Cars, cars, cars...

pinno

rjsterry said:

pinno said:

An electric motorbike overtook me today.
Fast and spooky.

Waaaaaaaah, waaaaaaaaaaah, waaaaaaaaaaah. It was none of that.

It was:

bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... with no perceptible gear change.

Don't need gears for electric motors as they have more or less the same torque at whatever speed they are running. The clever bit is the electronics to get it to accelerate smoothly.

The 'gear changes' you hear on electric trains are actually switching.

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

Wheelspinner

morstar said:

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

rjsterry said:

Rage, rage against the dying of the petrol engine! 🙂

Oh, the spite of the non enthusiast....theyll be around for a fair while longer

Anyhow, roll on the hydrogen combustion engine. Should I ever need it, that is - a well timed purchase of a good fun petrol car at the end of this decade should take me to an age when I won't really care any more. That, or I'll take good care of my current one and enjoy a classic for a while

Oh don't be so sensitive. I'm just noting the similarities with steam enthusiasts grumbling about how diesels don't have the romance, etc. Everyone needs a hobby.

I think you know me well enough by now tourmaline I'm not too sensitive But I do like poking fun at the anti car bores and those who don't have a clue because they don't even own one

Poke away

morstar said:

ddraver said:

Does anyone think the 2030 deadline will actually be a deadline? I just can't see it.

There's just so, so much infrastructure that needs building beforehand and zero will to do any of it...

I have pondered this a few times and the answer is no.

The infrastructure is increasing at a very gradual rate in urban areas and at an infinitesimally small rate in the countryside.

The policy has been active for a few years now and there isn’t even empty rhetoric about world class charging infrastructure, let alone significant activity.

I think it must come to a head in the next 2-3 years as the sales shift is happening faster than the infrastructure to support it.

Not sure which bit of the country you are in but I'd say more of our London projects than not want an EV charging point(s) built in somewhere. Having just spent two weeks in East Devon, there were a fair few points dotted around the various public car parks and a lot of EVs driving around. Not a majority of course, but a noticeable presence. There were a couple on the camp site we were staying at.

It’s far from non existent but it’s hardly widespread either.

I already hear complaints of waiting for chargers from friends and colleagues that have electric cars.

The ability for those without off street parking to partake needs a step change in provision.

There was an article here a few weeks back, written by an electrical design engineer in Melbourne. They’d been commissioned to retro-fit charging equipment to some apartment building in inner-city Melb. There were a few practical problems…

1. The building parking facilities (basement) had limited “shared” spaces which could be used. Most apartments “owned” their parking space, and few owners were at all interested in giving theirs up. The total number of spaces in the complexes was fairly low compared to the number of residents, because councils had previously agreed years ago that inner-city living “should” discourage car ownership. (Developers loved this policy, because it cut their costs substantially.) After months of wrangling at one building, they ended up with three shared charging stations agreed in the parking area, for a building with over 150 apartments.
2. The actual building wiring supply was a major limitation. The construction of the basement parking had never included anywhere near enough power supply for individual owners to install their own charge points. The whole main board for the building needed to be upgraded, to allow new sub boards to be installed just to run the charging stations. Again, that was building design standard - none of the “old” buildings had ever been designed and built with excess capacity sufficient to add loads of new power draw. New main and sub-boards for the building was a pretty big cost and the owner(s) of all the apartments were the only ones to pay for it.
3. Even if the individual building was upgraded, there was a limit on the allowed power draw the grid would support or permit. The entire suburb where this was already was near the maximum draw from the grid via the substations, because councils and developers had packed in loads of apartment buildings etc etc. This meant new grid substations would be needed, because update one building, no problem with charging infrastructure load. But update 50 to 100 buildings….
4. Grid capacity was the next limit. Power transmission to inner city Melbourne comes from a very long way away - hundreds of kilometres of transmission line. Adding more is obviously a big job and cost, but not just building the generators. Actually bringing the lines *in* was the problem - it has to go through miles of densely populated city, and expanding the grid capacity meant expanding the safety areas around the infrastructure. Hello forced buyback of property issues. Building *new* generation capacity such as wind/solar/whatever would mean coming in through whole new bits of the city not previously affected.

All this was in the context of popular opinion and stupid governments thinking that just switching off base load generation from coal or gas (in our case) must happen soon, despite there being insufficient alternative which is both reliable and cost-effective and available in time.

If you want to visit Australia, do it soon. In 5 years time, the lights will be off and we’ll be closed for business… ☹️

focuszing723

Energica Ego+, 126kw, 215nm torque, 0-60 2.8 seconds, 260 mile range (probably need to take a pinch of salt with this figure). 25-30 grand though, so the usual EV premium over a dinosaur squeezing machine. Pretty damn impressive though.

Stevo_666

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

rick_chasey

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

focuszing723

Na-ion batteries do sound promising though. It looks like they need some evolving to get to Li-ion power to weight goodness, but it's great that they use such an abundant material.

focuszing723

I think Cities are going to require those Rolls Royce mini nuclear (SMR) plants to meat the power demand. Especially to cover winter requirements.

pinno

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

rick_chasey

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

rjsterry

focuszing723 said:

Na-ion batteries do sound promising though. It looks like they need some evolving to get to Li-ion power to weight goodness, but it's great that they use such an abundant material.

Yes they do look good, and produce less heat, which is wasted energy/fire risk.

focuszing723

rick_chasey said:

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

I hope it's a sailing boat. Those ships use heck of as lot of nasty oily dinosaur squeezings.

focuszing723

Actually people who live on sailing boat are probably some of the most Eco friendly people on the planet, especially taking travelling into consideration.

capt_slog

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

focuszing723

Wind movement power, solar to power devices, make their own water (desalination). Don't take up space on land. They have to live in a strict power sensitive way.

focuszing723

capt_slog said:

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

Marshals can warn the spectators.

First.Aspect

rjsterry said:

First.Aspect said:

It's easy to make. You just need some water and electricity.

And to make the electricity we just need a hydrogen fuel cell and...

That's simple enough. And in fact is exactly how peaks and troughs in renewables energy will be smoothed out.

capt_slog

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

Marshals can warn the spectators.

But I suppose those marshals are also listening for the bikes?

pinno

focuszing723 said:

rick_chasey said:

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

I hope it's a sailing boat. Those ships use heck of as lot of nasty oily dinosaur squeezings.

Electric wind and solar powered ferries. Now there's a thing or...
Gigantic pedalo's?

pblakeney

pinno said:

focuszing723 said:

rick_chasey said:

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

I hope it's a sailing boat. Those ships use heck of as lot of nasty oily dinosaur squeezings.

Electric wind and solar powered ferries. Now there's a thing or...
Gigantic pedalo's?

I must admit to laughing out loud last week when I read about the "new idea" of wind powered sailing ships.

focuszing723

capt_slog said:

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

Marshals can warn the spectators.

But I suppose those marshals are also listening for the bikes?

Yep, you've kind of p1$$ed on my chips there, ummmm.

I guess they could make a synthetic speakery noise?

focuszing723

pinno said:

focuszing723 said:

rick_chasey said:

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

I hope it's a sailing boat. Those ships use heck of as lot of nasty oily dinosaur squeezings.

Electric wind and solar powered ferries. Now there's a thing or...
Gigantic pedalo's?

Swedes to build wind-powered transatlantic cargo ship (yes, it’s a sailboat)

https://thenextweb.com/news/swedes-boat-powered-by-wind-sailboat-ship-cargo-transatlantic.


That would be an interesting sight, all these passengers frantically peddling.

rjsterry

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

Marshals can warn the spectators.

But I suppose those marshals are also listening for the bikes?

Yep, you've kind of p1$$ed on my chips there, ummmm.

I guess they could make a synthetic speakery noise?

Electric motors aren't completely silent, especially not at that speed.

pinno

rjsterry said:

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

Marshals can warn the spectators.

But I suppose those marshals are also listening for the bikes?

Yep, you've kind of p1$$ed on my chips there, ummmm.

I guess they could make a synthetic speakery noise?

Electric motors aren't completely silent, especially not at that speed.

Remember those plastic things that you could attach to your bike and it would hit the spokes and play tinky tonk tinky tonk tinky tonk noises?

focuszing723

rjsterry said:

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

focuszing723 said:

capt_slog said:

pinno said:

I phrased it wrong. The sound is uninterrupted linear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxZs2-gICc

I've never been to the TT races, so forgive what might be a stupid question.

Do spectators ever cross the road between bikes?

If so the advent of electric bikes is going to add a new level of terror.

Marshals can warn the spectators.

But I suppose those marshals are also listening for the bikes?

Yep, you've kind of p1$$ed on my chips there, ummmm.

I guess they could make a synthetic speakery noise?

Electric motors aren't completely silent, especially not at that speed.

I guess the corners could do with a bit a synthetic sound, but yeah, fair point.

rjsterry

focuszing723 said:

pinno said:

focuszing723 said:

rick_chasey said:

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

I hope it's a sailing boat. Those ships use heck of as lot of nasty oily dinosaur squeezings.

Electric wind and solar powered ferries. Now there's a thing or...
Gigantic pedalo's?

Swedes to build wind-powered transatlantic cargo ship (yes, it’s a sailboat)

https://thenextweb.com/news/swedes-boat-powered-by-wind-sailboat-ship-cargo-transatlantic.


That would be an interesting sight, all these passengers frantically peddling.

I remember seeing a model of a container ship with sails retro-fitted. Apparently it dated from the 1973 oil crisis, when ship owners were looking for alternatives.

focuszing723

rjsterry said:

focuszing723 said:

Na-ion batteries do sound promising though. It looks like they need some evolving to get to Li-ion power to weight goodness, but it's great that they use such an abundant material.

Yes they do look good, and produce less heat, which is wasted energy/fire risk.

China’s Climate Goals Hinge on a $440 Billion Nuclear Buildout
China is planning at least 150 new reactors in the next 15 years, more than the rest of the world has built in the past 35.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-11-02/china-climate-goals-hinge-on-440-billion-nuclear-power-plan-to-rival-u-s#xj4y7vzkg

I still think there are big risks with them, but...

When you think a nuclear war is always a risk, why not just crack on with a positive use of the escalating, decaying power.

focuszing723

rjsterry said:

focuszing723 said:

pinno said:

focuszing723 said:

rick_chasey said:

pinno said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

Stevo_666 said:

rick_chasey said:

If you don’t like the morality of getting your oil from places like Saudi, wait until you find out about the wars going on to control the mines that dig out stuff needed for batteries.

See my posts above about the hydrogen combustion engine. Nobody has the hydrogen supply cornered...

Same goes for hydrogen fuel cells.

Think you’re a little too long in the tooth to see that become the norm

As mentioned above, I'll get to drive I want in any event until I'm too old to care.

That’s the spirit. Screw the young.

Says he who often fly's.

Have started taking the boat tbf.

I hope it's a sailing boat. Those ships use heck of as lot of nasty oily dinosaur squeezings.

Electric wind and solar powered ferries. Now there's a thing or...
Gigantic pedalo's?

Swedes to build wind-powered transatlantic cargo ship (yes, it’s a sailboat)

https://thenextweb.com/news/swedes-boat-powered-by-wind-sailboat-ship-cargo-transatlantic.


That would be an interesting sight, all these passengers frantically peddling.

I remember seeing a model of a container ship with sails retro-fitted. Apparently it dated from the 1973 oil crisis, when ship owners were looking for alternatives.

Ah, I will have a google for that, sounds interesting.

focuszing723

I better pop in Coulthards Valkyrie to restore the threads balance. Look at that diffuser, you could camp under that. Also, it looks like you need an intercom to be able to talk to your passenger because it's so bloody noisy.

davidof

Dorset_Boy said:

Worst car I 'had' was a yellow austin Metro

Utterly shite 1970s maufacturing quality.

Especially bad as the Metro wasn't made in the 1970s.

davidof

MattFalle said:

Oooh no - worst car ever?

Every single Landy I've ever driven

totalshit, the lot of them. utter, totalshit.

Landies are utter crap - I figure they were so bad to give Army mechanics something to do each day.

But the fanbois will kill you for saying they are bad.