I am not using a drop of gasoline along the way. Score one for the LEAF.

Years ago, Road & Track liked to do comparison tests between three or more similar cars. They put each of them through a battery of tests, totaled up the scores, and declared a winner. But then they followed up by asking each member of the team, “If it was your money, which car would you buy?” Those results often differed significantly from the official results.

Some people feel they need a 4 bedroom house with 3 bathrooms, a 3 car garage, and a “media room.” Others are content with a traditional Cape or ranch house. The rest of this analysis is strictly subjective and many of you will disagree with my conclusion.

One of the basic principles of economics is that every dollar you spend on one thing is a dollar you cannot spend on something else. We have to make choices and it is those choices that make the study of economics so interesting.

My choice is the used Nissan LEAF. It does 90% of what I need a car to do, but costs about 20% of what I would spend to drive a new Tesla. Since this category is worth 10 points, I hereby declare the 2015 LEAF the official winner! Your mileage may vary. See dealer for details. And if you would come to a different conclusion, good on you and drive happy. May the EV force be with you!

Editor’s note: As usual, I love and appreciate Steve’s honesty and his special way with words and full stories. There is no secret that we at CleanTechnica have been fans of the Tesla Model 3 and have cheerfully reported on its sales success. However, we have also routinely highlighted the amazing deals you can get on used electric vehicles. Basically, in my point of view, the two options provide the best offers for shoppers of two main types: 1) the type that wants the newest tech and best performance for a survivable price, and 2) the type that wants the best, most economical deal on a solid, good, everything-you-really-need vehicle. Steve’s analysis here expresses this pari of complementary options superbly, and I think deserves some extra thanks for somehow threading the needle on a topic that so quickly and so easily turns into one hot mess of EV fan debate. He presented both points in lucid, convincing, uncontroversial, and non-tribalistic ways. Yes, a Model 3 is a wonderful vehicle and it’s clear why it sells so well. On the other hand, yes, you can get used electric vehicles for a lot less money that could, depending on your preferences and needs, offer more value for the dollar. Both choices are great choices. Both lead to very happy owners and reduced vehicle emissions. Steve said it all better, but I thought I should emphasize the clever literary needle threading he did there. He is now permitted to return to the beach for relaxed excessive lounging and philosophizing, or whatever he does there. —Zach

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/09/01/face-off-2015-nissan-leaf-s-vs-2018-tesla-model-3-lr/
« Last Edit: September 04, 2019, 03:02:23 pm by AGelbert »
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

 

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