[timb64]

On NHK I saw a video clip of a drive-thru EV battery exchange station in China.
Apparently at least one of their car models has a removable modular battery pack attached to the underside of the vehicle.
The automated exchange of old battery pack for new fully charged one takes less than a minute.

Chris

I've long thought that was the way forward,but would need standardisation which is beyond the capability of diverse/self interested motor manufacturers.

[hadi]

I would be feeling negative too if I had gone through the exercise you went through! So far, no problems of any kind for me. I am one of those bad people who are not into saving the environment, though I don't throw trash out the window when driving around. It seems to me that electric cars create just as much pollution as regular cars since producing electricity requires burning coal, diesel, or natural gas. Actually, I suspect that switching cars to natural gas would give better results than electric vehicles or hybrids. If government would stop subsidizing certain kinds of energy and vehicles, I am sure the market would arrive at an economical solution that would reflect society's consensus on the environment vs the economy question, but then I have always preferred market solutions vs. centrally directed solutions.

for what its worth, cars dont pollute the air HALF as much as what major factories pollute. Take down the top entities around the world, then maybe it will make an impact?

[Just1MoreDave]

On NHK I saw a video clip of a drive-thru EV battery exchange station in China.
Apparently at least one of their car models has a removable modular battery pack attached to the underside of the vehicle.
The automated exchange of old battery pack for new fully charged one takes less than a minute.

Chris

The Tesla Model S was designed to allow the battery pack to be swapped in 90 seconds, by robots, much like when the car was built. The idea was you could get a fully charged battery in less time than pumping a tank of gas. They built one test facility to do this but shut it down in 2015. It was partly a public relations project, so Tesla could answer the question "what about recharging on a long trip?" Once they built out the Supercharger network a lot more, less people asked.

The Tesla navigation system will give you a route based on how much charge your car has now, how much energy you're using and the Supercharger stations it predicts you'll need. It'll figure out your charging time too. Range is still not as high as other technologies but it would be good enough for me. Our Mercedes can go 550-600 miles on a tank without any problem, but I can't. What we've done is swap drivers at 300 miles. Probably with a Tesla we'd stop every 200 miles and take a few extra minutes to charge. Tesla's competitors are all behind on the charging network to some extent.

I'm planning to drive my gas-powered truck from Colorado to Connecticut, so I upgraded its technology this week. It had a single-disc CD player so I got a new "digital receiver". I can use SD cards or bluetooth from my phone. The bluetooth connection also allows handsfree calling. I added 4 USB ports because when the truck was built, USB was just for plugging in your corded mouse. The truck has 3 12V outlets already. I hardwired my old Garmin GPS and a new Garmin dashcam. All the lights are LED except headlights - last I looked, LED headlight bulbs weren't very good. I clipped on a phone mount and done!

IMGC9446 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/60863347@N04/]Dave[url], on Flickr

[dbs]

The Tesla Model S was designed to allow the battery pack to be swapped in 90 seconds, by robots, much like when the car was built. The idea was you could get a fully charged battery in less time than pumping a tank of gas. They built one test facility to do this but shut it down in 2015. It was partly a public relations project, so Tesla could answer the question "what about recharging on a long trip?" Once they built out the Supercharger network a lot more, less people asked.

The Tesla navigation system will give you a route based on how much charge your car has now, how much energy you're using and the Supercharger stations it predicts you'll need. It'll figure out your charging time too. Range is still not as high as other technologies but it would be good enough for me. Our Mercedes can go 550-600 miles on a tank without any problem, but I can't. What we've done is swap drivers at 300 miles. Probably with a Tesla we'd stop every 200 miles and take a few extra minutes to charge. Tesla's competitors are all behind on the charging network to some extent.

I'm planning to drive my gas-powered truck from Colorado to Connecticut, so I upgraded its technology this week. It had a single-disc CD player so I got a new "digital receiver". I can use SD cards or bluetooth from my phone. The bluetooth connection also allows handsfree calling. I added 4 USB ports because when the truck was built, USB was just for plugging in your corded mouse. The truck has 3 12V outlets already. I hardwired my old Garmin GPS and a new Garmin dashcam. All the lights are LED except headlights - last I looked, LED headlight bulbs weren't very good. I clipped on a phone mount and done!

IMGC9446 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/60863347@N04/]Dave[url], on Flickr

Does the phone get in the way of your knee during gear changes Dave.

Oh thats right you sit on the wrong side of the car

[AgentL]

for what its worth, cars dont pollute the air HALF as much as what major factories pollute. Take down the top entities around the world, then maybe it will make an impact?

Battery manufacturing is especially terrible for the environment as well as workers, and poorly-regulated. It's the biggest Achilles heel of EVs.

[Canada_Rockies]

Battery manufacturing is especially terrible for the environment as well as workers, and poorly-regulated. It's the biggest Achilles heel of EVs.

Not to mention the environmental impact of shipping them all over the world during manufacture. Air pollution is not the only pollution.

[ChrisPlatt]

For 40 years I've seen private homes with solar panels on the roof.
I'd imagine the same could easily be done with a carport or garage.

Chris

[lesmore49]

For 40 years I've seen private homes with solar panels on the roof.
I'd imagine the same could easily be done with a carport or garage.

Chris

Now if only solar panels attached to the roof of a car....could generate enough power, to charge the EV battery...and keep this battery at a .... constant 80% -100% charge level...as you're driving long distances on the highway. I think nothing of driving 600- 700 miles per day across the Canadian prairies or Wyoming/Montana interstates. * I can do it easily with an internal combustion engine, but not with a current EV, due to extended charging times and lack of EV infrastructure in those areas.

[Racer X 69]

For 40 years I've seen private homes with solar panels on the roof.
I'd imagine the same could easily be done with a carport or garage.

Chris

Or on the roofs of the electric cars.

[ChrisPlatt]

Many commuters never exceed the range of battery-only EVs.
A solar powered home charging station would suffice for them.

Chris

[lesmore49]

Many commuters never exceed the range of battery-only EVs.
A solar powered home charging station would suffice for them.

Chris

I watched a TV show (Canadian) today. A Toyota spokesman spoke about the RAV4 Hybrid...both gas and electric. The electric motor can do approximately 68 kms (about 45 or so miles) and that takes care of 90 % of urban Canadian driver's...daily...needs. The issue becomes if you go on a highway trip...or...you live in rural Canada and your drives are longer than 68 kms.

However with this RAV4 hybrid, no issue as the electric when it runs out of juice can switch to the gas engine and you can also push a button in the Hybrid RAV4, that will charge (regenerate) the Hybrid battery while driving, when using the gas engine. Perfect sense to me.

But still, this RAV4 Hybrid to me is the type of vehicle we should have the option of driving, not the pure EV...until all the pure EV ranges issues and charging infrastructure, charging time, EV range in cold winter weather, etc... is satisfactorily resolved. But my understanding is that many G& countries will be outlawing the sale of pure gas and hybrid electric gas by around 2035-40, some even earlier.

[Canada_Rockies]

I watched a TV show (Canadian) today. A Toyota spokesman spoke about the RAV4 Hybrid...both gas and electric. The electric motor can do approximately 68 kms (about 45 or so miles) and that takes care of 90 % of urban Canadian driver's...daily...needs. The issue becomes if you go on a highway trip...or...you live in rural Canada and your drives are longer than 68 kms.

However with this RAV4 hybrid, no issue as the electric when it runs out of juice can switch to the gas engine and you can also push a button in the Hybrid RAV4, that will charge (regenerate) the Hybrid battery while driving, when using the gas engine. Perfect sense to me.

But still, this RAV4 Hybrid to me is the type of vehicle we should have the option of driving, not the pure EV...until all the pure EV ranges issues and charging infrastructure, charging time, EV range in cold winter weather, etc... is satisfactorily resolved. But my understanding is that many G& countries will be outlawing the sale of pure gas and hybrid electric gas by around 2035-40, some even earlier.

The hybrid is useful up here in the Great Frozen North; pure EV is not practical.

[lesmore49]

The hybrid is useful up here in the Great Frozen North; pure EV is not practical.

Exactly. And you and I both know, being from places in Western Canada...me the prairies....that at tis point, EV is not practical...out here. Perhaps EV is practical in a place like Vancouver, BC...moderate climate....and only if the owner confines the driving to in city.

[Canada_Rockies]

Exactly. And you and I both know, being from places in Western Canada...me the prairies....that at tis point, EV is not practical...out here. Perhaps EV is practical in a place like Vancouver, BC...moderate climate....and only if the owner confines the driving to in city.

I don't think the EV fans realize just how much juice the defrosters take at -20º and below. There is a study in Germany (a lot milder than at my altitude and latitude) that shows just how bad the battery life is below 0º C (32ºF). I can't put my finger on it right now ...

[ChrisPlatt]

Relax. I never suggested those who now drive long distances should switch to EV.
However if those for whom it works embrace the technology it will continue to improve.

Chris