Electric vehicles

[Crazy Dave]

So you’re contradicting the National Grid?

So, why don't they put a "fast" charger on every lamppost that would certainly solve the lack of chargers?

 

[sploo]

We don't have the capacity of electric generation in this country if we all buy an EV. Not difficult to realise, is it?

We do. And there's a huge amount of work in progress related to this (to make things even better).

If everyone came home at 6pm and tried to plug in their EV for charging, then - no it's not going to work. But EVs can charge at different periods through the night (where electric demand is currently way below the feasible generation levels).

Vehicle-to-grid technology will also allow the use of an EV as a battery to power the home. The amount of power in an EV battery is massive compared to the needs of an average home; so there's plenty of potential resource there to smooth out the load on the network.

If you want to get really geeky, ISO 15118-20 has it all here: ISO 15118-20:2022 (though unfortunately behind a paywall).

 

[Cobbs]

We have a variable tariff that gives us cheap electric at night, which we use to charge the car, I imagine most charging would take place at night, when cooking and industry are drawing the least.
Agree with the stupid size of cars though - how many people actually need something the size of a tank? Compensating for something, maybe?

 

[sploo]

So, why don't they put a "fast" charger on every lamppost that would certainly solve the lack of chargers?

Define "they".

Admittedly the main issue would be the lack of local power infrastructure (just because "the grid" has the juice it doesn't mean that the power lines in that particular area would support multiple "fast" chargers).

 

[paulrbarnard]

So, why don't they put a "fast" charger on every lamppost that would certainly solve the lack of chargers?

Cost, demand, legislation, planning, safety, etc

 

[Ollie78]

I suppose you would need a new generation of smart meters that can provide data to the national grid so they know what is available, ie is your EV plugged in and able to share power.

Our smart meter can do this already, which is one reason we needed it because we want to get solar and a battery.

 

[Vulcan]

So, why don't they put a "fast" charger on every lamppost that would certainly solve the lack of chargers?

Because they’re not needed yet. As I said earlier 93% of EV drivers are charging at home.

They are however starting to do this.

https://ubitricity.com/en/charging-solutions/ac-lamppost/

 

[Blackswanwood]

I suppose you would need a new generation of smart meters that can provide data to the national grid so they know what is available, ie is your EV plugged in and able to share power.

Ovo and Octopus both offer smart charging already - it’s iro 75% cheaper if you use it. Octopus also has the benefit of all electricity usage between 11:30 pm and 5am being at the reduced rate so if your washing machine/tumble dryer etc has a timer (or you are nocturnal) you can also get the benefit

I don’t know whether it needs a new generation of smart meters - ours was installed two years ago and works fine (we’ve just moved from Ovo to Octopus).

 

[Vulcan]

Define "they".

Admittedly the main issue would be the lack of local power infrastructure (just because "the grid" has the juice it doesn't mean that the power lines in that particular area would support multiple "fast" chargers).

 

[Vulcan]

I think this quote might be appropriate to this thread?

 

[Blackswanwood]

It perplexes me why this topic always seems to come down to a polarised argument with a few snide comments about intelligence etc thrown in.

As I see it we’re going through a transition. EV’s are great for some people and for others less so. The balance will change over time and if it doesn’t whoever is in power will have a decision to take on the deadline and/or an angry electorate to deal with. (I’d hazard a guess that the membership of a woodworking forum isn’t even broadly representative of UK public opinion!)

 

[selectortone]

I suppose you would need a new generation of smart meters that can provide data to the national grid so they know what is available, ie is your EV plugged in and able to share power.

The charge point my daughter had installed at my house is pretty smart already. It's connected by wi-fi to my home network and she can connect to it remotely for usage stats, current state of charge when her car is connected etc. She lives a mile away in a first floor flat.

 

[Spectric]

We have always had those that imagine and those that deliver, politicians and engineers spring to mind. This is down to how we are wired, people like Branson and Musk have good imagination but relie on others to deliver or at least try to.

 

[paulrbarnard]

We have always had those that imagine and those that deliver, politicians and engineers spring to mind. This is down to how we are wired, people like Branson and Musk have good imagination but relie on others to deliver or at least try to.

When has a politician ever imagined or delivered?

 

[Crazy Dave]

Define "they".

Admittedly the main issue would be the lack of local power infrastructure (just because "the grid" has the juice it doesn't mean that the power lines in that particular area would support multiple "fast" chargers).

Which was my point with my previous statement. They = anyone you like because it's not going to happen.

 

[Crazy Dave]

For what it's worth.

I live alone in a terrace house, a simple 2 up 2 down. I charge my EV on an area of grass outside our row of houses, this involves me dragging a heavy cable across the pavement in a rubber protection thingy. My only concern was a lovely old lady in a wheelchair who I asked would this cable across the path cause her any problems and she laughed and said "I have to deal with far worse than that my dear, so trouble at all" so I'm happy.

Should anyone wish to complain it easy to find me because I'm the house with a cable attached and I've not had one complaint in over 5 years.
If someone did make a complaint I would sell my EV and buy a Nissan Navara pickup truck because that is what I need to collect pallets with, my EV is hopeless in that capacity.

Solar panels provide most of my electricity apart from in the winter months and even then my electric bill is only £40.00 per month, in summer time excess power goes to the grid for free.

I also made my own rain water reclamation system which is used to flush the toilet leaving me with a £100.00 water bill every year.

Someone please tell me where I've gone wrong because everything I say in the forums results in criticism from some smartarse who's read something somewhere and thinks that now they know it all. At least I've got my hands dirty and done something constructive and not just flapped my jaw.

Vent over.

 

[Cabinetman]

Well done. I’m impressed.
From another retired genius. Ian

 

[Cobbs]

For what it's worth.

I live alone in a terrace house, a simple 2 up 2 down. I charge my EV on an area of grass outside our row of houses, this involves me dragging a heavy cable across the pavement in a rubber protection thingy. My only concern was a lovely old lady in a wheelchair who I asked would this cable across the path cause her any problems and she laughed and said "I have to deal with far worse than that my dear, so trouble at all" so I'm happy.

Should anyone wish to complain it easy to find me because I'm the house with a cable attached and I've not had one complaint in over 5 years.
If someone did make a complaint I would sell my EV and buy a Nissan Navara pickup truck because that is what I need to collect pallets with, my EV is hopeless in that capacity.

Solar panels provide most of my electricity apart from in the winter months and even then my electric bill is only £40.00 per month, in summer time excess power goes to the grid for free.

I also made my own rain water reclamation system which is used to flush the toilet leaving me with a £100.00 water bill every year.

Someone please tell me where I've gone wrong because everything I say in the forums results in criticism from some smartarse who's read something somewhere and thinks that now they know it all. At least I've got my hands dirty and done something constructive and not just flapped my jaw.

Vent over.

Sounds to me like you're doing it right...

 

[Vulcan]

Much of this applies to the UK. But even if it didn’t, car makers are not going to continue to make ICE vehicles just for a small market like the UK. We just have to hope EV charging keeps up over here.

 

[Crazy Dave]

Much of this applies to the UK. But even if it didn’t, car makers are not going to continue to make ICE vehicles just for a small market like the UK. We just have to hope EV charging keeps up over here.

Vulcan, are you from Dorset USA?