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Chinese Electric Cars

This topic has 201 replies, 51 voices, and was last updated 27 August 2017 at 18:33 by Samsaranda.

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5 July 2017 at 19:09 #305704
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
I see a Chinese automotive company has become the first major manufacturer to decide all their new products will be electric of hybrid within a few years.

Neil
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5 July 2017 at 19:09 #34942
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
5 July 2017 at 19:32 #305707
I.M. OUTAHERE
Participant
@i-m-outahere
Must have really long extension leads in China !

You will probably have to recharge it several times befoere you get out of the driveway !
5 July 2017 at 19:55 #305710
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
Posted by Neil Wyatt on 05/07/2017 19:09:11:

I see a Chinese automotive company has become the first major manufacturer to decide all their new products will be electric of hybrid within a few years.

Neil

Yes, that will be Volvo. They're a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Co, Ltd.
5 July 2017 at 20:11 #305716
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Go on, spoil it before we get all the knee jerk responses!

Neil

<Would I troll…?>
5 July 2017 at 20:11 #305717
Brian Sweeting 2
Participant
@briansweeting2
One problem that I foresee for the UK market at least is where are these cars going to get recharged.

Modern housing units seem to be built without garages and in some cases there isn't even a parking space attached to the property.
5 July 2017 at 20:22 #305719
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Posted by Brian Sweeting on 05/07/2017 20:11:11:

One problem that I foresee for the UK market at least is where are these cars going to get recharged.

Modern housing units seem to be built without garages and in some cases there isn't even a parking space attached to the property.

Agreed, it's going to be one of the big challenges. Expect new builds to include a requirement for charging points.

Neil
5 July 2017 at 20:31 #305722
V8Eng
Participant
@v8eng
The houses on some of the roads near me are mainly victorian with the only parking being in the road the front gardens are too small to park in.

This might mean lots of cables trailing across the pavements from house to car.
5 July 2017 at 20:43 #305726
not done it yet
Participant
@notdoneityet
Not all of these hybrids need a charging point. Some can be charged by the ICE on the run. Useful for ends of journeys where low emissions are required.
5 July 2017 at 20:49 #305728
Bob Stevenson
Participant
@bobstevenson13909
The announcement today was for volvo (to be the first car company to go electric) so, the Chinese claim if obviously a version of the truth slanted for another audience….. there is currently new legislation being quietly negotiated so that local authoritiies can charge electric car owners for the installation of charging unit an dcable under the pavement in areas with only street parking.

In my road (16 miles from central London) there are now four electric car families, none with garages. One of these was recently telling me that it works well for around the area driving but tricky when they go down to Dorset,…and, economy (for big Volvo electic 4×4 type estate) works out at 168 miles to equal I gallon petrol cost.
5 July 2017 at 20:50 #305729
Nick Wheeler
Participant
@nickwheeler
Posted by Neil Wyatt on 05/07/2017 19:09:11:

I see a Chinese automotive company has become the first major manufacturer to decide all their new products will be electric of hybrid within a few years.

Neil

Smoke and mirrors I'm afraid: Volvo have just finished replacing all of their models with new ones. Their models have a very long lifespan compared to most other manufacturers, so there won't be any new products within a few years.
5 July 2017 at 20:56 #305732
colin hawes
Participant
@colinhawes85982
I wonder how the authorities will tax electricity used in cars when we buy far less petrol ! Colin
5 July 2017 at 21:19 #305744
Meunier
Participant
@meunier
Colin, they obviously cannot tell if you are charging your car or running the electric mower/cooking/storage radiators, etc so the only way will be an annual tax on vehicle's KW rating, much the same as cars now pay 'Road Tax' rated by their emissions.

DaveD
5 July 2017 at 21:21 #305745
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Posted by Bob Stevenson on 05/07/2017 20:49:12:

The announcement today was for volvo (to be the first car company to go electric) so, the Chinese claim if obviously a version of the truth slanted for another audience…..

Only slanted by me

But Volvo is chinese owned now.

Neil
5 July 2017 at 21:41 #305751
Russell Eberhardt
Participant
@russelleberhardt48058
It annoys me that electric cars are advertised as zero emission. They are not. The emissions are just shifted from one place to another. In the U.K. it would appear that the CO2 emissions resulting from the use of an electric car will be higher than that from a diesel car. The situation is better here in France where most electricity is nuclear generated.

Russell
5 July 2017 at 21:48 #305754
Tim Stevens
Participant
@timstevens64731
We all need to be a bit careful when we claim something as a 'first'. I'm sure that there were firms who only made electric cars around 1900-1905. Some went on to use IC engines, but not all, surely?

For examples – Tribelhorn (Swiss), Jeantaud (French), Baker (USA), Woods (USA), Rauch & Lang (USA), Hupp-Yeats, Waverley, Detroit, and Ohio, all USA.

I suppose it could be claimed that none of these were 'major' makers, but weren't they really, in the days when there were more electrics than smelly new fangled explosion motors?

Cheers, Tim
5 July 2017 at 22:00 #305757
not done it yet
Participant
@notdoneityet
Quite right, Tim.

4 wheel drive was around in the second decade of the last century, as was overhead camshafts and likely loads of other items claimed as "new" by the advertising/marketing sector who simply hype up anything they want to sell.

Electric vehicles can be zero emission and zero energy cost to the user – they just need a large PV array and likely a large storage battery (if the vehicle is in use during sunny times!). Not cheap installations, but getting cheaper….
5 July 2017 at 22:03 #305758
Ady1
Participant
@ady1
Electric cars will get the diesel treatment

It's great! it's fabby! buy electric! until everyone adopts it…

…then they'll be condemned as contributers to global warming and environmental pollution once everyone's got one and the government will increase taxes accordingly

They'll probbly do GPS backed mileage taxes in the future
5 July 2017 at 22:13 #305760
Bazyle
Participant
@bazyle
Once they cotton on to it councils will solve the 'where do I charge when I can't park next to my house' problem with loads of charging points along the street. If they are cunning they will then couple that with your annual parking permit fee charged in many dense housing streets so you enter your code in the machine and charge at the rate they decide.
5 July 2017 at 22:18 #305762
Clive Hartland
Participant
@clivehartland94829
Did i read this right somewhere, that the battery is rented? It seems the batteries are not long lived and soon deteriorate in performance, and expensive. Anyone have experience?
5 July 2017 at 22:42 #305770
Vic
Participant
@vic
Posted by Clive Hartland on 05/07/2017 22:18:40:

Did i read this right somewhere, that the battery is rented? It seems the batteries are not long lived and soon deteriorate in performance, and expensive. Anyone have experience?

I heard the batteries were leased as well. I also heard BMW just scrapped thousands of their electric cars in the US once the lease expired after just three years. They do have their own "BMW" scrap yard in Europe, I expect to keep prices artificially high …
5 July 2017 at 23:11 #305772
not done it yet
Participant
@notdoneityet
then they'll be condemned as contributers to global warming and environmental pollution

The next generation are coming. Autonomous vehicles, so eventually lots of people will just 'order a car' to arrive when they need it. Look up the latest 'fully charged' u-toob for an insight in how vehicle numbers could be slashed.

that the battery is rented? It seems the batteries are not long lived and soon deteriorate in performance, and expensive.

Some but not all. Batteries are proving to be rather longer lived than anticipated. One taxi, somewhere, is reported to has covered over 350 000 miles and the battery is still around 80% capacity.

Some early batteries were a problem in hot climes, apparently. Now, second use is being made of battery components for electricity storage systems after vehicle use. Many new cars are leased with rented batteries, so when they come on to the second hand market the buyer needs to check that the battery rental does not continue.

A friend has recently bought a second hand nissan leaf and is very satisfied with it for local trips.

Look up u-toob 'James and Kate' for loads of reviews (good and bad) on EVs. Their Tesla will cover a couple hundred miles on one charge and recharge to 80% in about half an hour.

EVs are coming. Make no mistake about that. Even check out jonny smith's Royal Enfield E8000 blog and vids – 1970s(?) EV that is now quicker than the Teslas. Standing quarter mile in about ten seconds with terminal speed of over 120mph. Fastest road legal EV, apparently – but not too much range!

Edited By not done it yet on 05/07/2017 23:13:42
6 July 2017 at 08:43 #305794
Martin Kyte
Participant
@martinkyte99762
Does this mean that Volvo might decide to let you turn the lights off in the daytime so the charge lasts longer ?

regards Martin
6 July 2017 at 09:07 #305799
Chris Evans 6
Participant
@chrisevans6
So we all have electric cars and put them on charge when we get home from work. Will the national grid cope with vehicle charging and meal cooking at around 5 to 7 PM daily ?
6 July 2017 at 09:17 #305801
Geoff Theasby
Participant
@geofftheasby
LED lights will make little difference to the power consumption. Anyway, they are a safety feature, so that others can see you.

The Enfield 8000 could barely make it to the pub & back. But see the, "Who killed the Electric Car" documentary.

Nowadays the average commute is well within the range of an EV, plus they don't only need to be charged up at home. Most cars spend the working day in a car park with their drivers at work nearby. They could be charged then, too. If all suitably oriented buildings, not just houses but factories, warehouses, industrial sheds etc. were built with solar PV roofs, which nowadays don't need direct sunlight to work, and the rest retro-fitted, problem solved!

Geoff
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