Your thoughts on electric cars

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Ben
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Your thoughts on electric cars

#1 Post by Ben » Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:46 am

OK, so an electric motorcycle might be a step too far for most of us. Afterall the noise, the mechanicals, the synergy of the whole contraption is (probably) what got most of us into them.

But what about electric cars? Have you driven one, do you own one? If you don't own one, what's stopping you getting one? I think, as bikers, we probably have a different view on this alternative form of transport compared to the general population.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#2 Post by RiceBurner » Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:14 am

I'd love to have an EV, and I very probably will get one once certain conditions are met. Those conditions are:
1) I have a garage that can fit the EV
2) I have a power supply in that garage
3) I can find one in decent condition that I can afford to buy (budget being less than £5K.)
4) My workplace is less than 1/3 of the EV's range from home. (I would likely only use the EV for commuting)

Currently none of those conditions are met, or likely to be met in the next few years.

I AM considering getting power into my (rented) garage (at my own cost), mainly in order to supply light etc for working on my ICE vehicles.
I WOULD consider an e-PTW for commuting, once I've decided which of my current BMWs to sell, and have managed to do that.
My current commute is 30 miles each way, but without the possibility of charging at work* I'd HAVE to ensure that the vehicle is GUARANTEED to do 100 miles on each nightly charge. (To allow for route changes/delays/cold-weather deterioration of battery capacity etc).
I've not seen any obvious reporting on what it's like to live with a 2nd-hand e-PTW with all the warranty, battery life issues that 2nd-hand implies.

For me the benefits would be much lower travel costs (given that I would spend the money on a vehicle ANYWAY).

Current situation is that I have a garage (unpowered), but no parking space, and have ended up with 2 bikes and a small car (FIAT 500). Any replacement car would HAVE to be the size of the FIAT 500 so that it fits into the garage with the bikes.

I'm actually very likely to sell the FIAT in spring because I bought it as a winter commute tool / stopgap anyway, and I@ve discovered that for some odd reason the driving position seems to be doing something egregiouslu discomforting to my right shoulder. :(

* I'll admit I've not checked this, but given the workplace, I can see that it would be.... problematic.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#3 Post by Ben » Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:10 am

All valid points RB. They're a fair few years off being £5,000 but some of the earlier Renaults and Nissans are heading in that direction.

Power is an issue if you don't have it handy but some of the chargers can top up 50% in a few hours and there are free ones in places like shopping centres. Of course there's also the 'granny charger' (standard 3 pin plug) you could use when you visit a friend's house, etc.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#4 Post by RiceBurner » Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:48 am

Ben wrote:
Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:10 am
All valid points RB. They're a fair few years off being £5,000 but some of the earlier Renaults and Nissans are heading in that direction.

Power is an issue if you don't have it handy but some of the chargers can top up 50% in a few hours and there are free ones in places like shopping centres. Of course there's also the 'granny charger' (standard 3 pin plug) you could use when you visit a friend's house, etc.
Yup - good points.

At the moment ALL my journeys are 30+ miles, or 60+ miles away from a charging point, so range is my chief thought.


Well - that and the fact that all the electric bikes look like crap. :( ;) (yes, I'm a bit of a luddite).

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#5 Post by Gio » Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:52 am

We've been talking about an EV the last couple of years, currently my vehicle is a Jag XF diesel (yes I know You all hate me lol) we are looking at the moment of getting a petrol car as like RB, I don't think EV's cut the mustard, but certainly in the next few years (3-5) we will more than likely get one, btw, when looking at EV's the figures you should be looking at are the KvW per mile and not anticipated mileage. :smt001
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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#6 Post by mangocrazy » Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:12 pm

Like most folk I'm waiting until:

1) Range improves
2) Number of charging points increase
3) Prices come down
4) Clarity over charging infrastructure, taxation etc. emerges

For me recharging is an issue as I only have on-street parking (in the UK). In France I have a garage and we have solar panels on the roof, so that would probably be where my EV usage would start.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#7 Post by oma » Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:26 pm

I will get one. I only do local journeys 95% or more of the time and for that EV makes sense. I'll have a larger vehicle for longer journeys anyway and that would be a good mix for my current use.
For my needs, something as exotic as a Tesla is not needed but a Nissan Leaf or BMW i3 would be ideal.

I like them. The driving is better than a small town car and the interiors are the same as their ICE equivalent.
A home fast charger is a must though.
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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#8 Post by fatboy » Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:25 pm

We have 3 electric Nissan Van's at work and I have to say they are astonishing good to drive, they are 67 plated, low mileage but are only capable of around a 50 to 60 mile trip before the electric mice get tired, if you use the lights and heater then you can knock about 15 miles off the battery range...
Charging points in this area can be counted on two fingers
Charging time in hours needs to be counted on all fingers and toes to give the above range
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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#9 Post by Ben » Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:37 am

Cool that you're running leccy vans, that's great. Are they pure electric? Do you charge them overnight?

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#10 Post by snapdragon » Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:21 am

When being a pedestrian in carparks and road crossings it's a good plan with these things around to affect deafness and look look look because they sneak up on you.

I'm concerned about, where folk live in on-street-parking areas, how the plug-in-overnight thing is going to work.
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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#11 Post by Ben » Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:10 am

Yep, anyone who walks around with their head buried in their phone is going to get run over sooner or later.

Charging is a consideration if you don't have a driveway / garage / off street / work parking.

However I think (hope) this is a temporary issue (for the next 5 years, perhaps) as cars will get ever longer ranges, charging stations will become more prolific and also - and I think this is the key point - be able to charge a lot faster.

Currently a BMW i3 with a 160-mile range can be 80% charged in 35 mins from a rapid charger. That rapid charger is 50kW and Porsche are currently trialling a 450kW charger.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#12 Post by fatboy » Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:43 pm

Ben, the vans are 100% electric. As a local authority we are looking at more electric vehicles to replace our diesel burners. When you consider a Refuse truck when on its rounds will be returning about 3.5 mpg, a Recycling lorry will return about 7mpg so that is not that planet friendly,.
Mercedes already have full electric Refuse trucks in use across Europe however they cost about £130/150,000 more than the diesel engined model.
We actually have many leccy vans zipping around on short journeys which is no bad thing
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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#13 Post by Wally » Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:51 pm

As from last year, all ev's have to have sound devices fitted, usually beeper for reverse and buzzing noise going forward up to about 15mph when tyre noise would take over. These will be Mot failures if not working.

I did my IMI level 1,2 and 3 for Ev repair and maintenance, working on a Jaguar i Pace. Fantastic car but expensive. Around 280 miles on a full charge and using the 50kv chargers can get an 80% charge in 40 minutes. The owner had done around 10,500 miles in 6 months and had never charged up at home.

To charge at home would take a full day and night at least so he always charges whilst doing the local shopping or whilst having lunch at motorway service station. Quite often he gets free charging at hotels as an incentive to use that hotel. Cost is between £8.50 and £10 to charge so cheap in that respect, very little to service and little to no brake wear due to regen braking.

Now more charging points than filling stations but more definitely required.

For those interested, you can download Zap Map, this shows all registered charging points, if they are usable, in use or have been blocked by Ice cars. It also shows the Kv and charging lead/plug type.

All quite interesting stuff but will get more interesting if tech possibilities are used and pushed in the future, eg get home and plug the Jaguar in to power your house until you go to bed and then it takes charge until morning and then it powers your house again until you set off. Free charging and parking at railway stations so the trains can draw power as they set off and store power when the next train decelerates into the station.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#14 Post by Ben » Fri Feb 14, 2020 9:24 am

That is cool Wally. I never knew about the charging your house thing. So the car acts as portable power pack for the house - that's cool.

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Re: Your thoughts on electric cars

#15 Post by Wally » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:04 pm

The main fuse on your house wiring, the one that has the sealing wire on it is 100 amp, the main fuse on the jaguar i think is 350 amp. At the moment it isn't possible to run your house because you would have to have the correct change over switches to disconnect the house from the grid, but it is all possible for the future to automate it.

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