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Who Killed The Electric Car?

Just found this on FB ...
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Congress Spent $7.5 Billion on E.V. Chargers. After 2 Years, None Are Built.​


The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $7.5 billion to build 500,000 public charging stations across the country. Under the program, states can qualify for as much as 80 percent of the cost to build chargers and bring them online. But...not a single charger funded by the program is yet operational.

It's the latest setback as [the US government] attempts to change consumer preference by force rather than allowing the free market to innovate its way there.

While more than $2 billion has been given out, only two states—Ohio and Pennsylvania—have actually broken ground on chargers, while just six others have awarded contracts. Fewer than half of U.S. states have even submitted a proposal for funds.

What's the hold-up? "The slow rollout…primarily boils down to the difficulties state agencies and charging companies face in meeting a complex set of contracting requirements and minimum operating standards for the federally-funded chargers, according to interviews with state and EV industry officials," the article notes.

Even with federal funds, part of the problem may also be cost, because the chargers are quite expensive to build and maintain.

https://reason.com/2023/12/08/congr...on-e-v-chargers-after-2-years-none-are-built/

maximus otter
 

I drove an electric car from Sydney to Melbourne: Here's what happened​


I recently took a trip from Sydney to Melbourne - and back - in one go and can confirm the low-cost, high-convenience EV dream is far from reality.

Not only did it cost me more in electricity each way than it would have in petrol, but it also took 25 per cent longer to reach my destination because I had to keep stopping to power up.

The futuristic-looking mid-sized hatchback boasts a 500km mileage per charge - but I quickly learned this is 'best-case scenario' and the most I got was 330km, and by then the car's dash was lighting up to let me know I was quickly approaching powerlessness.

It didn't take long for the problems associated with taking an electric vehicle on a long-distance road trip to appear.

In fact, it took just 134km: the distance from my home in Sydney's east to Sutton Forest's rest stop where we parked up for 30 minutes to top up the battery pack.

I chose to map out my journey before leaving the house after realising 'fast' 350kw chargers are few and far between in Australia.

And each company requires you to download its app and sign up with bank details or Apple Pay before you can connect.

It took me more than 10 minutes to connect to the charger because Vodafone doesn't have reception in the area, meaning I couldn't access the charger's app to get the ball rolling.

I ended up getting on the nearby McDonald's Wi-Fi while a kind stranger connected the car at my signal, leaving me to wonder why regional chargers don't have a hotspot...

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/aust...-to-melbourne-heres-what-happened/ar-AA1kdNnz

maximus otter
 
"Huh! They THOUGHT that the petrol car could replace horses! I mean, look at the price of gas in comparison to hay etc.! Don't they KNOW how much metal it takes to make a CAR????? In comparison to horse tack? It's big gub'mint, I tell ya!"
 

BT Group to turn old street cabinets into electric vehicle charging points​



Engineer working in a green box with communications cables



Old green street cabinets will be converted into electric vehicle (EV) charging points, according to BT Group.

The metal cabinets are traditionally used to store broadband and phone cabling, but many are coming towards the end of their lifespans.

The first converted cabinet will be installed in Scotland within weeks, under a pilot programme.
BT hopes up to 60,000 could be converted, which would help tackle a shortfall in electric car chargers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67873890
 
Most amusing ... quite to point.
But could the picture be changed to show increasing efficiency within the system? ;)
I don't see it as an either/or idea.
 

Hertz sells off 20,000 electric cars as drivers stick with petrol​

Their costs have increased & profits reduced. They cite mileage issues, cost of repairs, charging station issues.

Hertz said it would sell the vehicles over the next year and expected to take a $245m (£193m) hit as it reversed plans to massively expand its electric car fleet.

The company is selling off a range of makes and models but is expected to offload thousands of Teslas. More than 600 are already listed for sale on its used car website. Three years ago, Hertz announced plans to buy 100,000 Tesla electric cars, a move that pushed Tesla's market value beyond $1 trillion.

Hertz, which sells used cars directly on its website, was selling Tesla Model 3 vehicles for as low as $17,700 this week, less than half the $38,990 price of a new model. The vast majority of electric cars currently listed for sale are Teslas although it said the sale of 20,000 cars would “cover multiple makes and models”.
Click to expand...
 

Hertz sells off 20,000 electric cars as drivers stick with petrol​


US rental giant Hertz is selling off thousands of Teslas as weak demand forces it to replace 20,000 electric cars with petrol-powered vehicles.

Hertz said it would sell the vehicles over the next year and expected to take a $245m (£193m) hit as it reversed plans to massively expand its electric car fleet.

Hertz said renting out electric cars had proved to be less profitable than traditional vehicles and the cars had also come with higher repair costs.

Drivers also still want petrol or diesel-powered cars. Hertz said it would “reinvest a portion of the proceeds from the sale of EVs into the purchase of internal combustion engine vehicles to meet customer demand”.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/new...cars-as-drivers-stick-with-petrol/ar-AA1mP69N

maximus otter
 
maximus otter said:

Hertz sells off 20,000 electric cars as drivers stick with petrol​


US rental giant Hertz is selling off thousands of Teslas as weak demand forces it to replace 20,000 electric cars with petrol-powered vehicles.

Hertz said it would sell the vehicles over the next year and expected to take a $245m (£193m) hit as it reversed plans to massively expand its electric car fleet.

Hertz said renting out electric cars had proved to be less profitable than traditional vehicles and the cars had also come with higher repair costs.

Drivers also still want petrol or diesel-powered cars. Hertz said it would “reinvest a portion of the proceeds from the sale of EVs into the purchase of internal combustion engine vehicles to meet customer demand”.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/new...cars-as-drivers-stick-with-petrol/ar-AA1mP69N

maximus otter
Click to expand...
Ouch . . . I bet that Hertz! :ranting:
 
I knew someone who had an RPG character, the Dutch soldier Hertz VanRental.
 
maximus otter said:

Hertz sells off 20,000 electric cars as drivers stick with petrol​


US rental giant Hertz is selling off thousands of Teslas as weak demand forces it to replace 20,000 electric cars with petrol-powered vehicles.

Hertz said it would sell the vehicles over the next year and expected to take a $245m (£193m) hit as it reversed plans to massively expand its electric car fleet.

Hertz said renting out electric cars had proved to be less profitable than traditional vehicles and the cars had also come with higher repair costs.

Drivers also still want petrol or diesel-powered cars. Hertz said it would “reinvest a portion of the proceeds from the sale of EVs into the purchase of internal combustion engine vehicles to meet customer demand”.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/new...cars-as-drivers-stick-with-petrol/ar-AA1mP69N

maximus otter
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I think that says it all, really.
Hertz gave it a fair try.
 
Are there any electric batteries that don't burst into flames? Are there any cars?
Two buses going up in flames in such a short time cannot be coincidence. Are they both from the same manufacturer?
 
Stormkhan said:
Are there any electric batteries that don't burst into flames? Are there any cars?
Two buses going up in flames in such a short time cannot be coincidence. Are they both from the same manufacturer?
Click to expand...
It is mainly the lithium ones that go up in flames.
There are other types of rechargeable batteries available, and these don't tend to blow up - although they have problems of their own.
They all require the mining of heavy metals and create environmental problems, this seems inescapable.
 
kesavaross said:
I think it more a case that Hertz fell for the hype.
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You'd have thought they would have done a small-scale trial first, to test its viability... but no, they slammed the money down and bought 20,000 vehicles. Not very businesslike!
 
Mythopoeika said:
You'd have thought they would have done a small-scale trial first, to test its viability... but no, they slammed the money down and bought 20,000 vehicles. Not very businesslike!
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If I was the boss I would have bought some electric cars to keep those happy who for what ever reason want electric but to buy 20,000? If I hired a car it definitely would not be electric.
 
It’s a pretty crazy business model in the first place. Surely you’d want a rental car to be available as soon as possible. Think of the downtime charging thousands of these things.
 
Stormkhan said:
Most amusing ... quite to point.
But could the picture be changed to show increasing efficiency within the system? ;)
I don't see it as an either/or idea.
Click to expand...
It also highlights a major problem with the current 'plan' Transmission losses. it would make so much more sense if people as far as possible generated their own electricity where it is practical - solar panels on every roof, small scale windmills or water mills where the environment permits.

The National Grid is a fine idea if you are going to have it powered by giant power stations. It makes much less sense if there are millions of local generators.
 
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Analogue Boy said:
It’s a pretty crazy business model in the first place. Surely you’d want a rental car to be available as soon as possible. Think of the downtime charging thousands of these things.
Click to expand...
I guess some 'Bright Spark' thought that one up without thinking about the problems that might be created in charging them up before the hire!
 
Meanwhile, out in the freezing cold…

Tesla owners in deep freeze discover the cold, hard truth about EVs​

Not all batteries like subzero temperatures​

This week's frigid winter conditions in North America exposed the shortcomings of certain electric vehicles, particularly Teslas.

In the Oak Brook suburb of Chicago, Illinois, where temperatures have routinely dipped way below freezing, local media reported public charging stations turning into "car graveyards" because motorists were unable to power their vehicles.

"Nothing. No juice. Still on zero percent, and this is like three hours being out here after being out here three hours yesterday," Tesla owner Tyler Beard told Fox 32.

He wasn't alone. Dozens of cars were reportedly lined up and abandoned at the Tesla supercharging station in Oak Brook along with multiple charging stations around Chicago.

"This is crazy. It's a disaster. Seriously," said another Tesla driver, Chalis Mizelle, who had to ditch her ride and get picked up by a friend because the car wouldn't charge.
Click to expand...
https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/16/tesla_owners_in_deep_freeze/

Now I’ve had issues with a petrol car where the water pump froze and the fan belt snapped on starting so cold can affect all cars but the difference is that other cars were unaffected so I could get a callout.
If all cars in future have to be electric, you’re going to see some frustration in the cold weather. It’s a limitation of the technology.
 
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