[Technology] Electric Vehicle

[Papa Lazarou]

My personal feeling is that EVs will go the same route as Betamax videos. Hydrogen power is the future.

EV will be like CD, the format that will stay around while other technically better ones come and go, its simple and the infrastructure is in place.

Hydrogen power has a potential market for larger vehicles (buses / lorries etc) but the cost and lack of efficiency of the production / distribution / storage chain for Hydrogen makes it VERY expensive currently and not particularly low Co2. That needs to change.

EVs are the future, but as [MENTION=599]beorhthelm[/MENTION] there will be developments and improvements (particularly in terms on battery tech) which will make things change.

 

[schmunk]

My personal feeling is that EVs will go the same route as Betamax videos. Hydrogen power is the future.

I'm ordering a hydrogen car now but can't decide between the VW Hindenburg or the BMW R101.

 

[Uncle C]

lack of efficiency of the production / distribution / storage chain for Hydrogen makes it VERY expensive currently and not particularly low Co2.

Like any new technology, time will bring about economics of scale - see photocells. I think people forget that behind every EV car is a power station pumping out emissions.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Like any new technology, time will bring about economics of scale - see photocells. I think people forget that behind every EV car is a power station pumping out emissions.

Nope. Many people charge EVs from domestic solar cells, whereas hydrogen is mainly generated from heating natural gas, using lots of electricity.

Edit to add:

Plus even now it's possible to buy a renewable only or majority renewable tariffs, so even then it's low carbon.

 

[Triggaaar]

The instant torque and near silent ride are also big pluses for me.

My ex was like that. Wasn't for me.

 

[Triggaaar]

I confidently predict i will never see one of those on an actual road

Road? Where we're going we don't need roads.

 

[schmunk]

My ex was like that. Wasn't for me.

Marvellous!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Road? Where we're going we don't need roads.

I'm not sure even a Rivian can generate the 1.21GW of power required.

 

[Two Professors]

Road? Where we're going we don't need roads.

Back to the Future!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

On topic.

I believe we are close to the tipping point on EV adoption.

Barely a week goes by now without a new EV being announced, admittedly these are mainly for 2020 roll out, but there is a definite momentum.

Secondly I think we're close to so some major breakthroughs in battery technology, with the recent announcement of Lithium Ion batteries that can be charged repeatedly to 80% in 10 minutes without performance degradation, and with solid state batteries on the near horizon. We've had incremental improvements in power density over the past 5 years, making batteries cheaper, with longer ranges for the same mass, but I feel there's a step change not far off.

Much of the EV focus has been on the 'luxury' end of the car market, with Tesla, Audi, Jag and Porsche all pitching new cars in that market, but we'll soon see a slew of more affordable EVs available, but still with reasonable ranges (on current battery tech), which will dip into a much bigger market. The VW ID range will be pitched here, as is the Peugeot E208 and Vauxhall e-Corsa.

On the charging side, there are improvements in terms of charging networks, and more 'on street' charging will be available soon.

I personally won't be buying an EV yet, despite having a drive to park it on, and therefore making home charging possible, I don't want a prestige EV like a Tesla, but something smaller like the Honda E or Kia Soul, but with a little longer range. It won't be long before my price / range expectation are met.

 

[Gazwag]

I wonder if they will be soon made to make a noise like a normal car. It does worry me a bit that these cars are pretty much silent which, in a busy town centre, could result in more pedestrians getting hit.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I wonder if they will be soon made to make a noise like a normal car. It does worry me a bit that these cars are pretty much silent which, in a busy town centre, could result in more pedestrians getting hit.

Will bicycles have noises added as well?

 

[Triggaaar]

I'm not sure even a Rivian can generate the 1.21GW of power required.

One point twenty one gigawatts?!
One point twenty one gigawatts.

 

[beorhthelm]

to be fair, the power requirement for electric is rather more than 1.2GW.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

to be fair, the power requirement for electric is rather more than 1.2GW.

1.21?

 

[beorhthelm]

I wonder if they will be soon made to make a noise like a normal car. It does worry me a bit that these cars are pretty much silent which, in a busy town centre, could result in more pedestrians getting hit.

need more (cow)bells?

power is 20GW apparently. which is about same as current electic power demand, going to need some nuclear power.

 

[Gazwag]

Will bicycles have noises added as well?

They will be generally be on the pavement not fizzing by at 40 mph while the driver updates his facebook account oblivious to anything else

 

[Papa Lazarou]

They will be generally be on the pavement not fizzing by at 40 mph while the driver updates his facebook account oblivious to anything else

Why are cyclists on the pavement, and why are pedestrians wandering into the road? The world's gone mad.

 

[Bozza]

I thought Elon did a good job of ad libbing through.

Now: buy the official t-shirt - https://shop.tesla.com/en_ca/product/men_s-cybertruck-bulletproof-tee?sku=7654399-00-A