Are EV cars ready?

That is why we bought a hybrid 4x4 rather than a Tesla 4x4 ( although the doors were also a concern).

It wasn?t so much the absolute range quoted- for most of our journeys that is way more than we need- it is the lack of charging infrastructure. The scenario given for my example long drive ( about 300 miles) involved a brief top up stop. My concern was there wouldn?t be a charger available and a brief ?coffee break? stop could turn into hours. With a hybrid, we have no such issues. For most local trips we don?t require petrol. Sometimes we probably go a couple of weeks without the petrol engine running even though we use the car regularly.

You call out your breakdown company who come along with a diesel generator to give you a charge...

The ethics and environmental credentials of BEVs are very questionable, too.

May take quite a while though.

And another thing: I want the 400 safe miles on a charge, not just while out of the factory, but for 10+ years ownership or so down the line. I keep my cars for the long term. Buying new cars all the time waste more resources.

Maybe you need to rethink your work/life pattern and do fewer miles.

While I?m certainly no tree hugger, it isn?t just EVs batteries that use those minerals. Plus, of course, the tree huggers aren?t interested in the real big picture, just their version of it.

I do want an electric car, but one that works, one that lasts... I have changed my work pattern to do more work from home, saves both time and fuel costs, but sometimes you have to meet people. The car is still crucial for that. Then there are social demands from family members and friends; difficult to ignore.

You're right, it's not just EV batteries - but it takes 1000 times more cobolt to make an EV battery than to make a phone battery. There's also the Bolivian lithium mines to consider - they have water shortages, but use water to extract lithium. People are being killed in the lithium mines, too.

EV drivers don't like being reminded of this and continue to stick their fingers in their ears shouting 'la, la, la, not listening'.

Seems that EV cars is a novelty thing to have, for a short time...

FUD.

As they were introduced in 2010 that being a 2011 model its one the oldest Leaf's. I'm sure you can find similar stories for that vintage of Leaf at 2 years old if you google/wiki hard enough. Every year since it's introduction the batteries have improved.

Charging over 80% and discharging below 20% is abuse that will reduce the battery life and capacity. Yes Nissan's lack of thermal management means they don't do too well in Texas.

Yes it needs the battery pack rebuilt. Remove battery pack, remove cells, test each can assy (2s2p cells per can) and replace the dead ones. Rebalance and reassemble. Currently only in Japan.

But Nissan claim 0.01% failures in Europe by 2015 - 3 Leaf's.

Nissan now think that the vast majority of Leaf battery packs will last longer than the car - 22 years. Nissan own the lease batteries so will have to recover them from EOL vehicles. The rest that are owned by the car's owner will be coming on to the open market as early Leafs reach EOL. These batteries will be available for use in home store systems or EV conversion of classic cars. But if the battery is good and the car is good then why scrap it, just sell it. I can't see people scrapping them until the battery is dead or the shell needs welding.

I can assure you that a greater percentage of ICE cars have head gasket failure. Even if you remove all the top 10, MG/Rover etc. Nissan's battery failure rate beats the very best ICE car makers head gasket failure rate 1/1000 = 0.1% by an order of magnitude. So every ICE has a

10x worse rate of head gasket failure than Nissan Leaf battery pack and many are over 100x worse (and some 500x worse). A failed head gasket can totally wreck the engine beyond repair. Every time I take my car for welding he's got the head off something or has a second hand engine on the floor waiting to replace a wrecked engine.

Motor factors shelves aren't full of K-seal and Steel seal for nothing.

Have you got a pipe? I suggest you smoke it and blow the smoke somewhere about your own person.

I find that HG failure is now quite rare, I used to do three or four a year in the 1990s, now it is one every three years or so.

OK, why don't they make electric cars which allow range extenders that actually works?

AFAIK, the BMW i3 is only allowed 10L of fuel for the optional range extender, and you can only use it when the battery is really low. This is in order to qualify as an EV.

On the other hand, the new electric London Taxies are allowed a more sensible approach with a 1.5L range extender engine and plenty of fuel. Of cource Taxis run all day and can't just run out of go.

A proper range extender and fuel tank would win me over as an ideal intermediate solution. I'm not thinking of current hybrid cars which can only run ~30 miles or so on battery power. I'm thinking of a proper electric power and range with a proper range extender engine. There could always be laws for city centres to ban the use of range extender in certain areas in order to qualify as an EV.

Problem with this is that you need to package a quarter of a tonne of batteries alongside an engine and fuel tank. Even with just 30-40 miles range, PHEVs have restricted boot space.

I think we will eventually see circa 100-150 mile range on battery with fuel cell range extenders. Plug in to charge when you can, but for longer journeys a 5kg tank of hydrogen can extend total range to close on 500 miles.

True, but the new electric London Taxis solves this nicely; it's a big vehicle. But people now like big vehicles, why else are they buying SUV. Anther argument is that it's a pain to look after a second engine, but the range extender runs at optimal efficiency and not so much wear as if it was used for the drivetrain.

But hydrogen at the production stage is not so green.

Really? Can you tell me where the restricted boot is in my Outlander? I can?t find it in the rather large boot.

(The batteries are under the body. )

I?m not a diehard EV advocate but there is a lot of nonsense spouted about hybrids in particular.

On 26/08/2019 10:41, johann

So buy yourself a taxi.

BMW 3-series, 5-series and VW Passat / Golf all have smaller boots due to battery location. It's getting better - I think the new, more energy dense, packs in the latest 3-series are under the seat.

However, if you want 100-150 mile range, there are packaging compromises. An SUV is already a really poorly packaged vehicle - but the ride height means you have more optons for battery location. However, your ground clearance IS compromised.

Your 5 kg hydrogen tank is 75 L and non-conforming. No one will be hiding one of those away.

No, but relatively low weight means you are less restricted on where it can be located without impacting C of G.

If money were no object ... I would like to convert the kitcar to electric, especially because it's fairly 'dirty' by today's standards (ignoring the pollution generated when destroying and old and making a new vehicle etc). ;-(

I wouldn't be looking for 'performance' (it's the wrong shape / weight for that), just a local runabout, keeping something IC and newer for everything else (towing, long distances etc).

I think I'd rather go electric than upgrade the 1300 for a 1600 (Kent), as was the plan, now it's gone 'Historic'.

I saw the Wheeler Dealers the other day when they (with help) converted a Maserati Bi Turbo thing to electric and using existing car type Lithium packs. Seemed to go ok. ;-)

Cheers, T i m