[teestub]

Maybe this is part of Elon’s Space X long plan!
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032063320303056

[tomtom]

Maybe this is part of Elon’s Space X long plan!
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032063320303056

Oi belta! Someones been inspired to do some science after watching the Expanse :D

(though asteroid mining has been around for ages as an idea... is it another one of Arthur C. Clarkes ones?)

[tomtom]

Test drove an iD3 this morning.

Very pleasant - just super easy to drive/use. Felt a bit spartan, but I quite liked that.

It (EV's) did feel like the future when I got back into my oil burner...

[Stabbsy]

Test drove an iD3 this morning.

Very pleasant - just super easy to drive/use. Felt a bit spartan, but I quite liked that.

It (EV's) did feel like the future when I got back into my oil burner...

Anecdotal, but when we had our eGolf delivered, the delivery guy was saying how great they were and how he would avoid the iD3 and 4 for a while as they had a few teething problems. The examples he gave were around central locking and alarms (I’d say the electrics if it was a petrol car, but that wouldn’t convey the right story in this case!).

[tomtom]

Anecdotal, but when we had our eGolf delivered, the delivery guy was saying how great they were and how he would avoid the iD3 and 4 for a while as they had a few teething problems. The examples he gave were around central locking and alarms (I’d say the electrics if it was a petrol car, but that wouldn’t convey the right story in this case!).

Cheers - yes - lots of issues with the software looking at the forums. Leading to central control modules needing to be replaced - that can now be fixed with a software update... Apparently. Its about a year on since they were launched so think much (maybe not all?) of these have been fixed by now... The one I drove didnt seem laggy or slow with the screen/software... Bit of wind noise - but could have just been louder due to a lack of any engine noise.

It was very competitively priced - especially when they offered me £6k for my existing car when the We Buy any Car / Online trade in value is £3-3.5k.... effectively giving a 2-3k dealer discount on top of the govts £2.5 and another £1k from some other offer... 

[tlr]

Our iD3 arrived last week, not driven it loads yet but so far so good. Actual driving is super simple and drama free, plenty of space in the cabin and a pleasant enough place to be.

Controls via the touchscreen will take some getting used to, but I'd imagine that is probably the same with most new cars ICE or electric as touchscreens now rule the world it seems. The stereo / speakers certainly aren't great and the interior isn't 'luxurious', but I'd say it's really a £20k car that happens to cost closer to £40k due to the battery tech, so fine when considered in those terms. And the app is woeful - so bad that so far we haven't actually managed to connect to the car, but as it barely does anything anyway that is no biggy at the moment.

It is primarily for my wife's commute and general errands and will be brilliant for that, I think for now we will still use my A6 for longer trips but that might change as we get used to it.

[tomtom]

👏👏
I put down a deposit on one (iD3) yesterday! Couple of weeks until delivery. Loved it on the test drives… bit excited - bit nervous!

Wangled a bit more discount and the numbers seemed to stack up so…..

Looking forward to losing the diesel….

id3forums.co.uk seems to have a healthy number of posts - they might be able to help?

[Paul B]

Just for completeness, we sold the BMW via We Buy Any Car for a very good price (better than any trade in we've been offered). We had no private interest (literally not a single phonecall).

I believe Nat may have been tough during negotiations: "what, have you not heard of T-cut?" 

My MiL is going to consider her options further, sticking with the 1.0 Fiesta for now.

Personally I've just read about the Renault 5 electric 

[SamT]

Does anyone out there know the sketch re leasing an electric car through a business.  I've done a fair bit of googling and keep getting conflicting info about whether its worth it or not, and what the tax breaks are etc.

[hongkongstuey]

has anyone tried the Kia Niro EV? Looking to replace a VW Tiguan and this seems one of the closer models out there.

Key requirements for me will be ability to fit a couple of organic pads in the boot (seems a bunch of the EVs out there have quite small boots due to the batteries?) as well as the ability to stuff a few surfboards across the middle of the interior too.

[Fultonius]

Had a hybrid niro, so not a direct comparison. Drove OK, could hustle at reasonable speeds along country roads but it felt quite vague and unengaging.

I had to take off the parcel shelf to fit an Ocun Paddy and my shitty old thin BD pad.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vg5NWbvmBo6jtVoZ8

[Fultonius]

Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a bit bigger but looks like a great choice.

[cowboyhat]

Controls via the touchscreen will take some getting used to, but I'd imagine that is probably the same with most new cars ICE or electric as touchscreens now rule the world it seems. The stereo / speakers certainly aren't great and the interior isn't 'luxurious', but I'd say it's really a £20k car that happens to cost closer to £40k due to the battery tech, so fine when considered in those terms. And the app is woeful - so bad that so far we haven't actually managed to connect to the car, but as it barely does anything anyway that is no biggy at the moment.

Sounds absolutely shit

[petejh]

A cost compassion between EV and ICE, for a nissan leaf versus ford focus.

https://monevator.com/comparing-the-cost-of-electric-car-ownership/

Quite good I thought for a basic template which you can apply to any vehicle comparison (the comments are worth reading for more info). What it doesn't include though is the proposed (I think, maybe it's still secret?..) road tax changes as the UK pivots out of ICE into EV. We're undoubtedly imo heading for widespread toll roads to replace lost fuel tax revenue. So you won't be saving money on road tax.

DIY electricity gen is going to explode in popularity over next 20 years..

[petejh]

Some background info on the (solid) state of play in battery tech, from a recent news release by one of the battery companies I'm invested in. Solid state batteries 'to reach energy densities that will exceed li-ion cells by end of next year'.

https://www.lse.co.uk/rns/IKA/proposed-placing-open-offer-and-retail-offer-864ismq99acompl.html
''Designs of conventional large format lithium ion cells are reaching their maximum theoretical energy density of 300-350 Wh/kg. Solid state cell designs offer the promise of theoretical energy densities of 475-525 Wh/kg depending on the choice of architecture and materials. Developers around the world are designing and making prototype solid state cells that are gradually increasing in energy density. These new designs are expected to yield energy densities that will exceed conventional lithium ion cells in 2022 and move towards the theoretical limit of such designs over the next five years.''

[petejh]

Came across this website, it lists companies worldwide that carry out battery pack replacements and range extenders for Nissan EVs.
https://nissanleafbatteryreplacement.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Jk6ttjGU_IePs-5h_B65msddz2BkXf1KeB1qTHVBTvgq-uKzVVocVbmg


Pricey though! From one of the UK companies:

8.8kWh extender in boot. The 8.8kWh extender will add 30+ miles of range to your Leaf. The kit costs £5,000* inc VAT and fitting.
17.6kWh extender in boot. The 17.6kWh extender will add 60+ miles of range to your Leaf. The kit costs £6,250* inc VAT and fitting.
17.6kWh extender UBEX for an eNV200 van. These fit underneath the van. The kit costs £7,600* inc VAT and fitting.
40kWh battery upgrades. Prices start from £8,500* inc VAT and fitting.
24kWh battery replacement. Approx £5,500* depending on supply cost of a battery, if one can be found in good condition.
30kWh battery replacement. These are harder to price as good 30kWh batteries are hard to find. If a battery can be found the installation is £1,500* (inc VAT) plus battery cost.
62kWh battery replacement. We have one available, priced at £13,500 inc VAT and fitting.

Big savings to be made when replacing battery packs becomes a DIY job. Can't be that difficult to do, but would need access to a car lift.

[chris j]

Bargain prices for the Nissan! I can't find the link but recall a story where the price to replace a Jaguar i Pace battery was more than £30k!

[petejh]

The way of things to come:


''Electric car charging points in people’s homes will be preset to switch off for nine hours each weekday at times of peak demand because ministers fear blackouts on the National Grid.

Under regulations that will come into force in May, new chargers in the home and workplace will be automatically set not to function from 8am to 11am and 4pm to 10pm. Public chargers and rapid chargers, on motorways and A-roads, will be exempt.''
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4ef85eba-133f-11ec-a8a6-db0b408d06d6

Note how the public charging companies supplying at a high cost won't be restricted however... Classic creation of a market.

 
Consequences - night time charging. But night time charging relies on the balance shifting towards electricity generated using fossil fuels (wind ok, but no solar).
Solution - batteries. To buffer spikes in demand by storing electricity from renewable sources. Also gravity storage systems in mine shafts, hydro etc.
Consequences - batteries don't grow on trees. Increase in supply of batteries demands a significant increase in natural resources of copper, lithium, tin and especially nickel sulphate.

Also better batteries are on the way.. solid state will change the game.

I think you can see where this is going.

Alternatively, everyone has to stay local or get the tram/train/bus but fuck that.

[abarro81]

Solution in countries with good solar resource = daytime charging (e.g. in work carparks), with vehicle-to-grid to use car battery to supply grid in peak hours.... but yeah,  more stationary storage too of course.

[petejh]

Yeah could all move to hot sunny southern European countries I suppose.. that would work. And good for their house prices too.

Remind me again how that vehicle to grid charging works.. because we all love having a vehicle with an empty fuel tank* when we need it in a hurry right? (I'm jesting obv.. I'm v.much into EVs and the electricity transition. I'm just enjoying watching the process).


* Instinctive answer would be a 10-15% of full charge automatic cut-off. Cut-offs can work both ways right.
And I'm pretty confident a new generation of EV 'enhancement hackers' will emerge - kid with a laptop. Growing into a profitable niche industry in hacking these things.

[abarro81]

* Instinctive answer would be a 10-15% of full charge automatic cut-off. Cut-offs can work both ways right.

Yeah, I would expect us to have apps where we can choose what % of charge we're prepared to go to on different days, times etc, plus more variable tariffs for buying/selling elec to the grid (possibly push notifications of price spikes to let you adjust on the fly?), options to set a "needs to be fully charged by this time in the morning" etc... not as fun as moving to Southern France though.

[petejh]

A good overview article from today's FT on the nickel story as it relates to EVs. Basically - currently most nickel used in lithium-ion batteries comes from Indonesia and is processed in China at v.high carbon cost due to China's coal-powered industry. EU/US provenance policies along with consumer choices will increasingly from 2024 demand to know provenance of nickel with low carbon footprint, coming from outside China/Indonesia - short-term opportunities (ahem..centuaras metals.. ahem) - longer term, Indonesia and China lower their carbon emissions, western nickel mining companies go under and and we all, except western nickel investors holding the bag too long, live happily ever after.

(should be free to view).
https://www.ft.com/content/165d6ba8-f044-4601-9caf-1d1369ec4c09?commentID=85c83524-4ebc-4f11-9ae7-a164c3ab5b48#comments-anchor

[Duma]

Consequences - night time charging. But night time charging relies on the balance shifting towards electricity generated using fossil fuels (wind ok, but no solar).

any source to back this up? I work in the industry and am pretty sure it's not the case.

[petejh]

To back up that the sun goes down at night? ...

No. But if you work in the industry then you're the person to ask. Please let us know what the balance is currently for night-time charging. 3 figures - for 'average' nights, on good windy nights, and on nights with no wind. And then another 3 figures based on same, forecasted for the massive increase in overnight energy demand from the number of EV's forecasted to be on the roads by mid-late 2020s requiring overnight charging.

This isn't some bs ukb 'trying to make a point' btw. I'm genuinely interested in the subject, am a big fan of EVs, and keen to understand as much as poss.

[Duma]

Ignoring the entitled and patronising tone of your first 2 paragraphs, and in the spirit of your third:


Somewhat depends on how you class nukes - between the domestic and the interconnector imports (mostly french nukes) that's a fair chunk of overnight generation.

This page has a graph (generation by fuel type) that shows what you're after I think:
https://www.bmreports.com/bmrs/?q=eds/main
(Solar is embedded into the demand side so not visible on that graph)
You can see how the demand shape is accommodated by CCGTs (i.e. FF). On a high wind night the only CCGT's running would be to provide frequency support.

Last night was a low wind night btw - typically sept would have about 5GW (lowball as historical averages and more getting commissioned all the time), a high wind night would have over 10GW - i.e. ~50% of overnight demand

I don't know anything about future EV demand projections, but any such analysis would need to take into account the expected wind capacity growth and projects like the (currently commissioning) North sea link (1.4GW UK-Norway interconnector which will give us loads of hydro power overnight)