ESB Great Electric Drive

extremetaz

Shane732 wrote: »

What happens if you don't make it to Parkwest?

It's one thing buying a car with a limited range like that, it's another deciding to play games with the range!!

EV guys are nuts!

Lol - you get to know her. No gamble required, tis simply an adjustment if the buffer as it were.

Just landed in Windsor belgard (I've a few errands to run south side today) a few mins ago. She's on the FC as we speak. Got to work with 16km to spare and its 8 back out to park west. Got to belgard with 6 left.

So as suspected, it's doable but not as comfortably as I'd like and to be honest, any wear and tear I'm avoiding at the top end, I'm likely just shifting to the lower end at those levels in any case.

Cheers for that charger spec info mad lad - that's the info I was missing alright. Clearly still have a good bit to learn about the various charger config options. Must start looking into the electrickery behind those AC fast chargers. Sound like an interested idea.

September1

Deleted User wrote: »

I didn't see where he charged to 100% all the time ? And 40K miles means absolutely nothing regarding renaming battery life. The fact he can charge at work is a big + and he may only discharge to 30% or so. If he can make it on 80% and still leave some at the bottom that would be very good!

Actually he charges 2 or more times a day to 100%
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=7151&p=157160#p157160

60kkm no degradation in other threads his gids are 280 on full charge as of 12th of May

I do not say that LEAF is without problems, and I could go for hours complaining, but unlike you mention battery is not really issue in our climate.

positron

Rode the motorbike behind a Leaf on R132 yesterday morning, the air felt fresher..!

The Recliner

Deleted User wrote: »

By the way ESB I still want a Zoe or Leaf thanks!

ESB if you are reading, I am not as fussy and will take whatever you want to give me

Joe 90

RoverJames wrote: »

I can't imagine anyone being happy with adding the guts of half an hour to their spin home everyday to charge up their car, seemingly you are, anyone I know is quite keen to get home as soon as possible. I just can't fathom it personally.
I'm surprised it can't manage there and back home on the night charge too. I'm also surprised at the low range on the motorway.
To me it seems you wanted a new car, couldn't really afford it so bought one that has huge limitations.

The low range on the motorway, or rather at motorway speeds makes sense.

September1

September1 wrote: »

Actually he charges 2 or more times a day to 100%
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=7151&p=157160#p157160

60kkm no degradation in other threads his gids are 280 on full charge as of 12th of May

I do not say that LEAF is without problems, and I could go for hours complaining, but unlike you mention battery is not really issue in our climate.

40k miles is not a lot really I would be expecting over 150,000 from the leaf battery with proper care. How time will effect it is anybody's guess.

But saying that there is 0 loss of capacity after 60k kms doesn't mean that after 10k more kms it could start to drop off pretty fast to 70%

Fast charging I would have believed from the beginning wouldn't have been an issue. I can charge my bike battery at x2 it's rated capacity. 10ah battery at 20 amps. Other batteries can be charged MUCH faster and are all within their rated specs. That's the important thing.

What I'm trying to do is not frighten people away from electric cars ( god forbid ) but help them realise what is better for their expensive battery.

In the end we could be proved wrong and NEC could have made a battery for Nissan & Renault that can last years. Until it's proven I wouldn't be risking my expensive battery!

boardie2011

Electric Ireland: David wrote: »

Couldn't resist...

There's actually a Public Test Drive Day on the 11th July as part of Fully Charged 2012 (organized by ESB ecars on behalf of the Green eMotion EU project), which could give you the chance to experience driving one. No harm in applying for the Great Electric Drive too.

Any chance you will have one of thes as part of the Great Electric Drive?


Drool: http://rimac-automobili.com/concept_one/exterior-design-4

Electric Ireland: David

boardie2011 wrote:

Drool: http://rimac-automobili.com/concept_...erior-design-4

That would be nice alright...



Can't promise it unfortunately!

MugMugs

Still waiting on my free Car David !

PopIT

Hi All,
I put in my application for The Great Electric Drive so am really hoping I get one of these cars a couple of weeks back. My wife and I were discussing buying one and after reading the posts on here we now definitely want one. It would be great to get one for a few months to test it and make sure it is compatible for us before we go ahead and buy one. Am living in Ardrahan in Co Galway and working in Ballybrit. When my daughter is back to school in September I would be looking at doing about 115kms a day. That would be dropping her to school, collecting her, going to work and returning home. Should be less at the weekends as I dont work Fridays.

Currently driving an Audi a6 TDI so one of these would be a big change.

I know the closing date for the applications is next Monday but any idea when we should know if we have been picked.
Thanks all.

beazee

The closing date for applications is Midnight on Monday 16th July. The chosen ambassadors will be announced in August.
http://www.esb.ie/electric-cars/electric-car-driving/the-great-electric-drive.jsp
______________________________
Support EV forum request. Thanks!
http://www.boards.ie/tre/2056625492

PopIT

This Geoff aka The Eagle i-Thrust made by the boys on Top Gear. Just want to make sure this model will not be part of the The Great Electric Drive

September1

PopIT wrote: »

Am living in Ardrahan in Co Galway and working in Ballybrit. When my daughter is back to school in September I would be looking at doing about 115kms a day. That would be dropping her to school, collecting her, going to work and returning home. Should be less at the weekends as I dont work Fridays.

I own LEAF in this area and climate is a bit too cold to make 115kms comfortably all-year round - unless you drive with below limit speeds consistently or save energy on heating.

PopIT

September1 wrote: »

I own LEAF in this area and climate is a bit too cold to make 115kms comfortably all-year round - unless you drive with below limit speeds consistently or save energy on heating.

Who needs heating in our lovely warm climate :rolleyes:

Would probably look at getting a charging point in work for it if I bought it and have one at home. It would be idle in work for 8 hours so that would bring back up the charge nicely on it.

MugMugs

Anybody heard anything yet ?

Antares

Antares wrote: »

Anybody heard anything yet ?

I believe Electric Ireland will be contacting people sometime in August.

PopIT

PopIT wrote: »

Who needs heating in our lovely warm climate :rolleyes:

Would probably look at getting a charging point in work for it if I bought it and have one at home. It would be idle in work for 8 hours so that would bring back up the charge nicely on it.

Yes charging at work opens up a whole new world for electric cars. But no employer is going to spend the money on it and the government don't have money for grants.

I can see private companies starting to install chargers and charge a fortune for the electricity. And the danger is installing chargers that are not standard. That has been a huge problem in the U.K (or so I heard )

I wish the ESB would start to install chargers in more tourist locations or places people might like to go for a day trip. Places like Glendalough, or Brittas bay, Cliffs Of Moher etc.

Nissan can't deny the want and need for more range. We need 30 Kw/Hrs for a real 100 miles range and 20 Kw/krs is just not good enough.

30 Kw/Hrs and 5 min charging would be super.

September1

OP says 115 km and if school is not much further than Gort he should be ok with using regular power socket at work. That is not that big expense as full charging point.

Bruthal

Deleted User wrote: »

30 Kw/Hrs and 5 min charging would be super.

What would be the suggested charging method for that?
(520 amps per phase on 400v 3 phase)

robbie7730

robbie7730 wrote: »

What would be the suggested charging method for that?
(520 amps per phase on 400v 3 phase)

That would probably require 250 KW of power or more.

Super capacitors would probably be used in order to reduce stress on the grid.

But for most people charging at home will be the main way of charging.

They have busses that fast charge while dropping off passengers in about 5 mins at selected stops along the way, no reason it can't be done here. I'll see if I can find the link.

Trucks might be more difficult as the power required would be a hell of a lot. This is where Hydrogen will probably be used in the future, for commercial use. Once the world realises that Nuclear power using Thorium powered molten salt reactors or L.F.T.R is the future of power generation, then we can make lots of hydrogen. But renewables are never going to meet all our energy needs.

If you calculated the energy required for the whole earth x the amount of current renewable capacity x the rate of which it's being installed x the amount that would be needed the sums don't add up. The amount of land required would be way too much.

Norway has plenty of Thorium and we could use it once L.F.T.R design improves, more investment needed but the world is blinded by renewables and the costs involved.

Bruthal

Deleted User wrote: »

That would probably require 250 KW of power or more.

To recharge a 30kwh battery in 5 minutes would require 360kw for 5 minutes.
Or to recharge 80% of its capacity, would require about 290kw.

290kw with a 3 phase 400v supply would be about 420 amps per phase, just for some perspective.

September1

robbie7730 wrote: »

To recharge a 30kwh battery in 5 minutes would require 360kw for 5 minutes.
Or to recharge 80% of its capacity, would require about 290kw.

290kw with a 3 phase 400v supply would be about 420 amps per phase, just for some perspective.

Petrol can deliver about 3kwh of mechanical power in engines so we are talking here about 10 liters per 5 minutes....

PopIT

September1 wrote: »

OP says 115 km and if school is not much further than Gort he should be ok with using regular power socket at work. That is not that big expense as full charging point.

I remember on Top Gear they tested two EV's and one of them was the Leaf. But they were (supposedly) seen using a three pin plug to try and charge the Leaf and eventually got it charged at the university. See video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPltV7Dk7Ck&feature=player_embedded

Will we be able to just plug a EV into a a wall socket and charge it up or will it need to be a particular type of electrical supply? In the video Clarkson can be seen holding a three PIN plug with a PSU on it.
Asking this question because I just have not got a clue about this.

PopIT

September1 wrote: »

OP says 115 km and if school is not much further than Gort he should be ok with using regular power socket at work. That is not that big expense as full charging point.

The trip would be to Oranmore which is about the same distance as to Gort from my house give or take a 2 or three KM.

Joe 90

robbie7730 wrote: »

To recharge a 30kwh battery in 5 minutes would require 360kw for 5 minutes.
Or to recharge 80% of its capacity, would require about 290kw.

290kw with a 3 phase 400v supply would be about 420 amps per phase, just for some perspective.

Thick cables!

Joe 90

Here on the outskirts of London I was approaching a junction last week and I saw a milk float being towed by a truck, not a breakdown truck, owned by the same dairy. The fact that it was a normal truck and they had a proper towbar for the setup suggested that it might be a fairly common occurrence. It did make me wonder what sights we will see if EVs, in their current level of development, become anyway popular.

Joe 90

Joe 90 wrote: »

Here on the outskirts of London I was approaching a junction last week and I saw a milk float being towed by a truck, not a breakdown truck, owned by the same dairy. The fact that it was a normal truck and they had a proper towbar for the setup suggested that it might be a fairly common occurrence. It did make me wonder what sights we will see if EVs, in their current level of development, become anyway popular.

Electric cars use completely different technology, and I suspect "milk Floats" use lead acid which are completely unsuitable for any kind of transportation.

PopIT

PopIT wrote: »

I remember on Top Gear they tested two EV's and one of them was the Leaf. But they were (supposedly) seen using a three pin plug to try and charge the Leaf and eventually got it charged at the university. See video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPltV7Dk7Ck&feature=player_embedded

Will we be able to just plug a EV into a a wall socket and charge it up or will it need to be a particular type of electrical supply? In the video Clarkson can be seen holding a three PIN plug with a PSU on it.
Asking this question because I just have not got a clue about this.

Of course you can charge any electric car from a 3 pin socket, however afaik Nissan don't give out the cable in Ireland. You can buy it for an extra fee and top up in any house.

I'm not sure but I think it's limited to 2kw max, still plenty for most people.

September1

PopIT wrote: »

Will we be able to just plug a EV into a a wall socket and charge it up or will it need to be a particular type of electrical supply? In the video Clarkson can be seen holding a three PIN plug with a PSU on it.

Yes, that is possible. You can also use a decent extender as LEAF draws only 10A.

PopIT wrote: »

The trip would be to Oranmore which is about the same distance as to Gort from my house give or take a 2 or three KM.

There is also fast charger in Windsor, so you can on colder days just charge for 5-10 minutes when you come back from school run. But regular power socket at works is just as practical. Irish LEAF do not come with cable for using regular socket, but it can be purchased for few hundred euros.

Joe 90

Deleted User wrote: »

Electric cars use completely different technology, and I suspect "milk Floats" use lead acid which are completely unsuitable for any kind of transportation.

The result is the same when there's no more juice in the battery, no matter what the technology.
An even worse thought is lots of electric cars trying to make the next charger at 15mph.:D