Interesting Articles Relating to EVs

[tx2sturgis]

Hey!

When the owner of an Electric Vehicle turns on the radio for some music, are they listening to AC/DC or something more 'current'?

 

[Happy Camper]

The Mirai probably isn't the poster child for hydrogen. It's very similar to the Chevy volt, in that the engine only produces electricity to charge the drive batteries that power the electric motor.

The newest thought is slightly modifying ice engines to use hydrogen instead of gas. Similar to CNG or propane engines that are basically standard ice engines with slight mods. You might even be able to retrofit gas engines to hydrogen.

Similar to CNG and propane conversions.

Working out the tank/storage for the hydrogen is in the works. As is the best clean ways to produce hydrogen. Which is also in the works.

Best of all worlds will probably be a hybrid with electric and hydrogen. Then you have clean clean without the range issues.

 

[Gr8ful]

I believe Toyota will have an engine that splits Hydrogen from water thru Electrolysis on the vehicle itself, much safer, easier & cheaper.

 

[BlueMarkOhio]

I believe Toyota will have an engine that splits Hydrogen from water thru Electrolysis on the vehicle itself, much safer, easier & cheaper.

That makes no sense.

It takes more energy (usually electricity) to split hydrogen from water than you get back when you use the hydrogen. You can't split hydrogen from water for free. Just use that initial energy source to run the vehicle.

OK, second read, I'm thinking that maybe you are saying that Toyota is producing what is essentially a hydrogen battery system where you plug in your car and it produces hydrogen by electrolysis to store the energy. So it would use the existing electric charger infrastructure. It *might* be a more efficient way to store energy in your vehicle than current battery tech, at the cost of a lot more complexity, but I'm dubious.

 

[Happy Camper]

I'm eager to hurry up and wait.

 

[dhuff]

That makes no sense.

It takes more energy (usually electricity) to split hydrogen from water than you get back when you use the hydrogen. You can't split hydrogen from water for free. Just use that initial energy source to run the vehicle.

Really, all energy is simply converted from one form to another. "Matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed" as the law of the conservation of matter and energy says.

Hydrogen is simply one way of storing potential energy to be used later. And that energy came from whatever was used to split the hydrogen from other molecules in the first place. (e.g. solar or wind producing electrical energy that was used for producing hydrogen through electrolysis of water). We do this for convenience and "portability's" sake as we can't, for instance, put enough solar panels on a vehicle to power it directly - much less on cloudy days or at night.

 

[RonDean]

So... As I said, I am no longer going to engage in discussions about if we can or should have EV-RVs. I think it has been demonstrated that everyone's minds are already made up on that. Nor will I engage in discussions about, water/hydrogen vehicles, etc. Same reason.

However, for those curious about actual eRVs - I present the following. A video of a couple that test drove and went camping with Winnebago's eRV2 and a link to a web site. Warning, the video is 1/2 an hour, but it is not heavy or boring. Just 2 people doing a review >
For those preferring a web page with more data > https://www.winnebago.com/all-electric

Just my notes.
1. This is a test or "pilot" vehicle. I would expect improvements before they actually release it for sale.
2. The current eRV2 prototypes are built on a 2022 Ford E-Transit™ van which has a published range of 108* miles.
3. Everything is electric. No gas/propane/etc.
4. It has 900w of solar panels. I could not find how long it would take those 900w to totally recharge the chassis batteries.
5. The 3-in-1 plug enables recharging from home, campground or dedicated charging stations with house-system charging in as little as 2 hours and chassis charging in as fast as 45 minutes.

As I said, I am just posting this for those that might find it interesting.

 

[Happy Camper]

I think the use case will depend on how the owner wants to use it, and how many miles of charge you can recover with solar daily on average.

Once they have the newer battery tech going I anticipate it'll be a much easier sell.

 

[RonDean]

I think the use case will depend on how the owner wants to use it, and how many miles of charge you can recover with solar daily on average.

Once they have the newer battery tech going I anticipate it'll be a much easier sell.

I agree. For me I can see sitting in one spot for 10-14 days of charge and then moving down the road 100 miles to my next camping spot. OR, if I'm in a hurry, using the charging posts. Everything in life is some sort of compromise. The next question is "how much $$$ will it cost?"

 

[RonDean]

I agree. For me I can see sitting in one spot for 10-14 days of charge and then moving down the road 100 miles to my next camping spot. OR, if I'm in a hurry, using the charging posts. Everything in life is some sort of compromise. The next question is "how much $$$ will it cost?"

Even with my current gas engine, I'd love their house battery system.

 

[Gr8ful]

100 MILE RANGE? Are you kidding? That's assuming it even gets that. What do you do if you run out of juice? I like to get off the freeway & see America on 2 lanes. IMHO this is the Stupidest Most Overpriced POS Idea yet. Below are maps of fast charging stations in 2 states I've gone thru many times. Nebraska has 64 & Kansas 53, N & S Dakota have 34 ea. all or most on freeways I assume. This is why I keep saying 10+ years before EVs will be viable. Not for me!
https://dot.nebraska.gov/travel/nev...-NE&fuel=ELEC&show_map=true&ev_levels=dc_fast

https://dot.nebraska.gov/travel/nev...-KS&fuel=ELEC&show_map=true&ev_levels=dc_fast

 

[Gr8ful]

If you use no fuel to heat, cook, cool, heat water I don't think you'll have many watts to charge the RV batteries but here's an energy calculator from Renogy to DO THE MATH! https://www.renogy.com/calculators

 

[RonDean]

100 MILE RANGE? Are you kidding? That's assuming it even gets that. What do you do if you run out of juice? I like to get off the freeway & see America on 2 lanes. IMHO this is the Stupidest Most Overpriced POS Idea yet. Below are maps of fast charging stations in 2 states I've gone thru many times. Nebraska has 64 & Kansas 53, N & S Dakota have 34 ea. all or most on freeways I assume. This is why I keep saying 10+ years before EVs will be viable. Not for me!
https://dot.nebraska.gov/travel/nev...-NE&fuel=ELEC&show_map=true&ev_levels=dc_fast

https://dot.nebraska.gov/travel/nev...-KS&fuel=ELEC&show_map=true&ev_levels=dc_fast

G8, Yes... We all know what your opinion is. As I said, I am not going to bother with a discussion. I posted this information for people that ARE interested.

 

[Happy Camper]

These particular vans are made for local delivery. Hence the shorter range. Once the battery tech improves to solid state I think range and use cases will improve.

 

[Happy Camper]

Here's is an interesting article about electricity prices impacting EVs.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/climate/article/electric-cars-gas-pge-california-18598758.php

 

[Gr8ful]

G8, Yes... We all know what your opinion is. As I said, I am not going to bother with a discussion. I posted this information for people that ARE interested.

So we're basically at the Wright flyer stage in EVs, maybe the Atari 64 or Commodore both in '77. I'm posting relevant info to "interesting-articles-relating-to-evs" just as you are Ron. That is OK. right?

 

[RonDean]

Here's is an interesting article about electricity prices impacting EVs.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/climate/article/electric-cars-gas-pge-california-18598758.php

HC, Yes, that is interesting. Just like oil companies, I am sure electric companies will try to cash in on a higher demand. Unfortunately for greedy electric companies if they gouge too much, producing electricity from other sources (like solar, wind, tides, etc.) is much easier than oil wells and refineries. And on your delivery van comment, I think that's right too. But, tech will improve as we go, and many of us think this is important enough to moderate our behavior to have both less pollution and still get from place to place.

 

[Gr8ful]

So what are the "Greedy Electric Companies" going to do when they're our only energy source? IDK about you but I have only 1 choice of electric service but many for fuel, LP, etc.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I think the video for the eRV is very well done. Not biased either way, just real world first impressions of a prototype electric RV. Not quite ready for prime time, and not for sale...yet.

I really like how they integrated the charging adapters and connectors for recharging the house and chassis batteries at the RV pedestal. Very cool. I like the manageable size of that unit. It looks comfortable and well built, as far as I can tell.

Not crazy about the color..pastel baby blue....whats up with that?

The range is of course, not very 'user friendly' at only 100 miles. But I'm sure this will improve later on. I'm gonna guess that the cost (if it was actually available) would be way past $200,000. Ouch.

Let me ask a hypothetical question: At what range would it be practical for at least half of our members here? Would 300 miles be enough? 600 miles?

Remember, that kind of battery capacity could take MANY hours, or maybe a couple of days, to replenish, depending on the charging unit you are hooked up to.

And one question that is always nagging at me about any EV, but especially an eRV:

Why would I (or anyone else) want to be MORE dependent on the electrical grid than we already are?

Seems to me, that undermines our efforts to be somewhat self sufficient.

If you are 100% dependent on one power (or fuel) source, you are more likely to encounter a situation where that will fail you in the future.

Or so it seems to me.

 

[camperdan]

100 MILE RANGE? Are you kidding? That's assuming it even gets that. What do you do if you run out of juice? I like to get off the freeway & see America on 2 lanes. IMHO this is the Stupidest Most Overpriced POS Idea yet. Below are maps of fast charging stations in 2 states I've gone thru many times. Nebraska has 64 & Kansas 53, N & S Dakota have 34 ea. all or most on freeways I assume. This is why I keep saying 10+ years before EVs will be viable. Not for me!
https://dot.nebraska.gov/travel/nev...-NE&fuel=ELEC&show_map=true&ev_levels=dc_fast

https://dot.nebraska.gov/travel/nev...-KS&fuel=ELEC&show_map=true&ev_levels=dc_fast

Havin' a bad day are ya?