V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
unloading a liability that'll be worthless, "come the revolution"I think I heard on the news BP had sold their petrochemical side to Ineos, jump before their pushed
A
AusDave
Well-known member
I remember many decades ago when the first rechargeable drills came out and my old man bought one. It was a bit of a novelty. A dozen holes through some roofing iron for some rivets and the battery was dead. Fast forward to now and you can get nearly every power tool in a rechargeable form and they work as well as or some even better than their plug in or pneumatic versions. The technological change from NiCad to Lithium batteries made the difference and the newest lithium battery tech is improving the capabilities every year.
My accountant has a Tesla, which his wife uses as she clocks up a lot of kms between university campuses as a project manager. 70,000 km a year and no major issues and no major servicing required. Uni has free charging so no fuel cost either Tesla has a battery day recently, which can be found online, detailing some of the advances they were making in battery tech. The result of these changes would lead to cheaper, cooler running and more energy dense batteries. And while Tesla is pushing their tech Toyota, LG, Siemens et al are all developing their battery and renewable tech with hydrogen being rapidly developed.
Druid, don't worry about hydrogen storage, if hydrogen escapes it rises immediately and dissipates. However when petrol leaks it just lies around waiting for a spark ...
Like the advance of mobile phones, technology can lead to exponential advances which can change habits and the daily tools and vehicles we use. In Australia some of our Universities have developed and licensed a lot the technology that is now producing cheap solar PV panels which are being installed all over the world including the UK. They even produce power when it's cloudy. In Australia over 21 percent of households have rooftop solar panels and many produce more power than they use and feed the excess back to the grid. Large scale batteries are also being used here to balance power loads rather than peaking generators which is saving millions in peak power costs.
The change from petrol/diesel vehicles to electric/hydrogen vehicles is a massive opportunity for employment and product development throughout every country just as the T Model Ford made a car affordable for the masses. Just like the rollout of faster internet was in many countries, (especially Australia), a patchy and political process, once it finally worked it has become indispensable to how we do business especially with COVID lockdowns. I can't wait for affordable, electric earthmoving equipment with all day battery/hydrogen capability. Just think of how many moving parts and fragile emission control tech in modern diesels is going to be replaced with a simple electric motor with just a couple of durable moving parts.
Like any new products the first ones will have higher costs and some limitations but once manufacturing scale combined with competitive product development gets going electric tech will make fossil fuel machinery seem antiquated and high maintenance. I love going to steam rallies and other antique equipment field days and seeing what it took to run a workshop before electricity. A large single steam or oil engine had to be started, after all the preparatory steps such as building steam or heating a hot bulb had been done, and then it powered a live shaft through the workshop which had leather flat belts to drill presses, lathes, hammers and other tools. Now we flick a switch and we're away and the electric equipment will run for years with minimal maintenance.
However like every change, we see the soul in the old tech, such as the fascination for the steam era. Soon we'll be looking back at the diesel era and fondly remembering the deafening scream of a Detroit 2 stroke diesel as much as we remember a favourite piece of music from the past
My accountant has a Tesla, which his wife uses as she clocks up a lot of kms between university campuses as a project manager. 70,000 km a year and no major issues and no major servicing required. Uni has free charging so no fuel cost either
Tesla has a battery day recently, which can be found online, detailing some of the advances they were making in battery tech. The result of these changes would lead to cheaper, cooler running and more energy dense batteries. And while Tesla is pushing their tech Toyota, LG, Siemens et al are all developing their battery and renewable tech with hydrogen being rapidly developed.Druid, don't worry about hydrogen storage, if hydrogen escapes it rises immediately and dissipates. However when petrol leaks it just lies around waiting for a spark ...
Like the advance of mobile phones, technology can lead to exponential advances which can change habits and the daily tools and vehicles we use. In Australia some of our Universities have developed and licensed a lot the technology that is now producing cheap solar PV panels which are being installed all over the world including the UK. They even produce power when it's cloudy. In Australia over 21 percent of households have rooftop solar panels and many produce more power than they use and feed the excess back to the grid. Large scale batteries are also being used here to balance power loads rather than peaking generators which is saving millions in peak power costs.
The change from petrol/diesel vehicles to electric/hydrogen vehicles is a massive opportunity for employment and product development throughout every country just as the T Model Ford made a car affordable for the masses. Just like the rollout of faster internet was in many countries, (especially Australia), a patchy and political process, once it finally worked it has become indispensable to how we do business especially with COVID lockdowns. I can't wait for affordable, electric earthmoving equipment with all day battery/hydrogen capability. Just think of how many moving parts and fragile emission control tech in modern diesels is going to be replaced with a simple electric motor with just a couple of durable moving parts.
Like any new products the first ones will have higher costs and some limitations but once manufacturing scale combined with competitive product development gets going electric tech will make fossil fuel machinery seem antiquated and high maintenance. I love going to steam rallies and other antique equipment field days and seeing what it took to run a workshop before electricity. A large single steam or oil engine had to be started, after all the preparatory steps such as building steam or heating a hot bulb had been done, and then it powered a live shaft through the workshop which had leather flat belts to drill presses, lathes, hammers and other tools. Now we flick a switch and we're away and the electric equipment will run for years with minimal maintenance.
However like every change, we see the soul in the old tech, such as the fascination for the steam era. Soon we'll be looking back at the diesel era and fondly remembering the deafening scream of a Detroit 2 stroke diesel as much as we remember a favourite piece of music from the past
Cyberprog
Well-known member
The grid copes very well with load these days. To keep the frequency within a few points of a hertz in fact.the current national grid's capacity can't cope with an ad break in a popular TV prog. when everyone turns the kettle on
It's a massive, massive load that is dumped onto the grid when everyone suddenly demands 3KW of energy at the same time. The systems that they use such as the pumped storage are the only ones that can respond quick enough to the massive draw that they need, in order to keep the frequency where it needs to be. They crank up diesel and CCGT generation in a similar manner because it too can respond much faster than any of the other options.
We are a ways away from big batteries being available to soak up that sort of load, but they are coming to the home. In fact, what will happen is that your car will be able to act as that battery, both charging from the house, and supplying the house when you need peak demand. Charge during the day from solar, and it will then store that charge for you during the night. Tesla have already launched their powerwall product which is very similar.
Bri963
Well-known member
Wonder what the greenies will do when we’re all eco and the climate continues to change, same As it always has? There are many places round the world where there are the remains of towns way below the current water level; it wasn’t smoke from Diesel engines that put them there.
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
Druid, don't worry about hydrogen storage, if hydrogen escapes it rises immediately and dissipates. However when petrol leaks it just lies around waiting for a spark ...
not so much worried about leakage as some tw*t running into it with a 42 tonner .... they managed to run/reverse into most else at that location, including my yard fence with unbelievable regularity !!
craig
Well-known member
There`s been climate change/warming since (and before) the ice age
Lancs Lad
Well-known member
No one doubts there's benefits perhaps ..of leccy cars etc there certainly is to cordless tools ..it's the way it's been peddled by the green lobby with their agendas that the average guy takes umbrage to imo. No one forced me to buy cordless power tools...I saw the benefit and bought..but sorry a cordless car/truck just doesn't add up..
Cyberprog
Well-known member
Ok, so I'm not an early adopter. I like to wait and see where the market goes, but I'm also not a holdout.
I drive lots of hybrids now as a result of hire cars for work, and they are way better on fuel. Talking high 50's-60's on motorway runs. My eyes have been opened this year.
I also just bought a new car this year (Kia Picanto) and I find myself thinking that if they had offered a hybrid or entirely electric option on that car I'd have spent the extra money.
When it's PCP term is up in 3 years, I can fully see us buying a hybrid with battery option (range extender basically) if offered - possibly going up a model or two if needed as the money we would save would be substantial.
S
Smiffy
Well-known member
The other problem I have ATM is the way Elon musk seems to tie everything together and have it remote controlled
Whilst his technology is great I do worry he is one white cat away from trying to cut James bond in half with a laser beam
Whilst his technology is great I do worry he is one white cat away from trying to cut James bond in half with a laser beam
J
Justme
Well-known member
Compared to my current car thats amazing.
But compared to my last one its not that good.
That would do 73mph on a run even when not driving it particularly eco.
Around town it would do 50+ with ease.
It was a 2012 Astra 1.7 ecoflex so nothing special.
Even my wifes 09 Astra will do 60mpg on a run.
Hybrid's need to try harder.
Cyberprog
Well-known member
Interesting to see that sort of figures off a non hybrid!
Lancs Lad
Well-known member
Deffo...I know plenty of folk who run plugin hybrids that never plug them in..
asked couple of them .."why should I? Company doesn't pay my electricity I just have hybrid for tax saving and this thing is so un- economical" 
whole things a joke.
Gunners
Well-known member
08 Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 Diesel did 60mpg no matter how you drove it. And I was younger then, foot out, flat out with drum and bass blaring!
GazCro
Well-known member
I think a lot of people forget that when you go and buy a 2 litre turbo diesel car that's pushing 200hp it's gonna need a bit of fuel. 10/15 yr ago same motor probs 120hp and could probs push high 40s mpg.
J
Justme
Well-known member
Book mpg was over 80.
I think if I really tried I could have got close.
I even got 47mpg towing a 750kg (real weight) processor on a trip.
Towing 1100kg on towing lessons it did 30-33mpg with learners driving.
On car lesson is did over 50mpg again with learners driving.
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AusDave
Well-known member
After ordering in September last year my electric vehicle has arrived.
It's sort of a cross between a mountain bike and a motocross bike
It weighs 50kg, current gearing top speed is 70-80kmh, 60volt battery pack, 5kw motor and maximum torque at zero RPM! Will climb any hill, limiting factor being traction or keeping the front wheel down. Accelerates like the clappers and has a range of approx 80-100km depending on how hard you go.
The bike is a Sur-Ron Lightbee and is made in China. My initial response to such a bike was it would be cheap and low quality. But reading further from Sur-Ron owners around the world, the feedback was that the bike was good quality, excellent value for money and heaps of fun. They are also so popular that a large range of aftermarket parts are available for modifying most parts of the bike.
So I put my deposit down last September and waited through delays in shipping and clogged container ports in Australia and finally picked it up from the importers last week. The importer has done the work of making the bike road legal so I picked the bike up fully registered ready to get out on the road and beyond.
I've only whizzed around town so far and have yet to get off road where no doubt the long travel suspension and off road tyres will be useful. But I'm suitably impressed
It's sort of a cross between a mountain bike and a motocross bike
It weighs 50kg, current gearing top speed is 70-80kmh, 60volt battery pack, 5kw motor and maximum torque at zero RPM! Will climb any hill, limiting factor being traction or keeping the front wheel down. Accelerates like the clappers and has a range of approx 80-100km depending on how hard you go.
The bike is a Sur-Ron Lightbee and is made in China. My initial response to such a bike was it would be cheap and low quality. But reading further from Sur-Ron owners around the world, the feedback was that the bike was good quality, excellent value for money and heaps of fun. They are also so popular that a large range of aftermarket parts are available for modifying most parts of the bike.
So I put my deposit down last September and waited through delays in shipping and clogged container ports in Australia and finally picked it up from the importers last week. The importer has done the work of making the bike road legal so I picked the bike up fully registered ready to get out on the road and beyond.
I've only whizzed around town so far and have yet to get off road where no doubt the long travel suspension and off road tyres will be useful. But I'm suitably impressed
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
initial reaction to the pic wasAfter ordering in September last year my electric vehicle has arrived.
View attachment 21556
It's sort of a cross between a mountain bike and a motocross bike
It weighs 50kg, current gearing top speed is 70-80kmh, 60volt battery pack, 5kw motor and maximum torque at zero RPM! Will climb any hill, limiting factor being traction or keeping the front wheel down. Accelerates like the clappers and has a range of approx 80-100km depending on how hard you go.
The bike is a Sur-Ron Lightbee and is made in China. My initial response to such a bike was it would be cheap and low quality. But reading further from Sur-Ron owners around the world, the feedback was that the bike was good quality, excellent value for money and heaps of fun. They are also so popular that a large range of aftermarket parts are available for modifying most parts of the bike.
So I put my deposit down last September and waited through delays in shipping and clogged container ports in Australia and finally picked it up from the importers last week. The importer has done the work of making the bike road legal so I picked the bike up fully registered ready to get out on the road and beyond.
I've only whizzed around town so far and have yet to get off road where no doubt the long travel suspension and off road tyres will be useful. But I'm suitably impressed
WTF is that .... then I read below it will be real interested to hear your longer term impressions .... a 50kg crosser'll be impressive to chuck about ..... don't spose that is a cheap item ?
diggerjones
Well-known member
Yeah looks weird. I could see me on one of them. How much though
M
Monkeybusiness
Well-known member
50kg is a fair lump to push home when it goes flat though!...
They look to be £4K plus over here. Very interested to see how you get on with it, I’d definitely like a go on one!
They look to be £4K plus over here. Very interested to see how you get on with it, I’d definitely like a go on one!
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
+1 here ... doubt it'd keep up with me XT600 though
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