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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2150 on: July 28, 2017, 02:15:40 AM »
Minimalist all-electric sport utility truck (SUT) will have up to 200-mile range and offers 110-volt power outlets for tools or camping.  Price TBD.

Bollinger unveils new minimalist and badass-looking all-electric truck with up to 200 miles of range
https://electrek.co/2017/07/27/bollinger-all-electric-truck-b1/
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Bob Wallace

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2151 on: July 28, 2017, 03:27:34 AM »
BYD electric buses are built in California.  Not far outside of LA in Lancaster.

Bring 'em on!

etienne

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2152 on: July 28, 2017, 02:20:05 PM »
Luxembourg also talks about forbidding thermic motors for cars around 2025, Belgium would look more up to 2030. This mean that gasoline and diesel supply might become a problem in Europe around 2030.

DrTskoul

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2153 on: July 28, 2017, 05:55:26 PM »
Luxembourg also talks about forbidding thermic motors for cars around 2025, Belgium would look more up to 2030. This mean that gasoline and diesel supply might become a problem in Europe around 2030.

What are their plans for providing the extra electricity ? Saying they are banning internal combustion without concrete plans for electricity generation expansion won't achieve anything ...

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2154 on: July 28, 2017, 10:44:20 PM »
Minimalist all-electric sport utility truck (SUT) will have up to 200-mile range and offers 110-volt power outlets for tools or camping.  Price TBD.

Bollinger unveils new minimalist and badass-looking all-electric truck with up to 200 miles of range
https://electrek.co/2017/07/27/bollinger-all-electric-truck-b1/

Do want!

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2155 on: July 29, 2017, 01:21:58 AM »
Minimalist all-electric sport utility truck (SUT) will have up to 200-mile range and offers 110-volt power outlets for tools or camping.  Price TBD.

Bollinger unveils new minimalist and badass-looking all-electric truck with up to 200 miles of range
https://electrek.co/2017/07/27/bollinger-all-electric-truck-b1/

Do want!

A bunch of new or rarely-seen commenters popped up on (Tesla-centric) Electrek to say they loved this vehicle.  Looks like another sizable market waiting to be tapped -- don't listen to those who say pickup truck drivers don't want to go electric!
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Neven

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2156 on: July 29, 2017, 10:23:39 AM »
When can I buy an electric Humvee?  ::)

I like the outward minimalism, but a big car by definition cannot be minimalist. They need to do exactly this, but for smaller cars. But I know, no demand etc.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2157 on: July 29, 2017, 01:39:08 PM »
When can I buy an electric Humvee?  ::)

I like the outward minimalism, but a big car by definition cannot be minimalist. They need to do exactly this, but for smaller cars. But I know, no demand etc.

The smaller and less expensive EVs seem to be coming from smaller, start-up companies, for now.  (Big companies can't make enough money selling them.).

Here's one: a battery/solar, crowdfunded car from start-up Sono Motors.

https://electrek.co/2017/07/28/sono-motors-unveils-its-solar-and-battery-powered-electric-car/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2158 on: July 29, 2017, 01:58:27 PM »
The Tesla Model 3 First Deliveries event last night was surprisingly light on features presentation.  I think it was mostly a nod to the Tesla employees who have worked so hard to enable Elon Musk to bring his vision of an affordable, desirable electric car to the mass market.  (The average new car price in the U.S. is about $34,000.)  Perhaps Tesla knew the automotive press would better detail the car's specifics, and indeed they did.

Tesla Motors tweeted: Thank you to all our employees for your hard work making Model 3 a reality
https://twitter.com/teslamotors/status/891166919067262977

Electrek:
Tesla Model 3 production specs revealed: up to 310 miles range, 140 mph top speed, and more
https://electrek.co/2017/07/29/tesla-model-3-production-specs-revealed/

Motor Trend. [Hey, they won’t even need to change their name as ICE “engines” give way to EV “motors” :) ]:
EXCLUSIVE: TESLA MODEL 3 FIRST DRIVE REVIEW
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla/model-3/2018/exclusive-tesla-model-3-first-drive-review/

Bloomberg:
Tesla’s Model 3 Arrives With a Surprise 310-Mile Range
https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2017-07-29/tesla-s-model-3-arrives-with-a-surprise-310-mile-range
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etienne

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2159 on: July 29, 2017, 02:05:29 PM »
Luxembourg also talks about forbidding thermic motors for cars around 2025, Belgium would look more up to 2030. This mean that gasoline and diesel supply might become a problem in Europe around 2030.

What are their plans for providing the extra electricity ? Saying they are banning internal combustion without concrete plans for electricity generation expansion won't achieve anything ...

Demand response project are making their ways. Looks like the biggest worry would be that everybody could come home, plug the car and start cooking. If you have a good energy management of your house, you also just started the electrical heater a half hour before you arrived so that the place is warm and you have the perfect configuration for a global black-out.

I believe that load management is a bigger problem than volume of energy.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2160 on: July 29, 2017, 05:07:21 PM »
Luxembourg also talks about forbidding thermic motors for cars around 2025, Belgium would look more up to 2030. This mean that gasoline and diesel supply might become a problem in Europe around 2030.

What are their plans for providing the extra electricity ? Saying they are banning internal combustion without concrete plans for electricity generation expansion won't achieve anything ...

Demand response project are making their ways. Looks like the biggest worry would be that everybody could come home, plug the car and start cooking. If you have a good energy management of your house, you also just started the electrical heater a half hour before you arrived so that the place is warm and you have the perfect configuration for a global black-out.

I believe that load management is a bigger problem than volume of energy.

Even today, many EVs are able, often with the aid of an app, to schedule when they will charge, and to what % of charge.  So it's easy enough to plug in the car when you get home, yet delay charging until electricity rates and demand are lowest, later at night.  Utilities with fixed baseload generation love this.
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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2161 on: July 29, 2017, 06:43:10 PM »
This is from last December, but I don't see that it was posted here.  Paris was in the news for taking steps against its pollution at the time, but other cities made a pledge, too.

Four major cities move to ban diesel vehicles by 2025
Quote
The leaders of four major global cities say they will stop the use of all diesel-powered cars and trucks by the middle of the next decade.

The mayors of Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens say they are implementing the ban to improve air quality.

They say they will give incentives for alternative vehicle use and promote walking and cycling.

The commitments were made in Mexico at a biennial meeting of city leaders.

The use of diesel in transport has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, as concerns about its impact on air quality have grown. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that around three million deaths every year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. ...
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38170794
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etienne

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2162 on: July 29, 2017, 08:36:52 PM »

Even today, many EVs are able, often with the aid of an app, to schedule when they will charge, and to what % of charge.  So it's easy enough to plug in the car when you get home, yet delay charging until electricity rates and demand are lowest, later at night.  Utilities with fixed baseload generation love this.

I don't know the details, but I have heard of many projects cutting consumption when demand is high (water heater...) but not so much that you could get a signal when too much electricity is available. I believe that it is much more difficult because if the price differene is high enough, potential demand could be very high compared to what you can cut when there isn't enough power available.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2163 on: July 31, 2017, 06:12:16 PM »
Bloomberg's Tom Randall's review of the Tesla Model 3 includes a chart comparing various EV's range price per mile.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-31/driving-tesla-s-model-3-changes-everything
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Tor Bejnar

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2164 on: July 31, 2017, 08:10:07 PM »
Bob Wallace wrote:  "Ideally I want four wheel drive."

From Driving Tesla’s Model 3 Changes Everything:

Quote
A dual-motor, all-wheel drive Model 3 will be available in the Spring. 
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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2165 on: August 01, 2017, 04:28:40 PM »
From a Bloomberg article:
Quote
After seven years of U.S. auto sales growth, this year’s persistent slump -- and anxiety over upheavals from electrification, autonomy and mobility services -- has investors shunning automakers as benchmark stock indexes graze record highs.

Cool!
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numerobis

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2166 on: August 01, 2017, 04:46:18 PM »
Great news indeed.

It's seven years of growth out of a huge slump in 2007-2010. It was almost inevitable there'd be some extra purchasing to catch up for those three years of keeping our cars, or buying used instead of new.

It's sad that EVs hadn't quite made it in time for that surge. Each little 5-year delay hurts efforts to keep global warming down.

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« Reply #2167 on: August 01, 2017, 05:09:41 PM »
Wise investors look ahead to see what developments are likely to impact the price of a stock they are considering.  If we see the value of vehicle manufacturing or oil company stocks start to level out or fall in an otherwise rising stock market then that's a good indication that EVs are being taken seriously within those industries.  The disruption is likely to turn up in stock prices before anywhere else.

It seems to me that we're about to see an enormous dam burst with EVs pouring out of most car manufacturers over the next 2-3 years.  I don't think they can delay it very much longer.  When most companies are making EVs and advertising them we're likely to see a real stall out of ICEV purchasing.  People are likely to drive their gasmobiles longer than otherwise because they are considering making the switch.

etienne

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2168 on: August 01, 2017, 06:42:36 PM »
A co-worker told me that the electricity needed to process a liter of gasoline would be similar to the electricity needed by an EV to drive the kilometers a gasoline car would do with that liter of gasoline.
Don't know if this is true, and don't know if the light bulbs of the gas station are included in the calculation, but maybe the electricity production for EV is not as much of an issue.

Bob Wallace

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2169 on: August 01, 2017, 08:07:21 PM »
A co-worker told me that the electricity needed to process a liter of gasoline would be similar to the electricity needed by an EV to drive the kilometers a gasoline car would do with that liter of gasoline.
Don't know if this is true, and don't know if the light bulbs of the gas station are included in the calculation, but maybe the electricity production for EV is not as much of an issue.

I suspect that's an overstatement but nailing down the facts is tough.  I took the data for California refineries and found the 'outside purchased' electricity about 1.07 kWh/gallon.  That's about four miles in an efficient EV. 

Total energy used at the refinery is much higher, about 3.14 kWh/gallon.  But a good hunk of that energy comes from burning some of the oil being refined and some from purchased coal and natural gas.

One study claimed about 6 kWh of energy needed to bring Canadian tar sands oil to the refinery and process out a gallon of fuel.  But, again, only a small portion of that energy comes from grid electricity.

I don't think I've seen anyone do a full analysis of grid electricity used from pumping through transporting, refining and distributing.  We'll get some grid electricity savings as we move off petroleum but I'd guess it well under half of what it takes to drive an EV a mile.

I suspect some people are confusing "energy" and "electricity".

All that said, do remember that we don't have to replace anything like the amount of "primary" energy we now use for transportation.  We waste a lot in the refining/transportation/distribution process.  ICEVs are incredibly inefficient, wasting about 80% of the energy we pump into them.  EVs, on the other hand are about 80% efficient, losing about 10% to battery charging and about 10% turning battery power into motion.

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2170 on: August 01, 2017, 09:45:24 PM »
Quote
Audi is reportedly trying to cut gas and diesel R&D by 10 billion euros (~12 billion USD) in order to finance its electric car development.

This is another sign of the coming transition.  We saw that during the transition from film to digital.  At one point the big SLR manufacturers went from research on fSLRs and using those developments to improve their dSLRs to moving development money to dSLRs and (perhaps) improving their fSLRs.

Then they reached the point at which they had a bunch of fSLRs sitting in warehouses and just quit manufacturing them, figuring stock on hand would more than cover future demand.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2171 on: August 02, 2017, 12:20:01 AM »
Mercedes kills their only electric car (which they never actually tried to sell)
Quote
Automotive News reports that Mercedes has officially made the decision to stop production of the electric B-Class. Production will be phased out within the next few months, according to Mercedes USA spokesman Rob Moran.

This means that, despite big talk from Mercedes about future EV plans, including their recent jump into Formula E, adding battery production to factories, and rumors of future EV models from their new EQ sub-brand, the company will no longer produce any battery-electric model for the time being. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/07/31/mercedes-kills-electric-b-class/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2172 on: August 02, 2017, 01:04:53 AM »
Tesla Model 3 is equipped with a driver-facing camera for Autopilot and Tesla Network
Quote
Today, Tesla confirmed to Electrek that the Model 3 is equipped with the camera, but it is not currently active. It will only become active after future software updates, which Tesla didn’t want to elaborate on.

Other automakers, like GM with the Supercruise on the Cadillac CT6, have started implementing similar solutions.

Several autonomous driving experts believe that a driver-facing camera to monitor driver engagement is needed for level 3 autonomous driving – a level of autonomous driving where the driver is basically used as a backup to the autonomous system with a reasonable period of time to transfer the controls.

Tesla’s current Autopilot system enables level 2 autonomous driving, but the company believes that future software updates will enable level 3 to 5 on the existing hardware in its cars today. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/tesla-model-3-driver-facing-camera-autopilot-tesla-network/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2173 on: August 02, 2017, 01:16:48 AM »
At the bottom of this article, Electrek presents "a rather lengthy rant" about EV versus ICE cars misinformation.

Mazda exec presents bold ‘let’s pretend the EV future will never come’ strategy
Quote
Mazda exec Robert Davis doubled down on Mazda’s anti-EV stance at a Michigan trade group convention this week, Automotive News reported.  In a seminar, Davis stated that the “impending death of the internal combustion engine is overrated,” said governments shouldn’t “mandate” EVs, and said EV incentives should be eliminated.

Mazda currently makes no electric or plug-in hybrid models, though claimed last year that they were planning to offer EVs in 2019 primarily to meet ZEV regulations. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/mazda-exec-presents-bold-lets-pretend-the-ev-future-will-never-come-strategy/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2174 on: August 02, 2017, 01:42:09 AM »
Tesla's 2017 Second Quarter conference call with financial analysts is scheduled for tomorrow, Aug 2, 2017,  2:30 PM PT.  (5:30pm ET, 21:30 UTC)  You'll need to register to listen live -- but the audio file will be posted afterwards.  Audio link and Update Letter will be available here:  http://ir.tesla.com/events.cfm

Tesla (TSLA) is about to release its second quarter 2017 results – here’s what to expect
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/tesla-tsla-results-q2/
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Bob Wallace

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2175 on: August 02, 2017, 02:31:03 AM »
At the bottom of this article, Electrek presents "a rather lengthy rant" about EV versus ICE cars misinformation.

Mazda exec presents bold ‘let’s pretend the EV future will never come’ strategy
Quote
Mazda exec Robert Davis doubled down on Mazda’s anti-EV stance at a Michigan trade group convention this week, Automotive News reported.  In a seminar, Davis stated that the “impending death of the internal combustion engine is overrated,” said governments shouldn’t “mandate” EVs, and said EV incentives should be eliminated.

Mazda currently makes no electric or plug-in hybrid models, though claimed last year that they were planning to offer EVs in 2019 primarily to meet ZEV regulations. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/mazda-exec-presents-bold-lets-pretend-the-ev-future-will-never-come-strategy/

The wake for Mazda will start in 4, 3, 2, ....

etienne

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #2176 on: August 02, 2017, 09:05:13 AM »
At the bottom of this article, Electrek presents "a rather lengthy rant" about EV versus ICE cars misinformation.

Mazda exec presents bold ‘let’s pretend the EV future will never come’ strategy
Quote
Mazda exec Robert Davis doubled down on Mazda’s anti-EV stance at a Michigan trade group convention this week, Automotive News reported.  In a seminar, Davis stated that the “impending death of the internal combustion engine is overrated,” said governments shouldn’t “mandate” EVs, and said EV incentives should be eliminated.

Mazda currently makes no electric or plug-in hybrid models, though claimed last year that they were planning to offer EVs in 2019 primarily to meet ZEV regulations. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/mazda-exec-presents-bold-lets-pretend-the-ev-future-will-never-come-strategy/

The wake for Mazda will start in 4, 3, 2, ....

Well, you never know what is a movie they play, and what is reality. Same thing for Mercedes-Benz. If they say too loud that combustion engine is almost dead, it's like making an advertisement for Tesla wich is now the main producer of luxury EV.

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« Reply #2177 on: August 02, 2017, 04:51:50 PM »
Herewith an interesting article from Bloomberg challenging the status of the Tesla EV as a symbol of innovation.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-08-01/the-new-tesla-is-great-but-it-isn-t-progress

Since I am a Green Party Grunt, and do not believe that running our society in the same old way but with clean green machines is enough to keep mankind (let alone other life forms inhabiting our biosphere) safe, I posted a comment on Bloomberg. Here it is:-

"In the 1970's and 1980's I was in the computer business. How often did I have to say, DO NOT COMPUTERISE THE STATUS QUO. The machine allows us to conduct business in new ways.

That is true productivity.

So maybe instead of making more and more cars and roads and increasing the distance between work and home one could think about bringing the work to the people instead of people to the work?
"
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« Reply #2178 on: August 02, 2017, 04:53:52 PM »
Quote
If they say too loud that combustion engine is almost dead, it's like making an advertisement for Tesla wich is now the main producer of luxury EV.

Agreed.  We should probably pay little attention to the talk that has come out of non-Tesla companies for the last week or so and for a couple weeks going forward.  I suspect a lot of it is an attempt to dilute the Model 3 story.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the new Leaf looks like.  IMO if they can get range above 150 miles and keep the price under $30k that might cause a huge stir in the market.  Create a really good electric commuter car and they should open up a lot of market in the 'two or more cars' households.

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« Reply #2179 on: August 02, 2017, 05:02:21 PM »
I call bullshit on that Bloomberg article.  The author put Tesla in the headline as click bait.

He's making some sort of statement about the need to change the way we live.  That's fine.  But until that happens we need to find ways to quit crapping in our nest.

BTW, does he not know about the Navy's 'killer laser' that is already operational and installed on at least one ship?  Scaling it up to make it a missile toaster should be normal engineering, I'd bet we already have units being tested. 

Using one to knock space junk out of orbit might be a good way to test prototypes.


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« Reply #2180 on: August 02, 2017, 06:39:00 PM »
VW CEO pushes for electric cars but faces internal backlash from leadership
Quote
Matthias Müller took the helms of Volkswagen following the Dieselgate scandal and he quickly positioned the German automaker to push for electric cars, but he is now reportedly facing an internal backlash from the company’s leadership, which is not entirely sold on electric vehicles.

The CEO is pushing forward with his plan to build 2 to 3 million all-electric cars a year and unveil 30 new models by 2025 within all of Volkswagen’s brands. It’s among the most aggressive EV goals from legacy automakers.

Earlier this year, he made a comment about the reception to his move:

“There are definitely people who are longing for the old top-down leadership. I don’t know if you can imagine how difficult it is to change their mind-set.”

Yesterday, Wall Stree Journal reported on several comments made by upper managements about the electric car push. Here’s an example:

“What are you doing?” demanded one angry executive during a meeting of top managers last fall, referring to the CEO’s stress on shifting beyond conventional vehicles, according to people present. “You are driving the nails into our own coffin.”

That mentality is definitely still very present in the auto industry leadership. Mazda gave another example of it just yesterday.

Müller also reportedly hired several people from the tech industry and passed over auto industry veterans, which angered the existing leadership in the company. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/02/vw-ceo-electric-cars-backlash-leadership/
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2181 on: August 02, 2017, 07:05:43 PM »
<snip>

I'm looking forward to seeing what the new Leaf looks like.  IMO if they can get range above 150 miles and keep the price under $30k that might cause a huge stir in the market.  Create a really good electric commuter car and they should open up a lot of market in the 'two or more cars' households.

Well, maybe one out of your two.  ;)  Looks like range could be 165 miles.  That's disappointing, really, since the price is unlikely to be below $35k.  As you say, it would have to be marketed mostly as a commuter car.

Next-gen Nissan Leaf prototype spotted with 165 miles (265km) of range
https://electrek.co/2017/07/24/next-gen-nissan-leaf-2018-prototype-range/

Release date: September 5.
https://electrek.co/2017/06/30/nissan-leaf-2018-next-gen-2/

The upcoming next generation Nissan Leaf will be the first of the Japanese automaker’s vehicles to feature its new ProPilot driver assist system outside of Japan.
https://electrek.co/2017/06/22/nissan-leaf-pro-pilot-next-gen-leaf-interior/
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2182 on: August 02, 2017, 07:36:44 PM »
Tim Cook says Apple is working on a ‘large project’ around autonomous systems
Quote
Earlier this year, Tim Cook called self-driving car technology “incredibly exciting” and said that Apple is focusing heavily on autonomous systems. During Apple’s earnings call today, however, Cook offered some more color on Apple’s investments in autonomy.

Cook explained that Apple is very much making a big investment in autonomous systems and called autonomy “the mother of all AI projects.” Furthermore, he said that Apple has a “large project going on” related to the technology, though he wouldn’t expand on that so it’s unclear what exactly that project is.

“We are very focused on autonomous systems,” Cook said. “We do have a large project going, and are making a big investment in this. From our point of view, autonomy is sort of the mother of all AI projects.”

While he had previously praised self-driving car technology, Cook today said that autonomy has much deeper implementations than just that, perhaps hinting at Apple’s wide focus:

“Autonomous systems can be used in a variety of ways. A vehicle is only one, but there are many different areas of it. And I don’t want to go any further with that,” he said. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/tim-cook-autonomous-systems-quotes/
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2183 on: August 03, 2017, 02:18:01 AM »
Tesla's 2017 Second Quarter conference call with financial analysts is scheduled for tomorrow, Aug 2, 2017,  2:30 PM PT.  (5:30pm ET, 21:30 UTC)  You'll need to register to listen live -- but the audio file will be posted afterwards.  Audio link and Update Letter will be available here:  http://ir.tesla.com/events.cfm

Tesla (TSLA) is about to release its second quarter 2017 results – here’s what to expect
https://electrek.co/2017/08/01/tesla-tsla-results-q2/

The conference call is complete.   They had technical difficulties at the beginning, so the conference really begins about 10 minutes in from the start of the audio file at the above link.  The 2Q Update Letter has also been posted.

Of course the big story is the first deliveries of the Model 3 (in July, on schedule!).  Although they are seeing some cancellations, they are netting about 1,800 new reservations a day since the event last Friday.  The latest number of total (net) reservations is 450,000.  Orders for the Model S are also increasing, so the Model 3 does not seem to be cannibalizing the sales of its big brother.

They are “very confident” about producing 10,000 Model 3 cars a week by the end of next year.  “You should have zero concern about that.”  Profit margin will be negative at first, but should be positive by Q4 2017, and around 25% next year.

Elon was very pleased with the great reviews the Model 3 has received, and particularly that 80% of automotive journalists who test-drove the Model 3 said they would buy one.  The other 20% said they probably would.

About getting the world ready for lots of Model 3s:  the number of superchargers globally will triple by the end of next year (to 18,000 from 6,000).  They see that 80% of service visits do not require a lift, so they are expanding their mobile service units to take care of cars at people’s homes, or work locations — which is more convenient for the customers, as well.  And frees up Tesla service centers to handle the larger Tesla fleet.

Elon said he spends much of his week with the Autopilot team, improving the software, and he drives each new release early on.  Re the autonomous cross-country drive, he said “egg on my face” is possible, but he still thinks it will happen by the end of 2017.  “If not, shortly thereafter.”

Re the Model Y (“If that’s what we call it”):  instead of an all-new platform, the small SUV will use much of the same architecture as the Model 3, in order to bring it to market as early as possible.  But they still plan to eliminate the 12-volt lead-acid battery and thus have only about 100 meters of wiring in the car.

SpaceX tie-in:  there have been instances when Tesla concerns (like material composition) have been addressed using equipment from SpaceX.

Tesla Model Y is coming to market sooner using Model 3 architecture, says Elon Musk
https://electrek.co/2017/08/02/tesla-model-y-coming-sooner/

Tesla gives update on Model 3 following launch: 1,800 reservations per day, Fremont production moving forward, Gigafactory
https://electrek.co/2017/08/02/tesla-model-3-updates-launch/

Tesla (TSLA) announces Q2 2017 earnings: revenue of ~$2.8 billion and loss of $2.04 per share
https://electrek.co/2017/08/02/tesla-tsla-q2-2017-earnings/
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2184 on: August 05, 2017, 02:04:36 AM »
VW brand chairman sees Tesla as their main competitor
Quote
It’s not often that a company sells ~70 times as much product as its main competition.  But according to an interview with VW brand chairman Herbert Diess, published on VW’s employee web magazine “Inside” and reported on by Reuters, that’s the case between Tesla and VW.

In the interview, Diess claims “in the old world [our competition] is Toyota, Hyundai, and the French carmakers. In the new world it is Tesla.”  He goes on to state that the reason for this is because Tesla “has abilities that we currently do not have,” particularly in engineering.

When Tesla originally set up shop in the San Francisco Bay Area, many thought it would be impossible to do car manufacturing in an area with one of the highest costs of living in the world.  After all, Toyota and GM had tried the same with the NUMMI plant, which had failed – and Tesla ended up purchasing the factory for pennies on the dollar when Toyota was trying to get it off of their hands.

But this decision may be the secret to Tesla’s product as well. Diess stated in the interview that one of the reasons Tesla is ahead is because roughly half of the engineers at Tesla are software experts. This has helped Tesla in numerous ways – with building their own in-car software system, over-the-air update capabilities, autonomous drive, and even backend software to help facilitate Tesla in setting up their own distribution network. By locating themselves in Silicon Valley, where the best software engineers in the world are available, Tesla has given themselves a critical advantage in this realm.  No wonder so many other companies, including some new ones, are setting up shop in the area. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/04/vw-brand-ceo-sees-tesla-as-vws-main-competitor/

Notes:
• VW plans to sell 2-3 million EVs per year by 2025, but so far has only released a few plug-in hybrids and two all-electric retrofits (the e-Golf and e-Up). 
• Tesla plans to sell about 500,000 EVs in 2018, and 1 million in 2020....
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etienne

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« Reply #2185 on: August 05, 2017, 08:45:54 AM »

Notes:
• VW plans to sell 2-3 million EVs per year by 2025, but so far has only released a few plug-in hybrids and two all-electric retrofits (the e-Golf and e-Up). 
• Tesla plans to sell about 500,000 EVs in 2018, and 1 million in 2020....

Well, on the European market, you have 2 EV (Up, Golf) and 3 hybrids (Golf, Passat and Passat variant).  EV parking places that used to be always empty in front of the supermarket start to be used.
https://www.volkswagen.lu/fr/modeles.html

etienne

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« Reply #2186 on: August 05, 2017, 08:58:52 AM »
I just checked, the Golf hybrid costs about the same than the Tesla 3 (36'670 EUR). The e-Up is at 25'300 EUR. Didn't find the cost of the e-Golf.

So they clearly are competitors.

I didn't find if batteries are included or if it is a leasing.

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« Reply #2187 on: August 05, 2017, 02:32:34 PM »
"Para a Causa do Povo a Luta Continua!"
"And that's all I'm going to say about that". Forrest Gump
"Damn, I wanted to see what happened next" (Epitaph)

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« Reply #2188 on: August 05, 2017, 03:11:43 PM »
Not sure I agree with the guardian article as many EV drivers -myself included like to make as much use of our regenerative braking as possible and barely use our brake pads. I have a Nissan Leaf myself but some models such as the BMW i3 let you come to a complete stop with regenerative braking so no brake pad use (and no particulates emited) at all.   8)

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« Reply #2189 on: August 05, 2017, 04:17:33 PM »
Ars Technica is reporting that Toyota and Mazda have inked a deal to:
1. Build a factory in the US
2. Own five percent of each other
3. Share EV tech

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/08/toyota-and-mazda-join-forces-to-built-1-6-billion-factory-in-the-us/

AbruptSLR

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« Reply #2190 on: August 05, 2017, 05:08:20 PM »
In the linked article Scribbler uses a dialectic argument to illustrate that, with regards to fighting the fossil fuel industry, one would naturally choose the lesser of two evils, and support the development of the electric car industry over supporting the elimination of all cars by focusing on the sole development of public transportation:

Title: "George Monbiot Just Attacked a Key Solution to Climate Change — Why?"

https://robertscribbler.com/2017/08/04/george-monbiot-just-attacked-a-key-solution-to-climate-change-why/
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« Reply #2191 on: August 05, 2017, 06:40:06 PM »
Quote
supporting the elimination of all cars by focusing on the sole development of public transportation:

It's possible/likely that EVs will become a critical part of public transportation. Whatever you want to call then we will some sort of small occupancy transportation. 

Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2192 on: August 05, 2017, 07:45:15 PM »
Interesting that they are talking with car-makers, rather than charging-network companies.

BP in talks with electric carmakers on service station chargers
Quote
LONDON (Reuters) - BP (BP.L) is in talks with electric vehicle makers on partnering to offer battery re-charging docks at its global network of fuel service stations as it seeks to benefit from the move away from diesel and petrol cars, Chief Executive Bob Dudley told Reuters on Tuesday.

The expected rapid growth in the use of electric vehicles in the coming decades is threatening oil companies' business model as demand for some road fuels could plateau as early as the late 2020s, according to some oil company estimates. ...
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bp-ceo-idUSKBN1AH4HW
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2193 on: August 05, 2017, 09:54:24 PM »
The Model 3 Is Further Proof of Tesla's Asymmetric War Against the Auto Industry
The legacy automakers are fighting blind not because of some brilliant Tesla strategy, but because they choose not to see.
By Alex Roy [of Cannonball Run fame]
Quote
Traditional automakers have a century of experience behind them, backed by vast sums of cash, massive infrastructure, and supply chains in which every efficiency has been wrung out. You’d have to be absolutely out of your mind to launch a car company at any point after the closing decades of the 20th century, during which their dominance became seemingly insurmountable.

Which brings us to Tesla.
Quote
The Model 3 just dropped. Where’s the competition? Nowhere, save in the minds of the Tesla shorts and legacy brand managers with two to three years to kill before something even conceptually equivalent hits the market—by which time it’ll be too late to stop Musk.

This is in part because Tesla already commands the global automotive PR space, without advertising. Several sources have told me Tesla accounts for 40 percent of all automotive news. (Ed note: Is that all? Seems like more.) This number isn’t going to go down. If you want to see propaganda, collusion, cyberwar, AI, bots, truth, lies, fiction, manipulation, hi-tech, old tech, and no tech leveraged, twisted, bent and wielded, forget Trump and the Russians. Every day my Twitter feed is clogged by Tesla supporters and Tesla trolls waging war with everything but guns. Tesla has motivated an army of online fans and enemies unlike anything the sector has seen since the rise of the internet. That can't be duplicated at any price.

All of it benefits Tesla.

Where is the auto sector in all this? Still hoping that spending money on attacking elements of Tesla’s plan will stop them. ...
http://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/13058/the-model-3-is-further-proof-of-teslas-asymmetric-war-against-the-auto-industry
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2194 on: August 06, 2017, 02:41:46 AM »
Elon Musk: Officially verified as the first production electric car to exceed 1000km on a single charge! Congratulations Tesla Owners Italia!!
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/893920554821931008

Details (pre-verification):
A Tesla Model S 100D just drove 670 miles (1,078km) on a single charge
https://electrek.co/2017/08/04/a-tesla-model-s-100d-just-drove-670-miles-1078km-on-a-single-charge/
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wili

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« Reply #2195 on: August 08, 2017, 07:01:46 PM »
And then there's...

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/aug/08/self-driving-autonomous-vehicle-man-dressed-up-as-car-seat-arlington-virginia-tech-university

'Self-driving car' actually controlled by man dressed up as a car seat

Virginia residents and tech blogs alike fooled by university ‘research project’ featuring a driver pretending to be part of autonomous vehicle

"A force de chercher de bonnes raisons, on en trouve; on les dit; et après on y tient, non pas tant parce qu'elles sont bonnes que pour ne pas se démentir." Choderlos de Laclos "You struggle to come up with some valid reasons, then cling to them, not because they're good, but just to not back down."

Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2196 on: August 08, 2017, 11:45:23 PM »
...
'Self-driving car' actually controlled by man dressed up as a car seat
...

 ;D ::) 
At least what they were testing was other people's reactions -- not autonomous driving itself.  Safer not to be distracted, I guess.  :)

But here's the real thing (beta testing, in a limited area, with Cruise employees, and an engineer in the drivers seat):

GM’s Cruise launches beta autonomous ride-sharing app with Chevy Bolt EVs
Quote
GM’s autonomous driving division, Cruise Automation, announced the launch of the beta version of its autonomous ride-sharing app currently being used by employees in San Francisco, where they operate a fleet of autonomous Chevy Bolt EV test vehicles.
https://electrek.co/2017/08/08/gm-cruise-beta-autonomous-ride-sharing-app-chevy-bolt-ev/
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2197 on: August 10, 2017, 12:14:29 AM »
Tesla seeks to test electric truck prototypes for platooning and self-driving in Nevada and California
Quote
Tesla is set to unveil its all-electric truck, known as Tesla Semi, next month and the automaker is apparently now seeking to test its prototypes for platooning and self-driving in Nevada and California.

The company needs approval to test autonomous driving vehicles and in an attempt to secure approval to cross state lines with its prototype test trucks, Tesla regulatory official Nasser Zamani wrote to Nevada DMV official April Sanborn in an email obtained by Reuters:

“To insure we are on the same page, our primary goal is the ability to operate our prototype test trucks in a continuous manner across the state line and within the States of Nevada and California in a platooning and/or Autonomous mode without having a person in the vehicle,”

Platooning, which consists of traveling in close formation in order to reduce drag and increase efficiency, is becoming increasingly popular with companies developing self-driving technologies for trucks since it’s safer to implement than with human drivers.

Tesla is now apparently also working on the technology for its Tesla Semi project. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/09/tesla-semi-electric-truck-prototypes-for-platooning-self-driving-nevada-california/

So... all those Tesla batteries and drive-trains won't get from Gigafactory 1 to the Fremont factory by rail?  8)
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Sigmetnow

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« Reply #2198 on: August 10, 2017, 12:44:05 AM »
Intel will be building 100 “Level 4” (not-quite-fully-) autonomous vehicles from multiple car brands and vehicle types, starting by the end of this year.

Intel announces fleet of 100 autonomous test vehicles after closing the Mobileye acquisition
https://electrek.co/2017/08/09/intel-autonomous-vehicles-mobileye-acquisition/
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« Reply #2199 on: August 10, 2017, 05:55:16 PM »
Tesla seeks to test electric truck prototypes for platooning and self-driving in Nevada and California
Quote
Tesla is set to unveil its all-electric truck, known as Tesla Semi, next month and the automaker is apparently now seeking to test its prototypes for platooning and self-driving in Nevada and California.

The company needs approval to test autonomous driving vehicles and in an attempt to secure approval to cross state lines with its prototype test trucks, Tesla regulatory official Nasser Zamani wrote to Nevada DMV official April Sanborn in an email obtained by Reuters:

“To insure we are on the same page, our primary goal is the ability to operate our prototype test trucks in a continuous manner across the state line and within the States of Nevada and California in a platooning and/or Autonomous mode without having a person in the vehicle,”

Platooning, which consists of traveling in close formation in order to reduce drag and increase efficiency, is becoming increasingly popular with companies developing self-driving technologies for trucks since it’s safer to implement than with human drivers.

Tesla is now apparently also working on the technology for its Tesla Semi project. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/08/09/tesla-semi-electric-truck-prototypes-for-platooning-self-driving-nevada-california/

So... all those Tesla batteries and drive-trains won't get from Gigafactory 1 to the Fremont factory by rail?  8)


Platooning, isn't this the infraction formerly known as tailgating?


It's not only illegal in California and Nevada, it creates almost insurmountable problems for others wishing to use the same roadway. Imagine wanting to take an off ramp only to find it blocked by a miles long string of "platooning" trucks. Should an ambulance, or a family off for a Sunday jaunt, be forced to wait while the entire platoon passed through an intersection, or would they end up within such a formation, with no opportunity to pass?


This may save fuel, but our fuel here is electricity from renewable sources, so why not separate the vehicles and allow others the use of the roads that their taxes paid for.


Terry