Electric vehicles

[woodieallen]

Yes, it's a shame nobody's working on that. (/sarcasm)

Not sure what point you are trying to make.

 

[Fergie 307]

They have indeed and until early 2023 it was unsustainable reaction and needed more energy in than came out. That has all changed now, reactions of several seconds are sustainable and more energy comes out than goes in to the process. I have to take my hat off to the scientists that develop these things, it's absolutely amazing in my book.

It is amazing, and potentially the answer to all our power needs.
As I understand it the holy grail is still to create an ongoing controllable reaction, which I think is still some way off.
Latest idea I think is to have multiple small reactions one after another, in such quick succession that it appears like a single sustained reaction.

 

[johnb80]

It is amazing, and potentially the answer to all our power needs.
As I understand it the holy grail is still to create an ongoing controllable reaction, which I think is still some way off.
Latest idea I think is to have multiple small reactions one after another, in such quick succession that it appears like a single sustained reaction.

The last I read was theyd managed to get to around 40 seconds with better than unity power gain. They are certainly making progress.

 

[Sachakins]

@johnb80
Hi, just spent some time analysing my data over 12 months and when car was on charge off charge and for fixed off peak electric I used.
I am happy that the charging prices reflect what is used.
I still have a bit to do, as I will try a manual boost charge for a couple of hours, using Octopus app, then again Myenergi App then finally just using the Zappi control panel after disconnecting it from wifi, which shouldn't affect Octopus, as zappi doest need wifi to run charging.
I think should indicate if they are relying just on the CT clamp to recognise charging current.

Another test I want to try is charge a different vehicle. Since my set up has integration to my car, then the auto charging won't work. But I could still manually charge it from zappi using self schedule charging.

One thing I will do is to try and change Octopus integration from car to integrate to charger, but I'm not sure the app allows this, need to check.
It should do as not all cars are able to be integrated by Octopus.

Tomato have confirmed it's compatible with zappi IF the CT clamp is fitted, if not one will have to be fitted.

So I imagine that EV charging is measured through the CT clamp, hence why Octopus and others can identify when EV charging is used if CT clamp is fitted.

re Tomato Energy.
I haven't found anything else concrete to put me off them. Found quite a few customer poor reviews, but you can find them for all others, including Octopus.
Most are about customer service, so that doesn't me too much.

I'm waiting on second email from tomato, as their usage estimate is 894 kwh short of my actual year usage.
Asked them why their estimate was so far out as well.

If Tomato give reasonable reasons and compatibility and Octopus can't get nearer, as I've emailed them too.
I may yet still moved to Tomato, and hunt for a gas only deal elsewhere?

Cheers

 

[johnb80]

@johnb80
Hi, just spent some time analysing my data over 12 months and when car was on charge off charge and for fixed off peak electric I used.
I am happy that the charging prices reflect what is used.
I still have a bit to do, as I will try a manual boost charge for a couple of hours, using Octopus app, then again Myenergi App then finally just using the Zappi control panel after disconnecting it from wifi, which shouldn't affect Octopus, as zappi doest need wifi to run charging.
I think should indicate if they are relying just on the CT clamp to recognise charging current.

I cant think how they would differentiate the car charge load from the house load other than by the car itself or the EVSE.

Another test I want to try is charge a different vehicle. Since my set up has integration to my car, then the auto charging won't work. But I could still manually charge it from zappi using self schedule charging.

One thing I will do is to try and change Octopus integration from car to integrate to charger, but I'm not sure the app allows this, need to check.
It should do as not all cars are able to be integrated by Octopus.

You absolutely should do this, it works so much better and none of the potential downsides (flat 12v battery etc). When I changed my i3 over to Zappi integration, the Octopus responses were much faster and absolutely reliable. It is the way to go.

Tomato have confirmed it's compatible with zappi IF the CT clamp is fitted, if not one will have to be fitted.

Tomato dont integrate with Zappi or any other charger, they have no way of reading the data other than from your smart meter.

So I imagine that EV charging is measured through the CT clamp, hence why Octopus and others can identify when EV charging is used if CT clamp is fitted.

The company's that separate out car charging BG for example) rely on EVSE or Car integration.

re Tomato Energy.
I haven't found anything else concrete to put me off them. Found quite a few customer poor reviews, but you can find them for all others, including Octopus.

So true

Most are about customer service, so that doesn't me too much.

Tomato are rubbish at email response, Ive been waiting now about 10 days for a reply. That said, Octopus havent replied either to an email sent at the same time! What Tomato does do well is answer the phone promptly, have very knowledgeable people on the other end that know their tariffs, that hasnt been my experience with Octopus..

I'm waiting on second email from tomato, as their usage estimate is 894 kwh short of my actual year usage.
Asked them why their estimate was so far out as well.

For my quote they accessed my previous 12 months usage. Octopus have done a huge boo boo with my final meter readings, theyve managed to swap over peak and off peak, as I dont use any peak it will make for an interesting bill, it looks as if Ive used 27 MWh in August!

If Tomato give reasonable reasons and compatibility and Octopus can't get nearer, as I've emailed them too.
I may yet still moved to Tomato, and hunt for a gas only deal elsewhere?

There isnt any compatibility needed with Tomato, from midnight to 06:00 you get 5p kWh and thats it, no linking up, no integration, no compatibility issues.

 

[woodieallen]

I see new EV sales in Germany have suffered a staggering 70% drop this year.

 

[johnb80]

I see new EV sales in Germany have suffered a staggering 70% drop this year.

Just like a recession, we talk ourselves into it. The media, press etc seem to love knocking EV's and it's mostly unfounded rubbish they protray. I have run EV's (2 of them) for the last 7 years and none of the popular myths have happened - batteries are dead after 7 years, NOPE, you have to wait around hours to recharge - NOPE, the charging infrastructure isnt ready - mostly NOPE, 35% of people dont have off street parking so cant charge at home - YES, this is true but it means that 65% DO have off street parking and CAN charge at home. They go on about the cost of rapid DC charging typically 80 to 90p per hour which makes an EV similar in fuel costs to a diesel again this is true BUT it's greedy charger operators that are making a killing, TESLA rapid chargers are typically half that price, if Tesla can do it so can the others. Even if the fuel costs are the same as a diesel, the performance and servicing costs are much better.

EV is the way forward and we should embrace this technology more. The charging infrastructure should be nationalised and run not for profit to promote the green agenda.

 

[woodieallen]

EV is the way forward and we should embrace this technology more. The charging infrastructure should be nationalised and run not for profit to promote the green agenda.

Don’t say that. It will only be another opportunity for Kneeler and Reiver to screw pensioners for more money.

EV depreciation dire - TRUE

 

[Ozi]

Very true, we have a massive solar farm being constructed here in Lincolnshire and they have now included a massive battery system too. A great project which I did support during meetings which lots of locals objected to.


The problem with Hydrogen is it's only 30% efficient, you only get 30% of power out that you put in to harvest the Hydrogen to start with.


Yep, totally agree.

Hydrogen generation - which I'm greatly in favor of as a diversification in energy supply is nowhere near 30% efficient if you do a full cradle to grave analysis, much closer to 3% for transport or almost exactly the same as running a car on petrol. The point is it is recovery of otherwise wasted energy and that hydrogen can do things which can't currently be done with electricity - take a look at work done by JCB on hydrogen fueled engines.

I think we are already seeing how the use of petrol and diesel will decline with the loss of rural fuel stations, driven by reduced demand not just due to EVs bu also the greater efficiency of modern engines. Drive further to buy more expensive fuel and EVs charging at home become more attractive. I am expecting there to be all sorts of knock on effects from this, more than I know about, I remember being told that fertilizer price was effected by the reduced petrol demand during the pandemic also that the food industry was short of CO2 there must be many more examples.