[normhead]

One vibe I pick up from the average guy around here in my burg, is a sense that a number of people think that 'fueling' an EV will be cheaper than gas...which by the way has gone up due to additional carbon taxes. I do believe in the old demand and supply ...where more demand on supply usually ends up being more money to pay for the supply. I would hazard the guess that once EV has taken over, maybe before, the cost of consumer electricity will rise. Maybe I'm just cynical.

Ontario hydro is still publicly owned and electricity price are always an election issue. Price rise with more demand is only a thing for private companies. Public companies have to please the public, not shareholders.

Ontario currently sells overnight excess to American companies often paying them to take it. Overnight charging could actually reduce the cost of electricity in that Ontario Hydro will be paid for electricity we currently pay to dispose of.

It's very likely to be the opposite of what you suggest, at least in Ontario.

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Last edited by normhead; 01-21-2021 at 11:29 AM.

[Racer X 69]

Unrelated to EV, but we can hit 1000km in a big diesel truck. That doesn't mean it's fuel efficient, just that it has a big tank

Monstro could go nearly 1,000 miles between fillups. But then he had two 150 gallon fuel tanks.

[gaweidert]

Now that is a new discussion all over - nuclear really is going to play an important part in the future of electricity... it's pretty amazing seeing the advancements that have come about.

The best part of some nuclear is that there are new plants designs that can use the spent fuel rods from older plants and in the process drain 95% of the radiation from them. This is better than burying them in a mountain and hoping nothing happens over the next 100,000 years. I prefer hot rods with 4 wheels, loud engines and no blue glow.


I actually loathe those windmill abominations upon the land. Inefficient, high maintenance and a much shorter lifespan than first indicated. Not to mention the high toll they take on avian wildlife. Up north solar is not a viable commercial option without government welfare but I have no problems with someone mounting an installation on the roof of their house or in their own yard. My new RV trailer comes with a 190W solar panel on the roof and I am thinking of adding a second 190W panel and upgrading the batteries to LiFePO4


New technology that increases solar panel efficiency from 17-21% to 39% is on the horizon. Prototypes already in existence.

[gaweidert]

I missed this point earlier, but no heated garage here. Charging works perfectly fine at -20°C.

Heater does take a bit of range, but generally in the winter you want to be dressed enough that if you were stopped and had to be out the vehicle you wouldn't freeze. Heating steering wheel and seats are also great with minimal energy (compared to full blast blowers).

What type of batteries? The BMS on most LiFePO4 batteries shuts down charging at 0C (32F).

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Last edited by gaweidert; 01-22-2021 at 07:24 AM.

[Racer X 69]

We will need to build nuclear power plants to provide all the electricity that they will consume.

Nah.

Just burn coal and fuel oil to generate electricity.

We shouldn’t be fooling around with that dangerous radioactive nuclear energy stuff.

On top of all of this. IT"S MIRRORLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nope. Not for me.

It has rear view cameras and a display in the cab.

[bertwert]

One vibe I pick up from the average guy around here in my burg, is a sense that a number of people think that 'fueling' an EV will be cheaper than gas...which by the way has gone up due to additional carbon taxes. I do believe in the old demand and supply ...where more demand on supply usually ends up being more money to pay for the supply. I would hazard the guess that once EV has taken over, maybe before, the cost of consumer electricity will rise. Maybe I'm just cynical.

Right now, there are several free chargers that BC Hydro have put up. We've put around 20 000km on the car which costed us nothing in energy prices. Disadvantage to the electric car is we find ourselves going into town multiple times a day, rather than one trip to do everything.

[bertwert]

Ontario currently sells overnight excess to American companies often paying them to take it. Overnight charging could actually reduce the cost of electricity in that Ontario Hydro will be paid for electricity we currently pay to dispose of.

Similar here in BC, the North American Power grid is an interesting thing to learn about and how it works.

[bertwert]

The best part of some nuclear is that there are new plants designs that can use the spent fuel rods from older plants and in the process drain 95% of the radiation from them. This is better than burying them in a mountain and hoping nothing happens over the next 100,000 years. I prefer hot rods with 4 wheels, loud engines and no blue glow.


I actually loathe those windmill abominations upon the land. Inefficient, high maintenance and a much shorter lifespan than first indicated. Not to mention the high toll they take on avian wildlife. Up north solar is not a viable commercial option without government welfare but I have no problems with someone mounting an installation on the roof of their house or in their own yard. My new RV trailer comes with a 190W solar panel on the roof and I am thinking of adding a second 190W panel and upgrading the batteries to LiFePO4


New technology that increases solar panel efficiency from 17-21% to 39% is on the horizon. Prototypes already in existence.

Yes, I've heard of the reuse of nuclear fuel cells. I recently attended a lecture from a professor at the school here who was awarded a prize for some of his work in nuclear. Interesting indeed.

Solar wouldn't be great here in the winter, but I do know some people who rely on it. Most of BC's energy comes from hydro, and the ecological damage caused by the dams is huge and irreversible effects on ecosystems over 10000 years old. So as much as it's a 'green' source, it really isn't...

[bertwert]

What type of batteries? The BMS on most LiFePO4 batteries shits down charging at 0C (32F).

It's a lithium-ion battery, as most electric vehicle batteries are these days.

[bertwert]

Dang Berty, is there another post count contest?

I just need to catch up on my lack of activity around these parts

[eddie1960]

I just need to catch up on my lack of activity around these parts

only 5523 to hit 850000 ... could take a day or two around here

[Serkevan]

Except when it blows up.

Unlike massive batteries, which are not flammable.

Or petrol. Also known for not blowing up .

---------- Post added 01-21-21 at 11:11 AM ----------

Yep. Remember the Hindenburg .

Ironically the Hindenburg didn't even kill most of its occupants - mostly the ones who panicked and jumped. A typical multi-car crash in the highway is deadlier.

Pure H2 doesn't blow up btw, it's well above the upper explosive limit. It *is* possible for it to burn out, of course. It does tend to evaporate and diffuse quickly at least. This is exactly what I meant when I said that the popular opinion goes straight to the Hindenburg

[normhead]

Unlike massive batteries, which are not flammable.

The battery fires were attributable to using batteries designed to be water cooled without the a cooling system. There's danger of petrol blowing up after every car accident. How would hydrogen be better? It might not blow up, but it will certainly burn.

[Serkevan]

The battery fires were attributable to using batteries designed to be water cooled without the a cooling system. There's danger of petrol blowing up after every car accident. How would hydrogen be better? It might not blow up, but it will certainly burn.

Not necessarily. Solid storage of hydrogen is a thing (although it *is* in early stages). Hydrogen tanks can also be armored, and they will still be lighter than batteries. There's always a danger with everything, of course.

Batteries are more problematic because of environmental concerns than pure danger, that's true, but the high volume/surface of a car's battery (as opposed to the small units in phones etc.) means that overheating is orders of magnitude more problematic.

[normhead]

Not necessarily. Solid storage of hydrogen is a thing (although it *is* in early stages). Hydrogen tanks can also be armored, and they will still be lighter than batteries. There's always a danger with everything, of course.

Batteries are more problematic because of environmental concerns than pure danger, that's true, but the high volume/surface of a car's battery (as opposed to the small units in phones etc.) means that overheating is orders of magnitude more problematic.

OK, so I was discussing cars batteries, not phone batteries. apparently you're not familiar with them or you'd understand what I'm talking about. It's easy to research on line. The cooling units for those batteries exist now, A few companies chose to leave them out of their designs to reduce the initial cost.

So what we are talking about is a problem with an off the shelf solution being compared to solid storage of hydrogen which is under development. Here's the thing, you will probably find out what the problems are with solid storage after it's be put into practice. With batteries, the parameters are already established.

Many of the studies I've seen talking about waste from batteries ignore recycling options and pretend there will never be recycling for car batteries. You can always manipulate available data to prove a point.