Green number plates and benefits for electric cars

patman post · November 13, 2019, 01:13:04 PM

Don't see what a ball bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman that spins from off to leg has to do with devising credible electric vehicles...

Baron von Lotsov · November 12, 2019, 07:08:44 PM

~~Quote from: "patman post" post_id=5519 time=1573584672 user_id=70~~
Sounds a bit like the Sinclair C5...

Put it this way, you can get batteries that give you 1kw/hr for £250. You can also get all manner of different sized electric motors and they are very compact now because they use neodymium magnets. The technology has moved on. Speeds of 60-70mph should be attainable, but it needs work doing to make it stable. You can model the aerodynamics using a computer. You would never have managed in a Sinclair Spectrum. I'm also interested in self-drive technology. One could make it run on autopilot using GPS and the like. There's an open source project called Apollo. This system just uses cameras to drive it, so no expensive lidar systems. One could download the latest version on github I presume. You have to think like a Chinaman to get this idea!

patman post · November 12, 2019, 06:51:12 PM

~~Quote from: "Baron von Lotsov" post_id=5516 time=1573583510 user_id=74~~
I've been looking at these electric cars and it has got me wondering whether we could be a little more creative regarding how we travel. The main issue is drag coefficient, and cars are extremely bad because they have a large area at the front facing the direction of travel. Also we often do not need four seats. A lot of people drive a four-seat car by themselves. Sitting upright also has the effect of needing more height, so why not have an electric single seat car a bit like the shape of those old racing cars, where you are much lower to the ground and hence lower centre of gravity. With such an arrangement you would not need nearly as much power to drive it, because nearly all the power used goes into fighting the wind. One could possibly devise a cross between a car and a motorbike, and my estimation is it could go extremely fast and very smoothly. I also like the idea that you use electronics to steer the wheel(s) and you can use a computer to keep it running stably as well. It could possibly run on two wheels and have a coupe of others either side as stabilisers for slow speeds. You could make the body out of carbon fibre so it would be extremely light and strong. I mean such that it looks like a bullet in shape. With perfect aerodynamics and no engine noise it would be silent.

Sounds a bit like the Sinclair C5...

Baron von Lotsov · November 12, 2019, 06:31:50 PM

I've been looking at these electric cars and it has got me wondering whether we could be a little more creative regarding how we travel. The main issue is drag coefficient, and cars are extremely bad because they have a large area at the front facing the direction of travel. Also we often do not need four seats. A lot of people drive a four-seat car by themselves. Sitting upright also has the effect of needing more height, so why not have an electric single seat car a bit like the shape of those old racing cars, where you are much lower to the ground and hence lower centre of gravity. With such an arrangement you would not need nearly as much power to drive it, because nearly all the power used goes into fighting the wind. One could possibly devise a cross between a car and a motorbike, and my estimation is it could go extremely fast and very smoothly. I also like the idea that you use electronics to steer the wheel(s) and you can use a computer to keep it running stably as well. It could possibly run on two wheels and have a coupe of others either side as stabilisers for slow speeds. You could make the body out of carbon fibre so it would be extremely light and strong. I mean such that it looks like a bullet in shape. With perfect aerodynamics and no engine noise it would be silent.

Barry · November 09, 2019, 10:42:22 PM

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/britain-faces-waste-battery-mountain-210003109.html">//https://uk.news.yahoo.com/britain-faces-waste-battery-mountain-210003109.html

Researchers have calculated that the one million electric cars sold in 2017 alone will produce 250,000 metric tons, or half a million cubic metres, of unprocessed battery pack waste when they reach the end of their lives in seven to ten years' time, enough to fill 67 Olympic swimming pools.

How to strip out the Lithium safely? :shrg:

patman post · November 01, 2019, 04:00:50 PM

~~Quote from: Javert post_id=3453 time=1572621617 user_id=64~~
That statement doesn't make sense - do make such a calculation you need to know how many cycles of charge the battery would last for, and various other information about the energy going into the battery. Stating it in the way above is yet another fake use of information.

Agree. The statement seems a bit like the cry that lithium is becoming exhausted. The fact seems to be that there's little risk of lithium supplies running low in any absolute sense — the next decade will probably see less than one percent of the world's lithium reserves depleted.

The real danger is that lithium won't be recovered and made available quickly enough to meet the rising demand. But that's being worked on and is likely to be overcome...

Javert · November 01, 2019, 03:20:17 PM

That statement doesn't make sense - do make such a calculation you need to know how many cycles of charge the battery would last for, and various other information about the energy going into the battery. Stating it in the way above is yet another fake use of information.

Barry · October 31, 2019, 09:28:53 PM

https://www.city-journal.org/schumer-electric-cars">//https://www.city-journal.org/schumer-electric-cars

Worth a read.

It takes energy—the equivalent of 80 to 300 barrels of oil—to fabricate a battery that can hold energy equal to one barrel. Thus, energy used to make batteries brings a carbon "debt" to EVs which, depending on where the factories are located, greatly diminishes, or even cancels out, emissions saved by not burning oil.

Oh dear.

Churchill · October 28, 2019, 12:46:16 PM

I believe that is an instant MOT failure as well

patman post · October 28, 2019, 11:55:07 AM

~~Quote from: "Baron von Lotsov" post_id=2710 time=1572227941 user_id=74~~
Some people did that with tax discs if you recall. The plod did not take too kindly to these customised tax discs.

An elderly relative told me that he once used a Guinness bottle label as a tax disc.

Owners of vehicles with Customised Number Plates using non-compliant fonts and character spacings have always been liable to "being spoken to", if not prosecution...

Churchill · October 28, 2019, 11:11:37 AM

Yes it would be inefficient not to

papasmurf · October 28, 2019, 10:57:11 AM

~~Quote from: Churchill post_id=2735 time=1572258986 user_id=69~~
In this day and age ANPR picks up vehicles that are not taxed insured or no MOT very quickly

Within seconds. (The ANPR kit is also in some police cars as well.)

Churchill · October 28, 2019, 10:36:26 AM

In this day and age ANPR picks up vehicles that are not taxed insured or no MOT very quickly

Baron von Lotsov · October 28, 2019, 01:59:01 AM

~~Quote from: T00ts post_id=1883 time=1571766113 user_id=54~~
Well there's another easy scam. Paint a blob or the whole number plate green and off you go. Have a few alternatives and you have access to bus lanes free parking etc. What fun!

Some people did that with tax discs if you recall. The plod did not take too kindly to these customised tax discs.

Churchill · October 26, 2019, 12:58:24 PM

And glow in the dark drivers would be safe walking at night.

Labour is their wisdom :roll: encourage us to buy diesels to use less fuel which I did my present car is a diesel very clean and does 75 miles to the gallon on a run, I may change it next year and considering a hybrid this time I don't like the idea of all electric at all.