Electric Car Charging Gov to Invest £Billions

[IT Minion]

You have to use coal almost exclusively for an EV to be comparable with a petrol or diesel.

The average carbon intensity in 2020 was down to 181gCO2/kWh, a 66% decrease in the last seven years. May holds the title for lowest carbon intensity month, with an average carbon intensity 143gCO2/kWh thanks in large part to the contribution of solar. On 24 May, the carbon intensity was just 46gCO2/kWh, the lowest ever seen.

For them to be comparable you need more like 500-600g/kWh.

Which is a long way of saying, it's a funny picture but it's nonsense.

 

[IT Minion]

Maybe they can have wireless charging built into the roads. Or we'll be teleporting everywhere.

There have been various trials, I think there's one going on in London for taxis (whilst they wait in taxi ranks).

But it's like battery swapping, a nifty idea that's been undercut by the way battery prices keep dropping. Why bother with that complexity when the batteries aren't that expensive anymore.

 

[Alec_t]

It's hard to imagine what the situation is going to be like when the number of EVs is twenty or thirty times what it is now.

It just means the queue for the charger will be twenty or thirty times as long .
It's a catch 22 situation: the masses won't invest in EVs until there are plenty of chargers and the charger installers won't install lots of chargers until there's lots of EVs around to use them.

 

[jeds]

charger installers won't install lots of chargers until there's lots of EVs around to use them

Perhaps you missed the title and link in the original post.

https://news.constructionbuzz.co.uk..._campaign=ukconstructionweek-3652-s-en-240521

 

[jeds]

You only have to think of passing through a motorway filling station. There are normally two, three, four cars there at any time. Now consider a 20, 30, 40 minute stay to recharge instead of refill. It wouldn't be long before there are dozens of people waiting. I'm not being negative for the sake if it. I have pretty much decided on an EV next March. I don't even think it will be a problem next year - I'm pretty sure there won't be enough EVs on the road. But it's a problem that will need to be addressed at some point.

 

[Alec_t]

Perhaps you missed the title and link in the original post.

No. I just don't believe the hype. Unless the promised cash is ring-fenced it will most likely be diverted to some other cause deemed more pressing, such as propping up the NHS or paying back the government loans for the Covid crisis.

 

[JohnD]

You only have to think of passing through a motorway filling station. There are normally two, three, four cars there at any time.

there are also hundreds of cars parked up for half an hour or more while their occupants have a coffee, a burger, use the toilets, buy sweets or fags. Some have a doze on a long journey.

They do not need to be under the "filling station" roof.

 

[Notch7]

It just means the queue for the charger will be twenty or thirty times as long .
It's a catch 22 situation: the masses won't invest in EVs until there are plenty of chargers and the charger installers won't install lots of chargers until there's lots of EVs around to use them.

That's exactly what worries me.

Without charger infrastructure, people won't buy electric cars.


An ultra fast charger needs 100kw+ Will the UK need the grid updating?

 

[Notch7]

It's hard to imagine what the situation is going to be like when the number of EVs is twenty or thirty times what it is now.

Exactly.

I can't help thinking the early adopters will be in for a rocky road

 

[SirGalahad]

You only have to think of passing through a motorway filling station. There are normally two, three, four cars there at any time. Now consider a 20, 30, 40 minute stay to recharge instead of refill. It wouldn't be long before there are dozens of people waiting. I'm not being negative for the sake if it. I have pretty much decided on an EV next March. I don't even think it will be a problem next year - I'm pretty sure there won't be enough EVs on the road. But it's a problem that will need to be addressed at some point.

Range anxiety? Just make sure your other car is not electric.

Also the range is dependent on your driving style - if you are hot on the pedal - expect that max range to be reduced significantly.

 

[fillyboy]

Also the range is dependent on your driving style - if you are hot on the pedal - expect that max range to be reduced significantly.

Don't use the heater and switch off the windscreen wipers when going under bridges.

 

[IT Minion]

there are also hundreds of cars parked up for half an hour or more while their occupants have a coffee, a burger, use the toilets, buy sweets or fags. Some have a doze on a long journey.

They do not need to be under the "filling station" roof.

This.

Eventually most parking spaces at services will have chargers. You'll probably have to choose how fast you want to charge, fast for a premium or slower and cheaper. Then you go for your toilet stop. Just to reduce the queues batteries charge up fastest when they're almost empty, so all the impatient people will be doing relatively quick stops and legging it to the next 15-20 min stop.

If the grid is being heavily used at a service station then everyone's individual charging rate will drop below the theoretical maximum and people will stop charging sooner so they can get to the next stop which may be less congested, or their destination where they can charge slower. Smart routing systems will let you know where those slower stops are so you can re-route.

It's a large civil engineering project to run more high voltage lines to service stations. It's not rocket science.

 

[Ihavenojob]

While my car was in for a service, I had a look at some of the cars on offer, normal ICE, plug in hybrid, self charge hybrid, full electric. A bog standard petrol 1.0 litre with a few gadgets, £14-15k OTR, a full electric car with a 240ish mile range- £37k. The price needs to drop to make the prospect attractive.

 

[IT Minion]

While my car was in for a service, I had a look at some of the cars on offer, normal ICE, plug in hybrid, self charge hybrid, full electric. A bog standard petrol 1.0 litre with a few gadgets, £14-15k OTR, a full electric car with a 240ish mile range- £37k. The price needs to drop to make the prospect attractive.

It's expected in 3-4 years. Battery prices are dropping steadily, and are expected to continue now cheaper longer lasting designs (Lithium Iron!) are hitting production volumes. When you've only got the batteries to make 50,000 cars are you going to put them in premium vehicles where you get a fat 25% margin or a bargain box and make 5%?

Now VW are joining Tesla in trying to make true mass market EVs and battery volumes are ramping up the price will really start to fall. Or rather you'll get more battery at the same price point and cheaper models will be introduced underneath. That's been happening for ages, the Nissan leaf price hasn't moved much but the range has tripled since it was released.

 

[Smufter]

While my car was in for a service, I had a look at some of the cars on offer, normal ICE, plug in hybrid, self charge hybrid, full electric. A bog standard petrol 1.0 litre with a few gadgets, £14-15k OTR, a full electric car with a 240ish mile range- £37k. The price needs to drop to make the prospect attractive.

Peugeot e208 Active Premium is £27,225.00 on the road after government grant.
No need to thank me, but I've just saved you £10k