Are All Electric Vans This Bad?

[Harry Bloomfield]

Aren't some of Amazon's vans all electric now? They must be putting some serious mileages in, as couriers? Or is it just marketing and the only Amazon courier vans are doing small very local daily distances?

They are supposed to be doing just their local deliveries. I have not seen one here yet, despite a few deliveries - maybe too far out from the centre. They seem to mostly use independent unliveried delivery vans here.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I know they are here because I've seen them about and after Googling it seems Exeter was one of the first places to receive a batch.

 

[jj4091]

I used to think that was the future, but someone has posted on this thread about super fast chargers taking minutes to recharge - I think the future will be some kind of docking bay where you just drive at the plug at the Electric Station then go for a coffee.

My worry is that cars will become like mobile phones, outdated and worthless after a few years. I suppose a lot depends on whether tech companies or car companies win the race.

Recently it seems to be that people buy a coffee in filling stations & are in too much of a rush to drink them before they set off never mind wait until their battery charges

 

[Dangee]

Does partial charging do any harm to the batteries, Power tool manu’s always seem to state not to take off of charge until fully charged.

 

[Diver Fred]

Does partial charging do any harm to the batteries, Power tool manu’s always seem to state not to take off of charge until fully charged.

Yes with NiCad & NiMH cells - Nicad's have a charge/discharge 'memory' that shortens life. NiMH do also but the effect is not occur as quick.
Modern - i.e. Li cells will take regular short charge cycles once that have been 'conditioned' (Charge at low rate for about twice as long as recommended charge time; auto' chargers don't condition as well but the cells can be conditioned in the factory). Fully charge for the first few cycles (say 7 to 10 times). after that do need fully charging once in a while; say once a week dependent on amount of use.

 

[big-all]

Does partial charging do any harm to the batteries, Power tool manu’s always seem to state not to take off of charge until fully charged.

if you think how electric vehicles work that answers your question
when you brake the motors slow the vehicle down by recharging the batteries [regenerative braking ]that how the energy is saved

 

[cozzmic]

The new Mercedes Sprinter does an astonishing 96 miles per charge woo hoo. Did that on one trip last week before noon.

 

[Swwils]

The new Mercedes Sprinter does an astonishing 96 miles per charge woo hoo. Did that on one trip last week before noon.

Then you aren't the target market right now.

Battery production is limited, so costs spiral if you want a bigger pack; it makes more sense to split the 120kwh, 270 mile range "dream" esprinter and produce 3 x 40kwh vans and have those 3 users better matched to that range.

Then when production has caught up and price reduces the larger range version that happens to be useful for you is now a more attractive purchase, into a healthier market.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Then you aren't the target market right now.

The target market for new vehicles is only one part of the story. What about used values of these vehicles? Limited uses for a type of vehicle is bad news because it severly limits the market when selling on the used market. Not only do you have to find a buyer who wants the specific elec vehicle that will probably be more expensive than conventionally powered versions, but you have to find someone who is going to use it the same way bearing in mind it's severely limited range. Maybe the range will be even less as the batteries age.

Sounds like a bad proposition.

 

[Nige F]

The milk man across the road to where I use to live had an electric long wheel base Ranault Kangoo van for his milk round, fixed mileage seem to remember 64 miles, and he was told it should do 120 miles, he never used the heater other than to de-ice, and he said the energy meter hardly moved during his round, but would drop quickly on his return journey, in the main he would do the round OK, but some times it did fail, he said he could limp home, but the Police stopped him for not making normal progress,

.

But was it slower than an old fashioned milk float ? Or was it just a couple of young plod ?

 

[ReganAndCarter]

But was it slower than an old fashioned milk float ?

Ernie's milk cart would have been quicker, Nige.

That's progress!