New Nissan Leaf from €20,990

01-07-2013 12:13pm

stimpson wrote: »

It's not down to accuracy - it's inherent in the technology. Much of the power is lost as heat due to resistance of the coil.

The accuracy does have a big impact, losses are another. But the technology is improving and I doubt it would be that inefficient when it gets to production, I would imagine induction charging only for situations where cables are impracticable.

stimpson wrote: »

The battery pack was ni-mh. It worked "fine" in that it would always do about half of the hedge on one charge. The 2 stroke will do the whole thing on 1/2 tank and in about half the time.

The Good Lithium batteries will give you all the power you need, a lot more than the Ni-Mh.

It's more a poor quality trimmer than the technology itself.

01-07-2013 12:24pm

Donnelly117 wrote: »

Airtricity sell you the same electricity as the ESB or Bord Gais, Just because they have a few wind farms doesn't mean you are charging your EV from wind power.

Can't they divert more wind energy to you ? I don't know how the grid works in that sense, so maybe someone with facts can enlighten us ?

As more renewables come on line that can only help, but still generating the electricity by coal gas or whatever is usually in fixed area where car emissions are everywhere and more concentrated in towns and cities.

Electric cars can take power from the grid at night where power stations have to burn fuel to stay producing steam and that greatly enhances efficiency. As otherwise that fuel is wasted.

Same as ev batteries can store wind power at night that would otherwise have to be turned off.

Exporting to the U,K is not acceptable in my view as we should use as much of that energy as possible so we don't have to buy it back.

Though without that inter-connector to the U.K we'd be in trouble as we are desperately short on power.

Our failure to go Nuclear means we will have to import power from the U.K and exporting wind to the U,K is only a smokescreen to the fact we need lots more power,

I know for a fact one company in Dublin that would not exist if it were not for the Guarantee that they would get power that can't be produced here, And that's one company.

The inter-connector was planned because we need power and lots of it and no other reason.

Renewables alone can never provide the amount of power needed to replace our total fossil fuel consumption that's one reason the U.K are planning 20 new nuke stations, they wouldn't do it if they thought wind would be enough.

stimpson · 01-07-2013 12:26pm

Deleted User wrote: »

The accuracy does have a big impact, losses are another. But the technology is improving and I doubt it would be that inefficient when it gets to production, I would imagine induction charging only for situations where cables are impracticable.

Unless you have a way around ohms law or a room temperature superconductor, you're not going to be able to wish away that problem.

The Good Lithium batteries will give you all the power you need, a lot more than the Ni-Mh.

It's more a poor quality trimmer than the technology itself.

So I just priced a bosh with the same tooth size and blade length - nearly twice the price and heavier. I'll stick to the petrol thanks.

thecomedian · 01-07-2013 12:29pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Doesn't that depend on the owner?

It does indeed. But for most the short range wouldn't suit.

thecomedian · 01-07-2013 12:33pm

Bigus wrote: »

All this talk of the electric car range not being long enough yet if you look at mobile phone development,

its amazing that everybody has switched from a simple Nokia phone that needs to be charged once in ten days to a smart phone that needs to be re charged twice a day,

so get real lads its all about the charging points not the range for that 4 times a year trip.

As I said before, the mechanical and electronic complexity of Internal combustion vehicles will be their downfall.

When phones first cane out they had a short battery. There were only certain types that had the week long battery.

I like the way u think a 75 mile trip is something u only do 4 times a year! I wonder where your from ?

The range is important, why do people get so defensive about the electric cars!

01-07-2013 12:37pm

thecomedian wrote: »

It does indeed. But for most the short range wouldn't suit.

You can speak for most ?

thecomedian · 01-07-2013 12:39pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

You can speak for most ?

I'd say most around me wouldn't like a75 mile range before having to recharge.

How do u lads not see this as a factor?

01-07-2013 1:12pm

thecomedian wrote: »

I'd say most around me wouldn't like a75 mile range before having to recharge.

How do u lads not see this as a factor?

Sure you want more, but you can't get it yet.

200 mile range would be nicer, of course but that can't be done at an affordable price just yet, and probably not in a hatchback size car, though the very latest battery developments would possibly mean it it possible but Nissan are in contract with NEC and are bound by that until the contract is up and so any battery advances would for Nissan have to come from NEC in the meantime.

For now the Leaf can meet the needs of quiet a lot of people.

The Golf EV will have 26.5 kwh , not certain if that's usable or total, but it will have more range than the Leaf will use Bosch batteries and possibly have thermal management which should greatly improve winter mileage, though you still need the heater.

I would really like to see the option of an ethanol heater like Volvo use, or a gas type heater at least as an option for longer range.

The Golf is also said to charge in 20 mins compared to 30 for the Leaf, though I don't know if it will charge in 20 mins form the current DC fast chargers, I can't imagine it would.

It will be interesting to see what the leaf II has in store in 2015-16.

Henry Ford III · 01-07-2013 1:33pm

Much to admire in Mad Lad's belief in these ev's.

I'm still not at all sure that they make a strong enough case for themselves.

For Forks Sake · 01-07-2013 1:38pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Much to admire in Mad Lad's belief in these ev's.

I'm still not at all sure that they make a strong enough case for themselves.

Except he doesn't actually own one, nor has lived with one for a prolonged period of time. It's all hypotheticals.

Max Power1 · 01-07-2013 1:42pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Much to admire in Mad Lad's belief in these ev's.

I'm still not at all sure that they make a strong enough case for themselves.

It reminds me of trying to have a logical debate with a theist tbh... you can provide all the proof you want but because it is not in the religion book it is not "The Truth"

Various logical reasons have been presented as to why EVs in their current format do not work. Yet Mad Lad has continued to refuse to see this and is sticking with his blind EV faith. Thats fine lad more power to you (see what I did there) but it doesnt work for Joe and Josephine Commuter.

kaahooters · 01-07-2013 1:52pm

i like the idea of an ev, but, as said before, its not there time yet.

when the cars can do 200km on a charge, and have pv solar panels to help a little with power (not "engine", but for ac and radio and phone charging, ancillaries.) then theyll be something to really get excited about.

i will say one thing, the esb(?), or whoever are doing the charge points for them, are doing quiet well with the distribution and instalation of them. popping up around places i go quiet quickly.

Viper_JB · 01-07-2013 2:08pm

Again, I like the idea of the EV's but they still seem to be so far away from a practical usable range that in my mind they'll remain little else then a novelty to fill a niche market.

Tea 1000 · 01-07-2013 2:26pm

Max Power1 wrote: »

It reminds me of trying to have a logical debate with a theist tbh... you can provide all the proof you want but because it is not in the religion book it is not "The Truth"

Various logical reasons have been presented as to why EVs in their current format do not work. Yet Mad Lad has continued to refuse to see this and is sticking with his blind EV faith. Thats fine lad more power to you (see what I did there) but it doesnt work for Joe and Josephine Commuter.

Poor post to be honest.
Saying they don't work and there's proof is just as vague as your theist argument is.
Proof using whom as a case study? Doesn't work for person A so can't work for person B?
It's like everything. There's a place and suitability for any car currently on the market, including the Leaf. Sure someone could come along with more "Proof" and say there are 1 million people in Dublin and 80% of them have never left the county except via Dublin airport therefore there's an 800,000 market for it might be just as valid!

stimpson · 01-07-2013 2:30pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Poor post to be honest.
Saying they don't work and there's proof is just as vague as your theist argument is.
Proof using whom as a case study? Doesn't work for person A so can't work for person B?
It's like everything. There's a place and suitability for any car currently on the market, including the Leaf. Sure someone could come along with more "Proof" and say there are 1 million people in Dublin and 80% of them have never left the county except via Dublin airport therefore there's an 800,000 market for it might be just as valid!

I think the proof is that very very few of them are being sold.

01-07-2013 2:52pm

stimpson wrote: »

I think the proof is that very very few of them are being sold.

Well as I did say that's because the majority of people don't care about electric cars as petrol and diesel is still very cheap for all but the high mileage commuters. So your average joe won't care if it's electric/ice as long as it's affordable, so there is not an incentive as of yet to go electric not because the technology itself is inferior.

Natural blue a boards.ie member does significant mileage in his Leaf and charges at the City West Luas. He has proved that it can work and I'm surprised has not been in on this discussion. He does have his own blog.

The Government can change policy as easy as they did from CC to C02, and also the E.U can change things to suit low emissions and even 0 emissions cars.

It won't happen overnight but I do think the change to C02 tax and promoting the biggest polluting cars was wrong. And that at least there should have been a push for LPG and a complete ban on new diesel vehicles but to tax the old diesels highly that in time they would be replaced.

It was wrong because while diesels may be more efficient in town they are not efficient and there are several reports on many forums about diesel drivers getting less than 35 mpg in town driving and less, so if you burn more fuel you naturally increase C02 and the actual harmful emissions along with it.

It's all down to the NEDC test that was designed for old cars that had poor acceleration and were light compared to today's cars. That test is flawed and needs to be changed soon as it in no way reflects real life driving and suits car manufacturers because they can make big claims about C02 emissions.

01-07-2013 2:54pm

stimpson wrote: »

I think the proof is that very very few of them are being sold.

Up to now they are very expensive, and people are unsure of the technology. And a lot of people have no facility to charge, this is an area the Government are not even considering addressing, though in some way the ESB are by installing public chargers but it's not enough, more has to be done to install work place chargers.

01-07-2013 2:58pm

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Except he doesn't actually own one, nor has lived with one for a prolonged period of time. It's all hypotheticals.

No I don't own one because I'm not in a full time job and certainly not going to spend a large amount of money with the uncertainty of work and I absolutely would have one if I had a permanent job and knew that the I had sufficient range or work charging. Because I know myself that where I live it may or may not work out. That isn't to say it won't suit thousands of drivers all over Ireland.

stimpson · 01-07-2013 3:01pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Well as I did say that's because the majority of people don't care about electric cars as petrol and diesel is still very cheap for all but the high mileage commuters. So your average joe won't care if it's electric/ice as long as it's affordable, so there is not an incentive as of yet to go electric not because the technology itself is inferior.

Natural blue a boards.ie member does significant mileage in his Leaf and charges at the City West Luas. He has proved that it can work and I'm surprised has not been in on this discussion. He does have his own blog.

The Government can change policy as easy as they did from CC to C02, and also the E.U can change things to suit low emissions and even 0 emissions cars.

It won't happen overnight but I do think the change to C02 tax and promoting the biggest polluting cars was wrong. And that at least there should have been a push for LPG and a complete ban on new diesel vehicles but to tax the old diesels highly that in time they would be replaced.

It was wrong because while diesels may be more efficient in town they are not efficient and there are several reports on many forums about diesel drivers getting less than 35 mpg in town driving and less, so if you burn more fuel you naturally increase C02 and the actual harmful emissions along with it.

It's all down to the NEDC test that was designed for old cars that had poor acceleration and were light compared to today's cars. That test is flawed and needs to be changed soon as it in no way reflects real life driving and suits car manufacturers because they can make big claims about C02 emissions.

Sorry, but there are already huge artificial incentives. 5 grand off, minimal VRT/motor tax, free home charging station and free charging on the road.

When that doesn't entice people so you think a blanket ban on diesels in town is the answer. To me that proves that an EV in it's current form is not a viable option for 99.99% of the population.

01-07-2013 3:07pm

stimpson wrote: »

Sorry, but there are already huge artificial incentives. 5 grand off, minimal VRT/motor tax, free home charging station and free charging on the road.

When that doesn't entice people so you think a blanket ban on diesels in town is the answer. To me that proves that an EV in it's current form is not a viable option for 99.99% of the population.

To many people there isn't an incentive because the grant, reduced motor tax which is only a small amount given the next band up isn't enough to persuade many drivers to change, after all they can afford petrol and diesel so why should they bother ? While I agree to many plugging in a car seems obscured and they will never do it no matter what and the thoughts of 4 hours to charge at home is just unimaginable 4 hours to charge a car that can charge while sitting there isn't so mad an idea to me, all this is not going to change over night until eventually they may know people with an electric car and see that it works for them and /or there is change in the tax system again.

Max Power1 · 01-07-2013 3:18pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Poor post to be honest.
Saying they don't work and there's proof is just as vague as your theist argument is.
Proof using whom as a case study? Doesn't work for person A so can't work for person B?
It's like everything. There's a place and suitability for any car currently on the market, including the Leaf. Sure someone could come along with more "Proof" and say there are 1 million people in Dublin and 80% of them have never left the county except via Dublin airport therefore there's an 800,000 market for it might be just as valid!

Poor post :rolleyes:

Was clearly explaining what had happened to date in the thread.

They clearly dont work as they are a regression on currently available technology. IE Taken something and broken it (Square wheel anyone???)

stimpson · 01-07-2013 3:25pm

Deleted User wrote: »

To many people there isn't an incentive because the grant, reduced motor tax which is only a small amount given the next band up isn't enough to persuade many drivers to change, after all they can afford petrol and diesel so why should they bother ? While I agree to many plugging in a car seems obscured and they will never do it no matter what and the thoughts of 4 hours to charge at home is just unimaginable 4 hours to charge a car that can charge while sitting there isn't so mad an idea to me, all this is not going to change over night until eventually they may know people with an electric car and see that it works for them and /or there is change in the tax system again.

The motor tax could be free and it wouldn't make much difference - its only a tenner a month.

Artificially loading ICE cars won't increase the range of an EV and the fact that you think this is a reasonable proposition shows how ridiculous your argument is.

Tea 1000 · 01-07-2013 3:36pm

stimpson wrote: »

I think the proof is that very very few of them are being sold.

In this country, that's no proof of anything. Herd mentality here is what dictates sales of anything.

01-07-2013 3:39pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

In this country, that's no proof of anything. Herd mentality here is what dictates sales of anything.

Indeed well said!

stimpson · 01-07-2013 3:46pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

In this country, that's no proof of anything. Herd mentality here is what dictates sales of anything.

It's proof that people aren't prepared to stump up the cash for them, despite massive incentives.

01-07-2013 3:49pm

stimpson wrote: »

The motor tax could be free and it wouldn't make much difference - its only a tenner a month.

Yes that's the point I was making, it doesn't make a difference hence there is no incentive to change to electric.

stimpson wrote: »

Artificially loading ICE cars won't increase the range of an EV and the fact that you think this is a reasonable proposition shows how ridiculous your argument is.

And you think changing the tax system to promote the most polluting cars on our roads isn't a ridiculous system ?

I'm all in favour of incentives for LPG conversions, and for auto makers to produce LPG cars. As it's cleaner than even petrol.

Now we have people buying diesels because of that fact they save 50-100 a year in road tax, all to drive to the local shop and school. That is ridiculous.

Regardless of where the fuel comes from to charge e.v's our towns and cities would have cleaner air, but I'd ban coal and briquettes for heating too as it effects my sinus but apart from that is is woeful polluting way to heat any house. far more than any car exhaust.

galwaytt · 01-07-2013 3:50pm

stimpson wrote: »

It's proof that people aren't prepared to stump up the cash for them, despite massive incentives.

...it's also proof that its 10k too expensive.

The vast majority of cars on the road here are in the 10k - 15k prices range. If that's your budget the Leaf might as well be 100k

01-07-2013 3:54pm

stimpson wrote: »

It's proof that people aren't prepared to stump up the cash for them, despite massive incentives.

Massive incentives are not so massive, giving 5,000 off a car that costs a lot to buy is not an incentive for someone who can't afford it or is on a budget.

It may change this time or it may not but as tea1000 says, there is a certain Herd mentality on this Island, the pub talk heard. "go and buy a diesel, sure you'll save a fortune, great on diesel and you'll save a fortune on road tax, them electric yokes ? jaysus no, I heard a lad say you can't go more than 40 miles in them at 50 mph and they take 12 hours to charge. jaysus no, sure the Government will only tax the boll**ks out of them when everyone has one"

01-07-2013 3:57pm

galwaytt wrote: »

...it's also proof that its 10k too expensive.

The vast majority of cars on the road here are in the 10k - 15k prices range. If that's your budget the Leaf might as well be 100k

Yes, and I think the grant's countries give only help to artificially inflate the prices of electric cars in the first place. I don't believe that we can't have batteries half the price that they are now. I believe it's all to keep technology behind to begin with.

stimpson · 01-07-2013 4:16pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Massive incentives are not so massive, giving 5,000 off a car that costs a lot to buy is not an incentive for someone who can't afford it or is on a budget.

It may change this time or it may not but as tea1000 says, there is a certain Herd mentality on this Island, the pub talk heard. "go and buy a diesel, sure you'll save a fortune, great on diesel and you'll save a fortune on road tax, them electric yokes ? jaysus no, I heard a lad say you can't go more than 40 miles in them at 50 mph and they take 12 hours to charge. jaysus no, sure the Government will only tax the boll**ks out of them when everyone has one"

Cost a lot to buy - indeed.

As for diesel, once we signed up to Kyoto, as a country we're paying for our CO2 emissions. Make financial sense to encourage diesel use.

And once you are doing a good burn every couple of weeks you can happily use a diesel in town. I've been driving a 2 litre turbo diesel, mostly town driving for 3 1/2 years now without anything other a scheduled service. I've calculated that the savings over a 1.6 petrol mean I can afford a new DMF every 50000km. Say what you want about diesel, but I'd take a 2.0 turbo diesel over a 1.6 petrol any day. But I'd take a 1.6 petrol over an EV in a heartbeat.

01-07-2013 4:57pm

stimpson wrote: »

I've calculated that the savings over a 1.6 petrol mean I can afford a new DMF every 50000km.

stimpson wrote: »

Say what you want about diesel, but I'd take a 2.0 turbo diesel over a 1.6 petrol any day.

stimpson · 01-07-2013 5:00pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Good comeback.

01-07-2013 5:17pm

stimpson wrote: »

Good comeback.

stimpson · 01-07-2013 5:18pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Funnily enough, that exactly how I picture you when reading your posts.

01-07-2013 5:22pm

stimpson wrote: »

Funnily enough, that exactly how I picture you when reading your posts.

Funny as this is how I imagine you reading yours.

Max Power1 · 01-07-2013 5:35pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

In this country, that's no proof of anything. Herd mentality here is what dictates sales of anything.

Deleted User wrote: »

Indeed well said!

Oh look its the EV circlejerq

01-07-2013 6:04pm

Max Power1 wrote: »

Oh look its the EV circlejerq

Ded_Zebra · 01-07-2013 6:14pm

Look lads, the EV is inevitable at this stage. Though it isn't perfect yet and there are still issues to overcome.
Very simply there are two kinds of people, Those who embrace change and those who fight it. 9 times out of 10 change comes about anyway and those in favor of it come out on top and are the happiest.
At the end of the day I don't think that the drawbacks of an EV are that significantly different in number compared to a petrol/diesel car, We have just come to accept the flaws of the internal combustion but have yet to do so with EVs.

lomb · 01-07-2013 7:44pm

Yes but the change on EV is for the worse. You have a restricted range. The whole purpose of a car is mobility and the pure EV restricts that.
EV is the future no doubt there. However its probably 10-20 years away. Addiotionally it will be on hybrid electric like the Volt which actually is a innovative and useful car. If anyone wants an EV they should be looking that way rather than the Leaf. The Volt is actually a very decent looking car too and someone I know who bought one in the UK says its a decent drive to boot. Plenty of power, economical and quiet with some room. He paid around 30k for it but I think there are tax incentives there like 100% capital allowances in year one and no company car tax so he bought it through his company.

Heres a review http://www.rev.ie/we-drive-the-new-opel-ampera/
The current cost makes it unviable though, but if thats the future then you can sign me up.

Ded_Zebra · 01-07-2013 8:12pm

lomb wrote: »

Yes but the change on EV is for the worse. You have a restricted range. The whole purpose of a car is mobility and the pure EV restricts that.
EV is the future no doubt there. However its probably 10-20 years away. Addiotionally it will be on hybrid electric like the Volt which actually is a innovative and useful car. If anyone wants an EV they should be looking that way rather than the Leaf. The Volt is actually a very decent looking car too and someone I know who bought one in the UK says its a decent drive to boot. Plenty of power, economical and quiet with some room. He paid around 30k for it but I think there are tax incentives there like 100% capital allowances in year one and no company car tax so he bought it through his company.

Heres a review http://www.rev.ie/we-drive-the-new-opel-ampera/
The current cost makes it unviable though, but if thats the future then you can sign me up.

To be fair the Volt is a totally rotten looking thing! How could you think it's nice

Don't get my wrong the Leaf is not a particular looker, it's very average which imo is why it's perfect for what it's trying to do which is that you could have an everyday car (looks normal even) that just happens to be powered by electricity.

The drawbacks to the ICE vehicle compared to a EV other than the fuel cost are

Expensive and frequent servicing
Noise
Emissions
I'm sure there is more that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Don't get me wrong I do love cars and I do love ICEs but if I had the choice to drive a wheeze underpowered 4 cylinder petrol or Diesel every day or drive an EV 90% of the time and then spend the savings on a nice car that I drive on the other 10% of the time. For me it's a no brainer.

stimpson · 01-07-2013 8:23pm

lomb wrote: »

Heres a review http://www.rev.ie/we-drive-the-new-opel-ampera/
The current cost makes it unviable though, but if thats the future then you can sign me up.

Looks great until you see the price. 47 grand after subsidy. For an Opel Astra. Wow.

Sitec · 01-07-2013 9:38pm

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

To be fair the Volt is a totally rotten looking thing! How could you think it's nice

Don't get my wrong the Leaf is not a particular looker, it's very average which imo is why it's perfect for what it's trying to do which is that you could have an everyday car (looks normal even) that just happens to be powered by electricity.

The drawbacks to the ICE vehicle compared to a EV other than the fuel cost are

Expensive and frequent servicing
Noise
Emissions

I'm sure there is more that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Don't get me wrong I do love cars and I do love ICEs but if I had the choice to drive a wheeze underpowered 4 cylinder petrol or Diesel every day or drive an EV 90% of the time and then spend the savings on a nice car that I drive on the other 10% of the time. For me it's a no brainer.

Here's a Volt we built. Butchered an electric forktruck. Does 40kmph for about 20 minutes. cost about 1500e!

01-07-2013 9:45pm

Sitec wrote: »

Here's a Volt we built. Butchered an electric forktruck. Does 40kmph for about 20 minutes. cost about 1500e!

Looks cool, how about a bigger motor, and Lithium batteries ?

Sitec · 01-07-2013 9:51pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Looks cool, how about a bigger motor, and Lithium batteries ?

It was a college project so we had a very limited budget, it has so much torque it can take off in 5th gear.

Sitec · 01-07-2013 9:53pm

Also, I drove the last gen Nissan Leaf and have to say it was shockingly good. Couldn't believe how comfortable and easy to drive it was.

01-07-2013 10:04pm

Sitec wrote: »

Also, I drove the last gen Nissan Leaf and have to say it was shockingly good. Couldn't believe how comfortable and easy to drive it was.

Cool college project, fair play !

Yeah the Leaf is a nice car to drive, being able to blast our at junctions and roundabouts was really cool. Just hit the throttle and your off in an instant.

You got all that torque at all speeds too which is unique of the Leaf's motor as torque is dependant of current and not revs.

Some people can't get understand there is a world of difference between ice power and E.V power.

I really enjoyed riding my electric bike which was an animal, instant torque is completely addictive, power as soon as you turn the throttle is so much fun.

It starts to get real fun around 5kw say 7 kw peak. That's a lot of juice for a mountain bike with 11 extra kgs.

Mr Benevolent · 01-07-2013 10:16pm

I drove a Leaf a month ago and it's a great car. There's no sensation of driving an electric car, it's seamless and I felt at home immediately. I drove about 10 km mixed and returned to the dealer with the same amount of range. the drop in price would tempt me if I was in the market for a new car.

Mr Benevolent · 01-07-2013 10:18pm

I really enjoyed riding my electric bike which was an animal, instant torque is completely addictive, power as soon as you turn the throttle is so much fun.

I have one too, but it's a kit and the motor broke (phase wires shorted together). No more ebike!

01-07-2013 10:35pm

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

I have one too, but it's a kit and the motor broke (phase wires shorted together). No more ebike!

Ha yeah common problem for running too much power !

Was it a hub motor ?

But if I were to build a high power bike again it would use 20" wheels for more torque and volt it up to get the speed I want, but the 20" wheel would ease the load on the motor and help it run cooler.

Most electric bikes are going chain drive now as they offer much better torque for lower power setups and run far more efficient on the hills.

The Bosch e-bike system is fantastic. It was amazing the hills it would climb on 500 watts, the pedelec system works brilliantly.

Mr Benevolent · 01-07-2013 10:45pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Ha yeah common problem for running too much power !

Was it a hub motor ?

Yeah, I was running 1kw (using a 36V 10Ah battery) through a 201 rpm 350w Bafang via a 500w controller. Everything else works though, maybe a better motor would be the solution. Problem is cost.

New Nissan Leaf from €20,990

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