Electric Van Is Coming

[Sabre]

ABT readies modified VW e-Transporter for Geneva Motor Show | 1 | Auto Express

It's coming....
What do you think about the range?
Obviously as a show van for some, the mod capability is the same, but what about the campers? How will the weight affect the range?

 

[Dellmassive]

Nice.. =)

 

[Brennanpj]

I can imagine the battery range will be as optimistic as current MPG figures for the diesels!

 

[Sabre]

Possibly, or probably.
But ABT are getting behind this and aiming squarely at the performance/show van scene as this is a nice looking T6.
It would be interesting to understand the battery configuration. Could you have a battery big enough to run both engine and leisure functionality? Could you plug in and charge in the same way?
Will there be an Electric T6 member of the forum before the end of the year?
So who would buy one? Might be a good short haul work option or a pose-mobile??

 

[Dellmassive]

bound to be Lithium battery power = Uber expensive.

any1 seen the e-crafter? . . . . . .

Volkswagen e-Crafter Review (2019) | Autocar

e-Crafter Concept Vehicle | Volkswagen Van Life

Volkswagen e-Crafter review

https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/news/2018/volkswagen-e-crafter-electric-van/v

Volkswagen e-Crafter Electric Van: Test Drive Review

 

[Wills]

Battery / Electric rant....
Is the current battery technology fit for purpose in the general market? The whole battery manufacturing process is so non-eco. Battery charging times are so looooong and life expectancy is poo.
The Volvo XC60 hybrid is so much more expensive. Has a battery life of 10 years (Depending on usage). Current battery replacement cost is £16K, which effectively makes the vehicle scrap in 10 years.
Will be interesting to see 2nd hand prices of Elon's cars in the near future.

Possible answer... target the fossil fuel suppliers / manufacturers to fund new battery technology. While they're making trillions, they'll never be a big step forward. Are they actually suppressing any progress??
A major move away from fossil technology in this area would totally fook up the Middle East and the yanks to name a few

 

[Steve H]

And that last sentence from @Wills is perhaps the biggest reason for dragging heels..

Today in the UK, thousands of school aged children are out and about chanting at the top of their voices about climate change. Make no mistake, alternative fuels are here to stay, but the age old decider is whether or not to be an early adopter.

My worry is that running several technologies concurrently will simply add major costs and infrastructure mayhem with the urgency of it all. plus, it'll shaft us all if kids decide to wind everyone up against small users like T6 owners..

 

[andys]

Probably retail for £50k+ and the sale version will be stripped of all those fancy clothes, but as a concept it shows we may only be a few years away from having an actual viable electric transporter, though the prices will probably be out of reach of most for some time after that

 

[Cherokee]

Battery / Electric rant....
Is the current battery technology fit for purpose in the general market? The whole battery manufacturing process is so non-eco. Battery charging times are so looooong and life expectancy is poo.
The Volvo XC60 hybrid is so much more expensive. Has a battery life of 10 years (Depending on usage). Current battery replacement cost is £16K, which effectively makes the vehicle scrap in 10 years.
Will be interesting to see 2nd hand prices of Elon's cars in the near future.

Possible answer... target the fossil fuel suppliers / manufacturers to fund new battery technology. While they're making trillions, they'll never be a big step forward. Are they actually suppressing any progress??
A major move away from fossil technology in this area would totally fook up the Middle East and the yanks to name a few

So long as oil is in the ground. So long as US oil companies extract it. So long as Middle Eastern Oil produces pump it. So long as the same Middle Eastern countries purchase US arms... new technologies for vehicles will be just a sideline. End off.

 

[Cherokee]

ABT readies modified VW e-Transporter for Geneva Motor Show | 1 | Auto Express

It's coming....
What do you think about the range?
Obviously as a show van for some, the mod capability is the same, but what about the campers? How will the weight affect the range?

Another gold star for Team White! Way to go!!

 

[Wills]

An interesting article Nickel mining: the hidden environmental cost of electric cars
It's like nuclear energy all over again.

 

[Cherokee]

An interesting article Nickel mining: the hidden environmental cost of electric cars
It's like nuclear energy all over again.

Good read, that. I'll stick to diesel for now.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Personally I think battery powered vehicles will go the same way as Betamax VHS, laser discs, CD-ROM, steam engines etc. They will be superseded by better technologies before they get chance to mature. Hydrogen fuel cells anyone? There are still 2 fundamental barriers to battery power, the recharge time & duration. Give me a battery that will get me 400 miles towing a 2 tonne boat & recharge in 10 minutes & I’ll show some interest.

 

[TEESIXY]

With a diesel you look forward to performance and economy gradually increasing as the miles are put on it. With electric i guesss you see the range gradually diminishing from day 1. And a reluctance to use the electrical comforts because they are reducing the range.

The costs of charging them seem to be almost dismissed, but the thoughts of the equivilant of four 3kw electric fires going while its charging would stop me sleeping at night.

 

[Salty Spuds]

With a diesel you look forward to performance and economy gradually increasing as the miles are put on it. With electric i guesss you see the range gradually diminishing from day 1. And a reluctance to use the electrical comforts because they are reducing the range.

The costs of charging them seem to be almost dismissed, but the thoughts of the equivilant of four 3kw electric fires going while its charging would stop me sleeping at night.

I’ve no idea what the true cost of charging an electric vehicle is, I suspect that there are some “incentives” hidden in the charging costs. If fuel duty was applied to electricity supplied for electric vehicles, there would be some smug faces wiped.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Personally I think battery powered vehicles will go the same way as Betamax VHS, laser discs, CD-ROM, steam engines etc. They will be superseded by better technologies before they get chance to mature. Hydrogen fuel cells anyone? There are still 2 fundamental barriers to battery power, the recharge time & duration. Give me a battery that will get me 400 miles towing a 2 tonne boat & recharge in 10 minutes & I’ll show some interest.

I think progress will be quicker than most of us would like to admit. 30 miles range is quickly becoming 300 miles. I think the problem will be sourcing enough metals to produce the vast amount of batteries required worldwide. Which is where hydrogen cells have an advantage as you suggest @Salty Spuds. Also, how does the national grid cope with production and transmission of the extra electrical load.

Just as footnote however, steam was used to power industry and transportation for best part of 250 years, so it had a pretty good innings. Some power stations, nuclear subs still use steam turbines today.

 

[Spitfire]

I think progress will be quicker than most of us would like to admit. 30 miles range is quickly becoming 300 miles. I think the problem will be sourcing enough metals to produce the vast amount of batteries required worldwide. Which is where hydrogen cells have an advantage as you suggest @Salty Spuds. Also, how does the national grid cope with production and transmission of the extra electrical load.

Just as footnote however, steam was used to power industry and transportation for best part of 250 years, so it had a pretty good innings. Some power stations, nuclear subs still use steam

 

[Spitfire]

I’m still waiting to see electric powered wagons pulling 40tonne !!

 

[Sabre]

The big problem with electric cars, as you are all alluding to, is that the production of the batteries is seriously screwing the planet. Yes they are really becoming cheap to run but that's without considering the cost to produce the power storage device, the miles of copper required for the motors and the cost to produce the electricity to put in them...
As mentioned @Salty Spuds, we need to have a real alternative and that could be hydrogen but that technology is still a few years away. So again, here's another case where the goverments all get everyone on board, as they did with diesel, then turn round and vilify those who bought in because there is something else that you now need to have that's better and you should have that and why were you so stupid to buy dirty diesel in the first place, ignoring the fact we told you to and the tax advantage we gave you....

 

[Phil_G]

As usual, the figures dont add up.
A range of 130 miles is (say) two hours drive at a typical 65mph motoway speed.
Assuming its 100% efficient, a 37kWh battery can at best give 18.5kW for two hours.
18kW is 25bhp. Would a 25bhp T6 even manage a continuous 65mph?

Ok try a steady 130 miles at 30mph. Thats a four hour drive, so you can only take 9kW from your 37kWh battery. 9kW is 12bhp, less than a 125 learner-bike. Who's up for a trial, towing a T6 with a CG125 for four hours?