Electric Vehicles EVs

This DS has been converted 8 years ago and it’s owner popped round to have a look at the DS we’re currently converting.

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I think the argument is that regenerative braking means EVs don't use their brakes much. Doesn't really cover all the other stuff you mentioned but if you bring that stuff up people act like you're the problem for pointing out these outstanding issues, when the problem is a society based on private car ownership or something.

I guess we're a way away from any real solution on that front though. For what it's worth I share your cynicism, but in the end so long as people feel like they "need" cars EVs are probably slightly better (unless the false sense of progress they engender blunts a hunger for real change which in the end leads us all to ruin)

EVs will do little to improve urban air quality, as most of the harmful particulates that cause cancer, Alzheimers, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease come from the brakes and tyres.

Particulate emissions are only one category of harmful emissions. You've chosen a very funny way of saying "EVs completely eliminate harmful gaseous emissions such as NOx and carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide and significantly reduce particulate emissions."

Interestingly it looks to me like the main reason tyre and brake wear have become such a significant proportion of emissions is that exhausts contain a lot less particulates than they did 20 years ago (graph on page 25).

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/1907101151_20190709_Non_Exhaust_Emissions_typeset_Final.pdf

(also that report seems to derive a lot of its numbers from some very speculative modelling and only small scale real world evidence)

why are the tethered Source link-up jobbies so shit?

In what way? I'm really quite happy with Source London so far.

The shape of the new Cross Turismo really does it for me. Not sure if I like the plastic bumpers, why make it look like your going to drive it anywhere other than a tarmac road.

insofar as they're not CCS standard outlet plugs. At least the ones round our way certainly aren't. That said, i tried your overnight trick last night. all tanked up for 13 kweenkwidz.

Cool beans.

I see what you mean by tethered, the ones with a pull out cable. They are legacy 3kw chargers. Ignore.

Also, check the time that you are starting / finishing your overnight charge. It should be capped at 4 hours, which I think costs me 8 pound something.

Maybe you are on the PAYG tarrif, not the monthly subscription?

First journey in the brand new Kona, and I get rear ended in stationary traffic by a white van.

Massive smash and impact. Get out and can find no damage whatsoever - not a scratch or a scuff, boot still works, cameras and parking sensors work. Van has a cracked and dented front valence.

Keep looking at the back of the car as it’s so weird.

Holy shit!

Maybe it was being held by the motor, not brakes, so it just rocked forward when hit?

Yep, I can only think something like that - shunting forward enough to reduce the impact. Would make sense as I was smashed back in my seat.

Still feels like I’ve been in a car crash, but nothing to show for it!

and brake wear have become such a significant proportion of emissions

As a conscious "experiment" I monitored how much I used the foot brake vs regenerative "braking" during a 61 mile journey the other day. Mixture of dense urban, countryside and motorway road use:

I used the foot / caliper brakes precisely once during the outing: whilst I was reverse parking on returning to my house.

So, from a brake dust perspective, EVs do seem to be almost infinitely better.

Is the foot brake not regenerative braking? My hybrid seems to indicate charging when I brake.

It's the momentum of the car that generates the power so foot braking or not, while you're slowing, it'll be generating some back but you'll slow quicker with the brake on and generate less power

I assume, IANAE(ngineer)

Depends on the car I think. I’m sure some of them activate regen via the brake pedal or use friction braking when in one pedal mode.

Yeah it is, to an extent.

On my Niro, the foot pedal will operate regen braking to begin with, but will operate the disc caliper if more retardation is needed.

My observation was that I didn't put my foot on the pedal until the very end of my journey.

It definitely doesn't use the disc calipers (friction brake) unless I press the pedal, or if it invokes a safety stop, in response to a collision detection or fast deceleration in adaptive cruise control mode.

While a Mini e might prevail, I think a Zoe is looking most likely for general cost and practicality as a ulez compliant runabout. Anything good / bad about them, which spec etc? @Soul you've got one I think?

Yeah, we’ve got a ‘GT line’ Zoe. We really like ours and it’s a great runaround for the wife and little one, including 45 min trips to see in-laws or parents with a bit of motorway.

Some nice tech and a surprisingly decent cabin. Range is good for the size and, like all electric cars, it’s nice and zippy to around 45mph so really good in town.

Negatives imo:

1. Driver / passenger seat have no height adjustment which means you sit really high.
   
2. Boot is small and has bare metal in places meaning it gets scratched easily
   
3. Digital dash is a bit rubbish / doesn’t have many functions
   

if you bring that stuff up people act like you're the problem for pointing out these outstanding issues, when the problem is a society based on private car ownership

Exactly this.

Particulate emissions are only one category of harmful emissions. You've chosen a very funny way of saying "EVs completely eliminate harmful gaseous emissions such as NOx and carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide and significantly reduce particulate emissions."

Interestingly it looks to me like the main reason tyre and brake wear have become such a significant proportion of emissions is that exhausts contain a lot less particulates than they did 20 years ago (graph on page 25).

This data is positive. Also a big plus is the reduction in engine noise.

This is the extension cable I got:

https://toughleads.co.uk/collections/ev-­electric-vehicle-extension-leads/product­s/ev-extension-lead

Oooh... I had a 1.5mm flex cable and an all-weather shield.

Had is past tense as the plug that goes into the wall here just melted.

I've been advised by a forum of electricians that home charging from mains:

• Should have a dedicated circuit above 2kw
  
• Should be on an RCD protected circuit
  
• Should have a 2.5mm flex cable
  
• Should have 16A plugs
  
  

https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/3kw-constant-load-on-a-standard-plug-socket.196136/

Yup... I melted my plug 😂

So I now won't charge at home unless I use a dedicated circuit, because the chance of fire is fairly high. The 13A plug and 1.5mm flex I was using, very much like you are using, were hot to touch.

I'm going to be investigating a Pod Point in my front garden against the wall, even though I still will need to run the cable to the road: https://pod-point.com/solutions/driver/home-charging

The problem with the cable you've purchased, the capabilities are based on spikes rather than constant load. You need to go bigger, but then your home circuit is the problem.

I've bought it mainly because I am spending a week on an Air BnB on the Kyle of Bute this summer. A long way from any charging infringement.

So it will be used for isolated charges, not an everyday thing.

Fingers crossed that we don't die a fiery death.

What I've learned is that the charging cable to charge from the mains shouldn't ever be used with an extension.

What intelligent switching exists within the cable unit, it doesn't work when connected to a cable not capable of sustaining the load (and every spark I chatted to on a few forums all agreed 2.5mm is the minimum for 2.7-3kw)... the result is the cable and car draws max voltage and the chances of bad things happening are a lot higher.

Use the cable you have... don't run an extension.

Blimey, glad it wasn't as serious as it sounds like it could have been.

All the EV eco benefits are somewhat offset if your house and all its contents burn to the ground :)

The nicely shaped plug is now a more organic shape.

The sides have melted in and cover the internals.

The protective sleeves on the lower 2 pins no longer exist.

The socket has a nice new black mark on them (where the plug melted itself into the socket and bonded).

The cable was hot to touch.

I'm glad I was able to get the plug out, and that I was here in case a fire occurred. I will not be charging off of my mains now.