Electric cargo vans are here .. now ...

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TexasWoman

TexasWoman

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Looks like we are on the cusp of major changes.

Yes, they cost a small fortune.
Expect the prices to drop as the years go by.

All Mercedes-Benz cars will have electric versions by 2022.
(not that I will ever buy one)

Do a YT search for "10 Electric Vans That Redefine Performance 2018"

Food for thought...

TexasWoman
:heart: :heart: :heart:
 
They have a long way to go yet before they become practical for dwellers. Range is currently very short, and there's not much in the way of charging infrastructure, especially outside of the cities.
 
I fantasize about having a solar powered vehicle where the entire exterior is one big solar collecting surface, but it just looks like a regular vehicle.
*sigh*
 
John61CT said:
Great, let's keep this thread to "more real" examples like these product announcements, even if vaporware at the moment.

And this thread https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=29313 for those who think electric vans are just impractical for now, discussing whether they will ever be common, etc
Click to expand...

The last post on the thread you refer to was in 2016.

I searched for electric threads on this forum before posting this item.

The point I was trying to make is that they are REAL and here NOW.
Not everyone is camping in the boonies.
There is an electric port at my local Walgreen's.

So if someone wins the lottery and buys one of these beauties, send me a PM.
Don't be like me and clutter up this forum with irrelevant, unrealistic fluff.  :cool:

(Note to Mods .. this should be worth at least a 10% penalty for sarcasm, don't you think? I'm waiting.)
 
John61CT said:
Great, let's keep this thread to "more real" examples like these product announcements, even if vaporware at the moment.

And this thread https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=29313 for those who think electric vans are just impractical for now, discussing whether they will ever be common, etc
Click to expand...

Sorry.

This should have been posted in the "Going Green" forum.

Feel free to move/delete the thread.
 
no need to delete thread -
the more Green threads the better-

it is going to be a long time before E vans will be practacal for
van living out in the sticks -

But in cities it would be possible now if the E vans were available-
In Austin there are over 350 charging stations avaiable -
Austin also has a city program avaiable that for $4 month
you get Unlimited charging - so it would cost $56 to power your
E van for a full year - ( Plug In Austin )

Right now I am working on a system that uses E car Quick charger
to recharge my vans House battery that will power a Air conditioner
and everything else in my van -

System uses 2 Tesla model S car batteries and will be able to recharge
battery in around 3 hours from car charging station -

system is close to being finished and will be testing it in the next few weeks

for over a year i have been using a Lifepo4 Li ion battery system with solar
for house battery and it has worked Great but it is to small to power a AC

new system will power House needs for several days before needing to
be charged at EV charger - also recharges using solar
 
When they get solar efficiency way up where you could power a vehicle straight from that plus charge the battery and then a new battery chemistry that will allow it to power the A/C + driving and whatever other loads you have at night is when they will become more common.

Until then they are relegated to the can't leave the city status.
 
Thanks Groovy2 ...

Not everyone on here is living in the boonies ...

For the urban stealth campers and those with a home solar system, electric cars are becoming more realistic.
The E-vans are available now .. check out the YT link .. but they cost an arm and a leg and probably a kidney donation as well.

Wow .. $56 for a whole year of power?  Very cool!
I wonder if my city has a program like that.
I have noticed an EV charger at my local Walgreens parking lot.

Prices on the vans will hopefully be coming down just the way ProMasters and Transits have done.
We are on the verge of so many new changes it's unreal.

I would like to learn more about your home setup.

You wrote "for over a year i have been using a Lifepo4 Li ion battery system with solar
for house battery and it has worked Great but it is to small to power a AC" ...

Are you talking a standard HVAC or a mini-split?

Thanks again for your input.
 
Hi Texas -
Im going to use a 1200btu mini split AC in my van because of much lower
power consumption and startup amps required but with this Tesla system
I could also use a window AC unit -

I wanted a E van but when I purchased my Transit van there was zero E vans available -
Ive wanted a E vehicle my whole life -
the main hold up has been oil companies sabotaging progress in this area -

now battery tech is flying forward and prices are steadily dropping -
and several Very large battery factories are now pumping out batteries -
Hopefully E vans will become available at affordable prices soon -

Now my Van house power setup is 2 solar panels (360 watt total ) with 100ah Lifepo4
battery with a Victron 75/15 solar charger - battery can also be charged from
van alternator but 95% of charging has been done with solar -
last year in AZ at the RTR my solar was able to produce 1.6Kwh daily
and was able to power my video editing computer for 5 hours a day plus a
small Ice maker to keep my food cold - works good-

now in Austin I use about 50% of battery charge daily and has worked well for a year + -
the Victron control app is very nice and gives a great amount of useful info and control
over charger -

Plug In Austin program is Very Cool -
$56 a year to get power for car power is sweet -
the power can also be used to charge just about anything according to
their web site -
Im going to sign up with the program in the next week or 2 -

Austin has been ahead of the curve on programs like this-
I joined Austin Green Choice program 25 yrs ago and paid a small amount extra
on my electric bill every month to purchase wind turbines and now
Austin has a Huge wind farm -

Texas
if you want any more info just ask - Jay
 
Groovy2 said:
Hi Texas -
Im going to use a 1200btu mini split AC in my van because of much lower
power consumption and startup amps required but with this  Tesla system
I could also use a window AC unit -



I wanted a E van but when I purchased my Transit van there was zero E vans available -
Ive wanted a E vehicle my whole life -
the main hold up has been oil companies sabotaging progress in this area  -

now battery tech is flying forward and prices are steadily dropping -
and several Very large battery factories are now pumping out batteries -
Hopefully E vans will become available at affordable prices soon -

Now my Van house power setup is 2 solar panels (360 watt total ) with 100ah Lifepo4
battery with a Victron 75/15 solar charger - battery can also be charged from
van alternator but 95% of charging has been done with solar -
last year in AZ at the RTR my solar was able to produce 1.6Kwh daily
and was able to power my video editing computer for 5 hours a day plus a
small Ice maker to keep my food cold - works good-

now in Austin  I use about 50% of battery charge daily and has worked well for a year + -
the Victron control app is very nice and gives a great amount of useful info and control
over charger -

Plug In Austin program is Very Cool -
$56 a year to get power for car power is sweet -
the power can also be used to charge just about anything according to
their web site -
Im going to sign up with the program in the next week or 2 -

Austin has been ahead of the curve on programs like this-
I joined Austin Green Choice program 25 yrs ago and paid a small amount extra
on my electric bill every month to purchase wind turbines and now
Austin has a Huge wind farm  -

Texas
if you want any more info just ask - Jay
Click to expand...
 
Groovy2,

Mini splits are def the way to go now, aren't they?
Is 1200 btu a good size for vans? Sounds like a lot..
Where did you buy your mini?

Yes, the government sabotaged biodiesel pretty well, too.
Whatever happened to "Alcohol Is A Gas"?
I am all for energy independence and jobs but not at the cost of our aquifers.

3 hours at a car charging station?
Maybe if it was near a good coffee shop or library.

Where did you buy your Lifepo4 batteries?
BattleBornBatteries.com has same price as Amazon and also free shipping.

There are 10 EV charging stations within easy driving distance of my home.

Check your PMs ..
 
Hi Texas

Yup mini split AC is defiantly the way to go-
the compressor is powered by a inverter so it does not
need the high startup current that regular window ac need -

12000 btu is just about right for a van - I think -
last year I tried a 5000 btu window unit and really all it could do
was remove the humidity out of the air but did not have the extra cooling
capacity to drop the temp in the van at all and my van has 4 inches of insulation
and its also a white color van - surprising I know but when you think about it
a van is a metal box that has big windows -

I have not purchased mini split AC yet -

Taking several hours to charge van battery is OK -
I can be running AC during charging and also have excuse to be parked over
night at the charging station so i can sleep in comfort and not get hassled
by police -- Im charging my vehicle -
and at night very few people use the charging stations -

Many walmarts - walgreens - shopping centers ect have charging stations
and more added everyday -

when I voted a few days ago the police station that was across the street
had 4 charging stations - empty waiting to be used -

Electric Car Parts company I think is where I purchased Calb Battery from
cost $650 shipped for 100ah Lifepo4 battery -
Battleborn or similar is likely the way to go Now -
when I built my system prebuilt systems were not available -

Parts to build system will likely cost close to prebuilt battery price -
my systems total cost was around $1100 ish including charger- fuses ect -

Maybe If you can buy batter straight from company - if there is a problem
I would think they would be more helpful than amazon seller -
but I really dont know for sure -

are you going to RTR ?? --Jay
 
Battleborn and other drop-ins are not nearly as good as 4S prismatic cells like CALB with an external BMS.

Mfg of the internal cells is unknown, so longevity is unproven.

And charge / discharge rates severely limited.

In some cases don't even power up a fridge


Not that any of this has anything to do with the topic, to discuss further should really start a new thread.
 
Groovy2 said:
I can be running AC during charging and also have excuse to be parked over
night at the charging station so i can sleep in comfort and not get hassled
by police -- 
Click to expand...

What you’re proposing is to use electric vehicle charging stations as free overnight camping spots so you can run the air conditioner in a van or RV?  And not get hassled by the police?  Good luck.
 
Wow, sounds like a good deal.
I will check into this where I live to see if there are any restrictions on it here

I wouldn't feel comfortable staying at the one I know about.
Lots of transients roaming that parking lot.
.
 
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