Battery based electric vehicles of today and tomorrow.

[greenmower]

To keep the battery power tool thread more focused on hand tools this thread can be for cars, trucks, tractors, etc that are here today and new ones of the future.

Clearly Europe is ahead of the USA in battery based vehicles and for several reasons. McDonald's putting in car charging stations in 100% of their stores countries like Norway and the Netherlands helped me see this is no small thing. Tax breaks are huge in some countries.

Yesterday I read at some point in recent years the USA government funded a $118 million grant and is one reason there are free charging stations in some areas per that article.

Today there was an article claiming a 620 mile range for the very expensive Tesla Roadster to be out like next year.

I think we will see 1000 mile battery ranges within the next 10 years and at a cost more like the 100 mile range vehicles of 5 years ago. While the technology may not pan out in the article below there is too much being spent on finding more powerful and longer life rechargeable vehicle batteries for it not to bear fruit going forward.

Tech Breakthrough: Is This The End Of Lithium-Ion Batteries? | OilPrice.com

While Cracker Barrel has been installing EV chargers for the last 10 years the rumor at a local dealership is that they are putting in some EV chargers soon in Murray KY. One of the new hotels has three charging stations for guest usage. The Ford dealership has two that have been in for several years. A Walmart in Paducah even reports having a fast 50 amp EV charger.

The culture shock for big business, especially the oil industry needs to be addressed during our transition from oil. Changing to an electric based society for mobility, farming, etc. requires carefully weaning from our oil dependence. Natural gas, propane, both used to heat most homes would no longer be available if no oil based products. Without the continuous cash flow from gasoline powered vehicles, the oil industry would collapse and not be able to provide the heating needs for many. My farm is nearly entirely wind and sun powered, using a battery based power supply, has been for 38 years, including our farm cart and zero turn electric mower both sun powered. I use an electric scooter to go to town that has been licensed and insured, on the road since 2005 for many trips. Water for irrigation and home use also sun and wind powered. Our home combines Wind and Solar but is still dependent on propane for hot water and our cooking stove. Our tractor and cars are oil based, for now. No good electric tractors out there yet. I totally support a non oil future, however society, here in the United States, is just not quite ready for the realities of living without oil and the simplicity it has created for many. Solar and wind work well in a farm setting, however as wonderful as our nation is, we are still, yes still not ready to convert from oil, we have become too dependent for our "fix".

image of my scooter with "wings" unfurled to charge battery:

Panels fold and ride with scooter like saddle bags. (owner modified)

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Saturday I drove 850 miles from South Bend, Indiana to Stillwater, OK in 12.5 hours. Yesterday I drove 1100 miles from Stillwater, OK to Pittsburg, PA in 16.5 hours. How long would those trips have taken in an EV? Yikes!

I could use an EV around town, for sure. But it would have to be a 3rd vehicle for us.

Suburban for hauling people and/or trailer.
Sedan for road trips.
EV for around town - to work trips.

By maglev train, about 3 hours to Stillwater, 4 hours to Pittsburg.

 

[MossRoad]

By maglev train, about 3 hours to Stillwater, 4 hours to Pittsburg.

Those routes will never exist.

 

[SylvainG]

How cold? If it's in working order the suspension should work with no problem in the winter, haven't been below -30C but no problem.

If you raise the suspension over normal ride height it will be stiff and rise it all the way up you barely have any suspension at all.

That was way back in the 70s. Don't recall how cold it was.

 

[California]

The culture shock for big business, especially the oil industry needs to be addressed during our transition from oil. ... My farm is nearly entirely wind and sun powered ... Our tractor and cars are oil based, for now. No good electric tractors out there yet. I totally support a non oil future ... however as wonderful as our nation is, we are still, yes still not ready to convert from oil, we have become too dependent for our "fix".

There's a thread in an obscure corner of the Yanmar forum discussing a new form of biodiesel that sounds promising.

I had noted that carbon from burning existing vegetation eventually gets back into replacement plants, the long term net effect is zero. In contrast, pumping ancient plant life out of the ground for motor fuel puts a net increase in carbon (&etc) into the present ecosystem.

A poster replied describing Propel, a new and better form of biodiesel.

Propel's HPR has been around for quite awhile. Propel uses Neste (not Nestle!) NEXBTL diesel, which is a hydrogenated vegetable oil, with a higher cetane number than regular diesel, lower aromatic hydrocarbon level, and slightly lower energy density (which means lower HP/mileage). Unlike biodiesel, Propel's HPR doesn't have any special lubricity, i.e. as bad as conventional ULSD. More here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neste_Renewable_Diesel

 

[koshari]

the drivelines are ready now and have been for some time, its the energy density where the challenge is atm regarding machinary requiring long days of work being done, and with machinary having downtime at night it doesnt lend itself to solar timeframe charging very well.

IMO the intermediate step for large agricultural machinary will be hydrogen fuel cell tech powering existing variable AC drives. there will come a time when either batteries or super-capacitors will arrive.

 

[3930dave]

Does that affect rural people where you are? Here, air quality in urban areas is a major concern. But out where someone cuts their own firewood, the representatives from the rural areas have mostly preserved their voters' right to heat with firewood.

Added: a photo with the California State Capital building in there somewhere.
Here's my post where I first included it.
This was late summer, 100 degree weather, that's all automobile smog. Adding unlimited urban wood heating smoke to this much exhaust fumes in winter, would be overwhelming.

And a similar photo I took in New Delhi, India. Mid afternoon is a false sunset as smog increases to hide the sun.

I see a couple of interacting vectors at play....

To attempt to have me on-topic (I do try Gale, once in a while ).... this is a bit similar to the EV mandated landslide coming, in that solutions/legislation that resonate or are primarily directed to urban needs can end up causing issues or collateral damage out in the boonies.

Remote areas can have inversion issues too..... my lousy memory (somebody on here may know) isn't coming up with the town name, but I'm thinking wood bans in valley areas of AK (?).

Being objective about it, I don't like choking on wood smoke - much of the problem is that many people today don't get how/can't be bothered to burn a clean fire. How to enforce UnCommon Sense... if I could figure that one out, I could probably rule the universe

Even 10 years from now, if somebody in northern Alberta wants a 1 ton p/u to haul a stock trailer 1000km in a day, what will the choices be ?

Affordability - many people here have been forced to scrap perfectly functioning old wood-burning appliances (via the insurance/modern certification beating). Not a concern if you can afford a Tesla - may be a big deal if you are senior with limited income.

Similar ^ scenario we've looped through multiple times - high cost new EV vs. old well-maintained used car that's never seen salted roads..... if you have Money, that choice disappearing doesn't matter much.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

That was way back in the 70s. Don't recall how cold it was.

Ottawa had a lot of -40ish nights back then.... A friend had an Oldsmobile that somehow still managed to start, after the top layer of the battery froze enough to push out the battery caps.....

Ironically, EVs have an easier role to fill today, thanks to milder Winters.

Rgds, D.

 

[greenmower]

I see a couple of interacting vectors at play....

To attempt to have me on-topic (I do try Gale, once in a while ).... this is a bit similar to the EV mandated landslide coming, in that solutions/legislation that resonate or are primarily directed to urban needs can end up causing issues or collateral damage out in the boonies.

Remote areas can have inversion issues too..... my lousy memory (somebody on here may know) isn't coming up with the town name, but I'm thinking wood bans in valley areas of AK (?).

Being objective about it, I don't like choking on wood smoke - much of the problem is that many people today don't get how/can't be bothered to burn a clean fire. How to enforce UnCommon Sense... if I could figure that one out, I could probably rule the universe

Even 10 years from now, if somebody in northern Alberta wants a 1 ton p/u to haul a stock trailer 1000km in a day, what will the choices be ?

Affordability - many people here have been forced to scrap perfectly functioning old wood-burning appliances (via the insurance/modern certification beating). Not a concern if you can afford a Tesla - may be a big deal if you are senior with limited income.

Similar ^ scenario we've looped through multiple times - high cost new EV vs. old well-maintained used car that's never seen salted roads..... if you have Money, that choice disappearing doesn't matter much.....

Rgds, D.

Might help explain better. Wood, burned properly has net zero carbon emissions, according to MSU. Wood is from our own woods and hauled with an electric farm cart and wagon. This is also cut with an electric, re-chargable Stihl chain saw. We have a 23 acre farm and nearly all wood harvested is dead fall, ravaged Elm and Ash killed by invasive species. Some of each log left to promote natural habitat in woodlot. Farm is on a conservation easement agreement with the Michigan Department of Agriculture, never to be developed. This is written in the deed. We traded our development rights in exchange for protecting our treasure for future generations to enjoy. As stewards, we are very careful to protect the environment. Stove has an added catalytic converter to further reduce emissions. Our goal, if all works as planned (easement was over a 2 year process), is to donate our farm, after our passing, to our community schools to use as a learning center. WE hold farm tours often to show how agriculture, solar, and wind work together as it has for us for thelast 38 years. We are located 11 miles from downtown Flint, Michigan as the crow flies. Town of Davison. I understand many of the problems with improperly used wood heaters and work hard to educate those we come in contact with. We also use wood in our maple syrup evaporator due to the availability and following traditional maple syrup methods. I hope this better explains. Maybe I should do a full introduction so more can understand and enjoy what we have.

 

[California]

... Our goal, is to donate our farm, after our passing, to our community schools to use as a learning center. We hold farm tours often to show how agriculture, solar, and wind work together as it has for us for the last 38 years. ... Maybe I should do a full introduction so more can understand and enjoy what we have.

This is interesting. You should start a new thread with a clear title, in a general Rural Living subcategory. There's a lot that some of us can learn from you, about genuinely sustainable ag and rural living.