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OrganicSu

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1400 on: December 19, 2016, 05:55:50 PM »
Our electric scooter cost 2,000 euro new. It costs 2.24 euro per 1000km using household electricity at our local rates. It does >90% of the journeys I don't do by foot or bike. It's so quiet you hear the birds sing. It accelerates so fast you need to be responsible. Driving it and singing mantras are not incompatible.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1401 on: December 19, 2016, 09:47:53 PM »
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1402 on: December 20, 2016, 09:12:05 PM »
Bolt EV is not for profit but to subsidize gas-guzzling cars,’ says JP Morgan after meeting with GM CFO
Quote
Another industry analyst is supporting the thesis that GM’s Chevy Bolt EV is a compliance car aimed at accumulating ZEV credits to allow the Michigan-based automaker to continue selling its profitable gas-guzzling vehicles.

After meeting with GM CFO Chuck Stevens last week, JP Morgan analyst Ryan Brinkman released a note to clients claiming that the Bolt EV is part of an “improving array of electric vehicles from automakers which are pricing such vehicles with the aim not to turn a profit but rather to sell in sufficient volume to subsidize the rest of their more lucrative portfolios of internal combustion engine vehicles from a regulatory compliance perspective.”
...
While there’s still a chance the Bolt EV program could graduate from a compliance car to a real high-volume vehicle, GM has been lobbying against the EPA’s recent change in average fleet fuel consumption, which would have forced GM to produce electric cars in volume – casting doubts about their willingness to scale electric vehicle programs beyond compliance.
https://electrek.co/2016/12/20/chevy-bolt-ev-profit-subsidize-gas-guzzling-cars-tesla-model-3-jp-morgan/
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ritter

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1403 on: December 20, 2016, 11:14:15 PM »
Bolt EV is not for profit but to subsidize gas-guzzling cars,’ says JP Morgan after meeting with GM CFO
Quote
Another industry analyst is supporting the thesis that GM’s Chevy Bolt EV is a compliance car aimed at accumulating ZEV credits to allow the Michigan-based automaker to continue selling its profitable gas-guzzling vehicles.

After meeting with GM CFO Chuck Stevens last week, JP Morgan analyst Ryan Brinkman released a note to clients claiming that the Bolt EV is part of an “improving array of electric vehicles from automakers which are pricing such vehicles with the aim not to turn a profit but rather to sell in sufficient volume to subsidize the rest of their more lucrative portfolios of internal combustion engine vehicles from a regulatory compliance perspective.”
...
While there’s still a chance the Bolt EV program could graduate from a compliance car to a real high-volume vehicle, GM has been lobbying against the EPA’s recent change in average fleet fuel consumption, which would have forced GM to produce electric cars in volume – casting doubts about their willingness to scale electric vehicle programs beyond compliance.
https://electrek.co/2016/12/20/chevy-bolt-ev-profit-subsidize-gas-guzzling-cars-tesla-model-3-jp-morgan/
Translation: even though we now have the technology to do the right thing in fuel switching, we won't do it because we want more money.  ::)

Neven

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1404 on: December 21, 2016, 12:47:06 AM »
I watched a German documentary a while ago about all European carmakers doing everything they can to slow down the transition, so they can squeeze as much as they can out of their dinosaur technology. I watched the documentary Who Killed The Electric Car? over a decade ago. To think that basically nothing has changed, is really depressing.
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ritter

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1405 on: December 21, 2016, 01:15:46 AM »
Collectively, we behave in a disgusting fashion.   :-[

Archimid

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1406 on: December 21, 2016, 02:04:19 AM »
Quote
Collectively, we behave in a disgusting fashion.

I think we behave like most other species in a limited but extremely favorable environment. We consume and reproduce and the numbers grow until the limit is hit. At that point the environment is no longer favorable. Then the population number drops to sustainable levels and mutations adapt to the new environment, if within that species plasticity.


 

I am an energy reservoir seemingly intent on lowering entropy for self preservation.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1407 on: December 21, 2016, 04:37:06 PM »
New electric bus from Canada!  Well, electric drivetrain, but "Hybrid, diesel/electric heating unit" to deal with Montréal winters.  I guess that's why they're testing from January to March first without passengers.  ;)

Montreal takes delivery of 3 new all-electric buses made in Canada
Quote
While companies like BYD and Proterra are ramping up production of their all-electric buses and delivering them to transit services around the world, the city of Montreal decided to start its fleet of zero-emission vehicles for public transit using a new electric bus developed in Canada and in partnership with the Quebec government.
...
It was developed by a company in Quebec called NOVABUS in partnership with Volvo. They invested $8 million while the government provided the additional $16 million needed to complete the project.  The drivetrain was built by TM4, a company owned by Hydro Quebec, a government-owned electric utility.
https://electrek.co/2016/12/21/montreal-all-electric-buse/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1408 on: December 21, 2016, 07:08:02 PM »
China opens the doors for Tesla and other foreign automakers to produce electric vehicles in the country
Quote
China has strong protectionism laws in place that require any automaker wanting to establish production capacity in the country to partner and share its technology with a local manufacturer – something several automakers have decided to do in order to tap into what is now the largest auto market in the world.

But in an attempt to accelerate electric vehicle production in the country and fight its air pollution problem, China is now proposing to relax those laws for what they call “new energy vehicles,” a.k.a. electric vehicles, in order to attract more foreign investments. The new rules are expected to open the door to Tesla and other automakers who recently expressed desires to establish manufacturing capacity in China to produce electric vehicles.
...
With the upcoming Model 3, it would make sense for Tesla to produce the vehicle in China.

Earlier this year, Musk confirmed that the automaker plans on securing a location and a local partner for a manufacturing facility in China by the middle of the 2016. In June, reports came out that Tesla had reached a deal with a partner in Shanghai, but Musk denied that anything was signed. It looks like Tesla could be waiting for the rules to change since the government expressed its willingness to change its policy around the same time.

Of course, China’s change of heart is motivated by its ambitious goal to have 5 million EVs on the road by 2020 in order to achieve its target to reduce carbon emissions. The country is aggressively pushing for electric vehicle adoption, and introducing more competition at the manufacturing level could certainly help.
...
https://electrek.co/2016/12/21/tesla-china-other-foreign-automakers-electric-vehicles-production/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1409 on: December 22, 2016, 12:24:36 AM »
U.S. new vehicle market is shifting from sedans and coupes to more expensive utility vehicles and other light trucks as the post-Recession economy is winding down.  Assuming the big car companies don't fail in the next few years, will they be ready with EVs when the tide turns again? 

GM Plant Closures Could Signal Trouble for U.S. Auto Industry
Quote
General Motors will temporarily idle five U.S. assembly plants next month in a bid to reduce bloated inventories.

The cuts focus on plants building sedans and coupes, such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Cadillac CTS and Chevy Camaro, which have been losing momentum as American motorists by the millions shift from passenger cars to utility vehicles and other light trucks.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/gm-plant-closures-could-signal-trouble-u-s-auto-industry-n697946
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1410 on: December 22, 2016, 07:01:56 PM »
Uber forced to stop self-driving pilot program in San Francisco by DMV
Quote
No longer will Uber’s self-driving cars be seen on San Francisco’s streets. The company announced on Wednesday that it was ending its autonomous car service, which began just a week ago, after clashes with state regulators and amidst much public concern.

The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles revoked Uber’s registrations, saying they “were improperly issued for these vehicles because they were not properly marked as test vehicles.” While competitors such as Tesla Motors, Google, and Nvidia have complied with state testing requirements, Uber claimed it didn’t need a permit, as it says its cars were not fully autonomous....
http://www.teslarati.com/uber-stops-self-driving-pilot-program-san-francisco/


Edit:  update:  Uber is sending its cars to Arizona.

Did a Twitter Campaign Draw Uber's Self-Driving Cars to Arizona After California Shut Them Down?
Arizona Governor lobbied the company on Twitter to bring them to his state.
http://www.thedrive.com/news/6656/did-a-twitter-campaign-draw-ubers-self-driving-cars-to-arizona-after-california-shut-them-down
« Last Edit: December 23, 2016, 12:15:41 AM by Sigmetnow »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1411 on: December 22, 2016, 08:12:15 PM »
It is good to see more states joining the charging infrastructure effort.

Utah, Colorado & Nevada team up to create 2000-mile network of charging stations “from Denver to Salt Lake City to Las Vegas”
https://electrek.co/2016/12/22/utah-colorado-nevada-team-up-to-create-2000-mile-network-of-charging-stations-from-denver-to-salt-lake-city-to-las-vegas/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1412 on: December 23, 2016, 01:05:31 AM »
“California has required Volkswagen to introduce and sell new EVs, including SUVs, and help pay for some incentives in the state.”

VOLKSWAGEN
Settlement billions to jolt EV industry
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060047573
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1413 on: December 24, 2016, 07:30:18 PM »
Fred Lambert gets Elon Musk to open up about Tesla Supercharger plans:  More solar power, and over 350kW!

Elon Musk teases new ‘Tesla Supercharger V3’ with over 350 kW power output and off-grid solar + Powerpacks
https://electrek.co/2016/12/24/tesla-supercharger-v3-over-350-off-grid-solar-powerpack-elon-musk/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1414 on: December 26, 2016, 04:10:45 PM »
“The price of long-range all-electric vehicles are going down, but announcements about the mass production of vehicles at less than $40,000 are still fairly rare. We expect that to change within the next year.”

Electrek summarizes the next EVs we are most likely to see by the end of the decade.  The high cost of batteries is decreasing, but will prevent volume production of cheaper models for a few more years.

10 electric cars coming in the next 3 years
https://electrek.co/2016/12/26/10-electric-cars/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1415 on: December 26, 2016, 04:55:18 PM »
More on the fast charging that Elon Musk teased is on the way.

Tesla’s upcoming ‘Supercharger V3’ is the last piece of the EV adoption puzzle – and means more ZEV credits
Quote
We already have long-range electric vehicles, like the Tesla Model S and X, and we even have long-range electric vehicles at a relatively affordable price, like the Chevy Bolt EV, but what we still need are long-range electric vehicles at a relatively affordable price and produced in volumes, and the very last piece of the puzzle which is a way to charge in less than 15 minutes.

Tesla plans to produce the Model 3 at a rate of over 400,000 per year, which should take care of the mass-produced long-range and relatively affordable electric vehicle, but now Tesla CEO Elon Musk also confirmed that the last piece is coming....
...
It’s safe to assume that it will be significantly greater than 350 kW and could bring down the charging time of a 300-mile battery pack to 15 minutes or less.

That would completely remove any advantage that gas-powered cars have over EVs. Arguably, EVs are already more convenient since they have the advantage of overnight charging which enables an almost full pack every day, but for road trips, gas-guzzling vehicles have the clear advantage of being able to refuel and be back on the road within 5 minutes.

Tesla’s current vehicles will not be able to take that kind of power, but the new battery cells Tesla plans to manufacture at the Gigafactory for the Model 3 and its other vehicles are rumored to have been designed to be able to receive a much higher charge rate. It means that if the timing of the deployment of the new Supercharger V3 coincides with the release of the Model 3, the vehicle will have the trifecta of having a long range, being relatively cheap, and having the capacity to be recharged in 15 minutes or less.

While clearly not Tesla’s primary objective with the Supercharger V3, it will also have the consequence of generating significant revenue through ZEV credits.

A few years back, the California Air Resource Board (CARB) changed its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate to greatly advantage the few fuel cell vehicles made available in the state and in which they were investing millions to build refueling stations. By implementing a requirement for vehicles to have over 300 miles of range and the capacity to recharge to 95% in 15 minutes, CARB managed to make fuel cell vehicles more competitive than battery-powered cars by giving them 9 credits worth $5,000 each instead of 4 credits for battery-powered cars.

But the Supercharger V3 could change that and make Tesla’s new vehicles eligible to get all 9 credits. The battery swap program briefly enabled that, but it now looks like Tesla put the program on the back-burner. Supercharger V3 would be a permanent solution.
...
https://electrek.co/2016/12/26/tesla-supercharger-v3-zev-credits/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1416 on: December 26, 2016, 05:34:12 PM »
And three Chinese EVs that are already here (well, there ;) ):

3 electric cars you never heard of that dominated the market in China this year
Quote
We expect that Chinese electric automakers will step up their game in the next few years since the government is preparing to let foreign automaker build EVs in China without having to share technology with a local joint-venture. It’s likely to increase competition and consequently, the quality of EVs available in the Chinese market, which is one of the greatest polluters in the world and therefore, a priority to transition to electric propulsion.
https://electrek.co/2016/12/26/3-electric-cars-china/


And here's one reason (other than insufficient crash safety) why Chinese EVs may not be quite ready for prime time:
« Last Edit: December 26, 2016, 05:54:54 PM by Sigmetnow »
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Neven

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1417 on: December 29, 2016, 11:18:23 PM »
Electrek summarizes the next EVs we are most likely to see by the end of the decade.  The high cost of batteries is decreasing, but will prevent volume production of cheaper models for a few more years.

10 electric cars coming in the next 3 years
https://electrek.co/2016/12/26/10-electric-cars/

Thanks for the depressing news, Sig!  ;)

Except for the Leaf and perhaps the Model 3 those cars are really shitty. What's with that Model Y? I thought Tesla was going to do something new. This is BAU in camouflage.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1418 on: December 30, 2016, 08:44:04 PM »
...
Except for the Leaf and perhaps the Model 3 those cars are really shitty. What's with that Model Y? I thought Tesla was going to do something new. This is BAU in camouflage.

The Tesla Model 3 and the Model Y are the smaller, more affordable sedan and crossover SUV, to get "orders of magnitude" ( ;) ) more people into EVs.   The ramp up to volume production and sales (500,000 cars/year in 2018, 1 million/year in 2020) will finance other Tesla EV projects the same way the Model S and X have financed the Model 3 (this per Musk). 

"Musk said that once at full production, he expects the Model 3 to generate around $20 billion in revenue per year for Tesla with $5 billion in gross profit (or 25% gross margin)."
https://electrek.co/2016/07/26/tesla-model-3-elon-musk-generating-20-billion-revenue-25-gross-margin-tsla/

The Model 3 is on track for production to begin mid-2017, with Musk's best guess of 100,000 to 200,000 cars produced that year.  (Suppliers are contracted to be ready by July 1, and Elon himself personally visited them to emphasize the importance of this project and gauge their willingness to "work harder than they've ever worked before.")

There's another big battery gigafactory hoo-ha scheduled for Jan 4 [new format batteries are now being produced] (and that building has more than doubled in size in the past year or so, and is still expanding) -- and the ever-popular end-of-quarter Tesla financial conference call should include fun surprises, if history is any guide.  Stay tuned!
You can keep an eye out here for the Q4 investor letter and call:  http://ir.tesla.com/events.cfm

The other vehicles:
Musk has mentioned an autonomous mini-bus, "a new kind of pickup truck," and a semi-truck are under development and will be revealed this spring.  I expect to see the minibus transporting employees around the Fremont, California factory within the next year or so as that plant -- already the largest in the world -- almost doubles in size (an expansion recently approved by the city) for the Model 3 production ramp.  Musk says that anything beyond five years is "like infinity" to him, so expect lots of new stuff out soon!


From Elon Musk's Master Plan Part 2 :  Cheaper Tesla EVs are unneeded because you'll be able to make money by adding your car to the Tesla autonomous fleet when you are not using it.
Quote
Expand to Cover the Major Forms of Terrestrial Transport
Today, Tesla addresses two relatively small segments of premium sedans and SUVs. With the Model 3, a future compact SUV and a new kind of pickup truck, we plan to address most of the consumer market. A lower cost vehicle than the Model 3 is unlikely to be necessary, because of the third part of the plan described below.
https://www.tesla.com/blog/master-plan-part-deux
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1419 on: January 01, 2017, 12:12:04 AM »
Will autonomous cars remove a layer of protection against vulnerable populations such as this?

How an Uber driver stopped child sex trafficking in Elk Grove, California
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/How-an-Uber-driver-stopped-child-sex-trafficking-10824722.php
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1420 on: January 01, 2017, 12:14:40 AM »
Self-Driving Cars Will Make Organ Shortages Even Worse
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/12/self_driving_cars_will_exacerbate_organ_shortages.html

Encourage stem cell research and 3D printing of organs?
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1421 on: January 01, 2017, 04:50:15 PM »
“The most salient points—range anxiety and impatience with charging—have formed the basis of Porsche’s e-car push. If they can’t go at least 300 miles on a single charge and take longer than 15 minutes to refuel, consumers will resist buying them.”

The Electric Porsche Needs to Roar
“Our customers are very emotional about sound.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-11/the-electric-porsche-needs-to-roar
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1422 on: January 01, 2017, 06:11:49 PM »
U.S. auto sales.

• Carmakers enter 2017 projected to face 1st U.S. drop in years
• December sales estimates show bump for GM, decline at Chrysler

Record or Not in 2016, Auto Sales Growth Seen Drawing to End
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-30/record-or-not-in-2016-auto-sales-growth-seen-drawing-to-end
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1423 on: January 02, 2017, 09:24:35 PM »
Are buses and trains an obsolete form of transportation?

“They Can Just Take an Uber”
Cities across the country are cutting public transportation because they think ride-hailing services will fill the gap. They’ll regret it.
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/metropolis/2016/12/cities_are_cutting_transportation_service_because_they_think_uber_will_fill.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1424 on: January 03, 2017, 07:25:23 PM »
Alas, only one of their announced vehicles is fully electric (the rest are hybrids), but at least they are beginning to face the truth.

Ford says electric vehicles will overtake gas in 15 years, announces all-electric 300-mile SUV, hybrid F-150, Mustang, and more
https://electrek.co/2017/01/03/ford-new-electric-cars/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1425 on: January 04, 2017, 01:12:29 AM »
An analysis of the Ford electric vehicle announcement.

Quote
The announcement of hybrid models alongside plug-in models seems like an attempt to “pad the numbers.”  At this point, hybrid models aren’t particularly exciting.  As pointed out by Ford in their presentation, they were fairly early on the hybrid train, producing the Escape Hybrid way back in 2004.  Now twelve years later, we’re getting a truck hybrid and a sportscar hybrid.

Ford’s electrified vehicle plans are huge and welcome, but they need go even further, sooner
https://electrek.co/2017/01/03/fords-electrified-vehicle-plans-are-huge-and-welcome-but-they-need-go-even-further-sooner/
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NeilT

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1426 on: January 04, 2017, 12:10:13 PM »
The problem is that the real elephant in the room has never been addressed.

If we look at energy use in the UK, we see that less than 1/3 of that energy is electrical.

We can forget anything to do with even 20% EV before we transition the petroleum energy to electrical energy capacity in the grid or even in local sources.

This is why we only see high priced vehicles aiming for a higher and higher market.  Essentially it's impossible to mass market plug in EV because the energy source simply does not exist.  Most developed world electricity grids are very close to, or at, peak capacity most of the time.

How to we transition fossil fuel transport onto a grid which has no capacity to spare.  Especially when that transport is as much as the same again or even double the current electrical grid.

Unless the supply (electricity), is brought up to spec for EV, then EV simply cannot ever take off in the way predicted.

Very sad, very dispiriting, but it is a point to aim at for our politicians and something we need to put them on the spot for.

By failing to even recognise the fact that the aspirations of EV cannot be services by the existing infrastructure, we are failing to point our governments in the right direction.
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Zythryn

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Re: Cars, cars and more cars. And trucks, and....
« Reply #1427 on: January 04, 2017, 01:31:47 PM »
...
This is why we only see high priced vehicles aiming for a higher and higher market.  Essentially it's impossible to mass market plug in EV because the energy source simply does not exist.  Most developed world electricity grids are very close to, or at, peak capacity most of the time.

How to we transition fossil fuel transport onto a grid which has no capacity to spare.  Especially when that transport is as much as the same again or even double the current electrical grid.
...

That is an issue, I didn't realize the grid in the U.S. was so different than other developed nations in that aspect.
In the U.S. we have a huge amount of capacity available.
As long as people mainly charge at appropriate times, we have a grid today that could handle about a light vehicle fleet that is 50% EVs.

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« Reply #1428 on: January 04, 2017, 02:36:13 PM »
Yep the EU has become so aggressive about new capacity which runs on fossil fuels that our Grids are reaching breaking point all over the EU.  We are in the insane situation where the UK buys "clean" Nuclear power from France as we run out, but France is near capacity too so they buy "dirty" coal power from the Netherlands and Belgium and push it over the channel to the UK.

The UK, trying to lead in the CO2 reduction, has decommissioned about 7GWh generating capacity from Coal but replaced it with <1GWh of renewables which are not always on and are scattered all over the place and not quite as portable over the grid as coal or oil power.

Big problem.  It's probably why there has been very little in the EU on EV.  Germany is in particular trouble with it's power generation as it is decommissioning Nuclear.  In Germany the Green party is particularly strong and they had a major hissy fit over Fukushima and demanded that Germany shut down all ageing reactors immediately.  Forcing them back on Coal.

Another interesting point is that Germany has the highest take up of solar PV in the entire EU.  But they are being forced onto Coal.

The "sanity" of the EU.
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« Reply #1429 on: January 04, 2017, 05:59:31 PM »
Add in the local UK insanity of basically all the investment in renewable energy being cut.

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« Reply #1430 on: January 04, 2017, 06:35:50 PM »
Interesting.  So you guys have no spare capacity at night?
We have tons, which I suppose is why EVs are such an easy decision here.

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« Reply #1431 on: January 05, 2017, 01:29:54 AM »
There's a pretty large over capacity in the UK as shown by the daily difference between peak and overnight power usage. Here's the details including every kind of power produced, imported, stored, and exported:

http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

There's a 15-20 GW difference between daily peak and trough - that could charge many cars overnight.

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« Reply #1432 on: January 05, 2017, 04:35:25 AM »
The day/night difference in UK demand also flags up the space for installing more solar... which of course is one of the many victims of the subsidy cuts under this gvt.

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« Reply #1433 on: January 05, 2017, 09:59:03 AM »
There's a pretty large over capacity in the UK as shown by the daily difference between peak and overnight power usage. Here's the details including every kind of power produced, imported, stored, and exported:

http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

There's a 15-20 GW difference between daily peak and trough - that could charge many cars overnight.

If you look at that dashboard closely, the huge variance is provided by CCGT and they are not a source you want to be pushing 100% all the time.  Also CCGT, in the UK, at peak demand, is nearly at 100% capacity.  CCGT needs much more maintenance that older larger coal based or nuclear based generating stations.

Moving fossil fuelled vehicles to the grid would mean putting the grid up to 100% 24 hours a day.  Not something the generating infrastructure is designed for.

If we were to move even 10% of the vehicles to EV we'd be pushing the grid past breaking point.

Also you have to factor in winter and summer too.  As the summer peak heat increases people buy air conditioning.  Pushing peak power up in the evenings in summer.  Peak power in winter also increases due to electric heating.

There simply is not the capacity in the UK grid to support significant EV and if we tried we would start to have generation failures.

These things have to be planned and no planning has gone into the transition from oil based transport fuel to electric based transport fuel.

Over and above that, we're talking humans here.  We only need 10% of them to charge during the day, after forgetting to charge at home at night, to bring the grid down.  Chances that people will even realise what they are doing in mass adoption?  Slim in my experience.

I would like to see EV take up in the UK.  But without a concerted effort to provision the energy required, then I can't see it as feasible.
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« Reply #1434 on: January 05, 2017, 05:55:03 PM »
They're here!  Well, they are in California and Oregon, anyway.   ;)

GM delivered 579 Chevy Bolt EVs in 2016
https://electrek.co/2017/01/05/gm-579-chevy-bolt-ev-2016/
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« Reply #1435 on: January 05, 2017, 06:33:00 PM »
Arcimoto is bringing its $12,000 all-electric three-wheeler to market this year
https://electrek.co/2017/01/05/acrimoto-srk-all-electric-three-wheeler/
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« Reply #1436 on: January 05, 2017, 06:49:24 PM »
It looks like the last major EV 'convenience' hurdle -- length of time needed to "refuel" -- will be surmounted in the next year or two, given this, plus European announcements and Elon's teased improvements to Tesla superchargers. 

If you have an EV that can handle it. :)


Chargepoint announces 400 kW charging, adds 100 miles of electric vehicle range in less than 15 minutes
Quote
Chargepoint, an independent EV charging station manufacturer and charging network operator, announced today that it is introducing a new 400 kW DC fast-charging infrastructure, which is faster than even the most high-powered stations announced by other manufacturers for deployment toward the end of the year.

The first stations equipped with the new 400 kW technology will be deployed this year and available to customers starting in July 2017, according to the company.

It will work with both CCS and CHAdeMO standards and therefore, it should be compatible with most electric vehicles capable of DC fast-charging – though of course, no electric car is currently capable of taking 400 kW, but some upcoming EVs, including the Tesla Model 3 and the Porsche Mission E just to name a few, are expected to be able to handle this kind of power output.

It will also work with electric trucks and buses. ...
https://electrek.co/2017/01/05/chargepoint-400-kw-charing-electric-vehicle-range/
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« Reply #1437 on: January 07, 2017, 03:20:56 PM »
U.S. 2016 Plug-in car sales data is in -- up 37% over 2015:  159,139.

Plug-in sales through the roof in 2016 as multiple models set records
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/plug-in-sales-through-the-roof-in-2016-as-multiple-models-set-records/

Full details are in this monthly update (scroll down past the tables for a write-up on each car and its sales):
Monthly Plug-In Sales Scorecard
http://insideevs.com/monthly-plug-in-sales-scorecard/
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« Reply #1438 on: January 09, 2017, 08:26:58 PM »
 EV news

Now due in "2020":
VW unveils new all-electric and autonomous retro microbus with 270 miles of range
https://electrek.co/2017/01/09/vw-all-electric-autonomous-retro-microbus/

Production expected to increase 300%:
Electric bus maker Proterra secures important $140 million investment to expand production, partly from a mysterious investor
https://electrek.co/2017/01/09/electric-bus-maker-proterra-secures-important-140-million-investment-to-expand-production-partly-from-a-mysterious-investor/

Electric vehicle startup Rivian Automotive comes out of stealth mode and buys shuttered Mitsubishi plant in Illinois
"They say plan to launch a series of mass-produced all-electric and eventually autonomous vehicles with the first model to be unveiled later this year."
https://electrek.co/2017/01/09/rivian-automotive-electric-vehicle-startup-mitsubishi-plant-illinois/

GM’s Chevy Bolt EV becomes the first all-electric car to win North American Car of the Year award
[The NACOTY awards are "intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.
ELIGIBILITY:  Vehicles must be new or “substantially changed.” This year the jurors considered more than 50 vehicles." ...
http://northamericancaroftheyear.org/nactoy/ ]
Quote
Apparently, the Bolt had no competition since it received 364 points from the jury while the second best, the Genesis G90 sedan from Hyundai, received only 105 points.
https://electrek.co/2017/01/09/gm-chevy-bolt-ev-first-all-electric-car-win-north-american-car-of-the-year/
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« Reply #1439 on: January 09, 2017, 08:46:09 PM »
MOMENTUM is a powerful thing.  Whether you are talking about sports, politics, global warming......or electric cars.  Once "mo" gets going.....everyone in the way better "get the hell out of the way" or get run over.

THAT....is what is happening with electric vehicles as well as electric power in general.  Too much "mo" to stop.  It can be slowed down by an idiotic president...but it can not be stopped.

I'm afraid DONALD THE LIAR KING is in over his head.....
« Last Edit: January 10, 2017, 07:49:19 PM by Buddy »
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« Reply #1440 on: January 10, 2017, 03:15:22 PM »
On the other hand....
Lest you think all electric car startups are doing great, here's an entertaining look at how Faraday Future, in a very big way, is not.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=HA18oyyG-xg
« Last Edit: January 10, 2017, 04:07:26 PM by Sigmetnow »
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« Reply #1441 on: January 10, 2017, 04:40:17 PM »
Keeping track of how the $7,500 U.S. federal tax credit will apply to Tesla Model 3 sales.

Tesla crosses 100,000 mark of electric vehicles delivered in US, halfway to phase out of $7500 federal tax credit ahead of Model 3
Quote
As you may know, the $7,500 federal tax credit starts to phase out after an automaker hits 200,000 rebates. If almost all customers took advantage of the credit for the US deliveries, Tesla should have hit 100,000 rebates in the past few weeks and it is expected to hit the 200,000th mark in the first few months of Model 3 deliveries in the US depending on the production ramp up.

The tax credit program states that the phase-out period starts during the second calendar quarter after the calendar quarter in which it reached the cap – meaning that customers will still receive the full $7,500 tax credit for at least a full quarter. In other words, people will still get the full credit for 3 to 6 months and depending on the production rate of the Model 3 at that point, it could result in a lot of people benefiting from the program since there’s apparently no limit on units.

After that, the tax credit is reduced by 50% for 6 months and then another 50% for another 6 months before being completely phased out.
https://electrek.co/2017/01/10/tesla-vehicles-delivered-us-federal-tax-credit-model-3/
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« Reply #1442 on: January 10, 2017, 08:18:58 PM »
Beaking news, details to come:  Volkswagen confirmed it is in final negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice toward a settlement over cheating on engine-emissions tests, which would include $4.3 billion in civil fines, Bloomberg News reports.

The settlement would also include a guilty plea to some criminal charges.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-10/volkswagen-confirms-4-3-billion-settlement-with-u-s-on-diesel-issue
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« Reply #1443 on: January 11, 2017, 02:58:45 PM »
Making electric drivetrains cheaper, smaller and more efficient.

Bosch is making another push in electrification with new compact and efficient electric drive unit
https://electrek.co/2017/01/11/bosch-electrification-drive-units/
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« Reply #1444 on: January 11, 2017, 03:07:55 PM »
Quote
Making electric drivetrains cheaper, smaller and more efficient.

A 20% decrease in space for those combined components is a big deal in cars where every inch counts.  It will give them even more flexibility in layout and configuration.
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« Reply #1445 on: January 11, 2017, 07:25:11 PM »
Good article on "Plug-in vehicle sales in the US for 2016"

Quote
Tesla (Models S+X combined) had a commendable share of 30 % among all plug-in vehicles sold in the US. Among pure electric vehicles, 55 % of all EVs sold in 2016 were from Tesla. The race for convenience and affordability will continue, with Tesla and GM likely to play a even more dominant role in the plug-in sector.
http://electriccarsreport.com/2017/01/plug-vehicle-sales-us-2016/
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« Reply #1446 on: January 11, 2017, 08:51:20 PM »
Build your own!  Company in Italy offers an open-source platform for building your own EV.

A $12,000 open-source hardware platform to develop electric vehicles
https://electrek.co/2017/01/11/tabby-evo-open-source-hardware-platform-to-develop-electric-vehicles/
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« Reply #1447 on: January 11, 2017, 09:49:51 PM »
@Plugshare:  #Diesel has the word 'die' in it for a reason :) ...
https://twitter.com/plugshare/status/819254414292619264


U.K. Auto industry execs predict rise of EVs to signal end of diesel cars
Quote
... the results of KPMG's Global Automotive Executive Survey 2017 reveal that 62 per cent of respondents believe diesel technology is well on the way to extinction, while an overwhelming 93 per cent of respondents said they were planning to invest in battery electric vehicles over the next five years.

Moreover, 90 per cent of UK car industry executives surveyed expect battery electric vehicles to dominate the automotive marketplace by 2025.
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3002108/auto-industry-execs-predict-rise-of-evs-to-signal-end-of-diesel-cars
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« Reply #1448 on: January 11, 2017, 10:11:39 PM »
Volkswagen Agrees to Plead Guilty in U.S. in Diesel-Emissions Scandal
Quote
Volkswagen AG took a major step toward resolving one of the darkest chapters in its history Wednesday, pleading guilty in the U.S. to an emissions-cheating scandal and agreeing to pay $4.3 billion in penalties, while prosecutors announced charges against five individuals in Germany.

VW admitted to using false statements to import cars to the U.S. and obstructing investigations when authorities grew suspicious of the emissions levels from the diesel engines. Among the executives charged today with conspiracy were Heinz-Jakob Neusser, who was suspended in 2015, Jens Hadler and Richard Dorenkamp.
...
On Friday, the EPA and California regulators gave their first approval to a plan to fix to some of the cars. A San Francisco judge has approved $14.7 billion settlement that requires the company to fix or buy back about 480,000 of the cars in the U.S. with 2.0-liter engines cars. VW is awaiting approval on a $1 billion deal concerning 3.0-liter engines.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-11/volkswagen-agrees-to-pay-4-3-billion-plead-guilty-in-u-s-case
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« Reply #1449 on: January 12, 2017, 01:33:15 PM »
Here's a brief article about "15 electric cars coming out by 2020".  This is the reason I believe that in 2019 - 2020 you will see more and more people "hold off" on purchasing fossil fueled vehicles.  Anyone with a little forethought in 2019 or 2020 will be thinking:  "Do I really want to buy a car that will have almost ZERO VALUE in 3 - 5 years?  Especially by the end of 2020....when people will be looking at the vehicles coming out in 2021/2022....with EVEN MORE CHOICES.

http://www.businessinsider.com/15-electric-cars-that-will-be-here-by-2020-2016-6/#tesla-unveiled-its-model-3-this-year-and-aims-to-begin-production-by-the-end-of-2017-1
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