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Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
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55,998
Behind the Lens, UK
Been a while since I browsed this thread.
After a lot of looking, some test driving, and renting a couple, I decided to get a new gas vehicle and put off electric for a few more years.
Shame. £15 a day to drive in some city’s here now in ICE cars. Since they introduced the tariff London alone has seen a 46% increase in air quality.
Hopefully that will continue to increase.
 
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dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,135
15,487
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
Shame. £15 a day to drive in some city’s here now in ICE cars. Since they introduced the tariff London alone has seen a 46% increase in air quality.
Hopefully that will continue to increase.

Here in California they fee, tax and ask you not to charge when things get a bit warm (summer). The infrastructure (electrical grid) here needs a lot of work.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,985
55,998
Behind the Lens, UK
Here in California they fee, tax and ask you not to charge when things get a bit warm (summer). The infrastructure (electrical grid) here needs a lot of work.
Hopefully it will get there. Pretty good here in the UK. But then we don’t have oil companies trying to prevent electric charging points being installed over here like I’ve read happens in some states. I guess they would rather continue to put profits before planet.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,135
15,487
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
Hopefully it will get there. Pretty good here in the UK. But then we don’t have oil companies trying to prevent electric charging points being installed over here like I’ve read happens in some states. I guess they would rather continue to put profits before planet.

Sounds like yours is working.

Here in California we are caught between the gas/oil industry (do it slow and steady) and the government (do it now unless you piss us off then we will ostracize you). Then there is the political weight of the public energy companies. Yes, California is the poster child of how not to do things.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,985
55,998
Behind the Lens, UK
Sounds like yours is working.

Here in California we are caught between the gas/oil industry (do it slow and steady) and the government (do it now unless you piss us off then we will ostracize you). Then there is the political weight of the public energy companies. Yes, California is the poster child of how not to do things.
That’s what I’ve heard. Shame. But why would the oil companies be in any hurry to relinquish power.
 
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Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,970
12,660
NC
In the eastern United States there is a gas station chain called Sheetz.

Recently they've been installing Tesla Superchargers and other EV chargers at their gas stations along the interstate.

I guess they realize that EV people still need snacks and drinks. And bathrooms.

:p
 

AlaskaMoose

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2008
3,586
13,430
Alaska
That’s what I’ve heard. Shame. But why would the oil companies be in any hurry to relinquish power.
Oil companies invest in both electric and IC vehicles. For example, in a lot of places electric power generation has to be done with natural gas, and various fuels. Then you have to consider that the entire aviation and transportation industries (commercial, and military) would be at a standstill if it wasn't for aviation and diesel fuel. We would not be able to travel from place to place around the world without airports, and so on.

The whole thing is like a show where smoke and mirrors are used. We (the masses) never see the political and economical machinations taking place in the background. The entire economy of most nations depend on its national resources, and oil is one product that has great economic value. Nations have no choice but to use the most economical sources of energy possible, and at the moment oil is it. By the time oil is not available, nations must have other sources of energy in place. It is detrimental to governments and industries to not invest in research and development of other sources of energy (BP is a good example as it invests in renewable energy). A government cannot exist without revenue from the private sector (industries, businesses, and such), but investors invest in all businesses.
 
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Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
6,254
7,280
Seattle
Here in California they fee, tax and ask you not to charge when things get a bit warm (summer). The infrastructure (electrical grid) here needs a lot of work.
Is 114F (46C) just “a bit warm”? 😂


This was the heatwave that prompte that request to reduce electricity use during the peak 6-9 PM part of the day.
 

Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
6,254
7,280
Seattle
In the eastern United States there is a gas station chain called Sheetz.

Recently they've been installing Tesla Superchargers and other EV chargers at their gas stations along the interstate.

I guess they realize that EV people still need snacks and drinks. And bathrooms.

:p
GM has been working with the Flying-J series of truck stops across the US to get CCS chargers in all of their locations which are mostly along the interstate highways.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,135
15,487
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
Is 114F (46C) just “a bit warm”? 😂


This was the heatwave that prompte that request to reduce electricity use during the peak 6-9 PM part of the day.

:cool:
Not that warm where I am.
We had that alert and warning in my area also (Ventura / Oxnard) a few times last year.
Crazy.
 
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cyb3rdud3

macrumors 601
Jun 22, 2014
4,079
2,746
UK
Shame. £15 a day to drive in some city’s here now in ICE cars. Since they introduced the tariff London alone has seen a 46% increase in air quality.
Hopefully that will continue to increase.
Indeed, and the zone will be extended by August this year. Good initiative.

Happening in other cities as well.

I haven’t set foot in central London since 2012 and I’m hoping that time frame will increase too. Hate the place.
LOL How come I'm not surprised, so inline with a lot of your responses. I think London is outstanding, up there with some of the best cities in the world. So multicultural, great history, plenty of green spaces, excellent public transport, fantastic shops, restaurants, theatres, views are stunning, friendly open people, always something happening, and on top of it, great opportunities to make money with lots of investment and innovation. And to bring back to topic, pretty good and encouraging policies for EV ownership.
 
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A.Goldberg

macrumors 68030
Jan 31, 2015
2,549
9,715
Boston
Here in California they fee, tax and ask you not to charge when things get a bit warm (summer). The infrastructure (electrical grid) here needs a lot of work.

Yeah this is pretty crazy. California is really pushing the conversion to EV’s, but the grid is not there to support such a massive change in electricity demand. There’s these stupid articles that claim CA’s grid can support it, which at face value should be very dubious when CA, like a number of other states, has difficulty supporting power demand as is.

The claims the grid can support it is predicated on a ton of assumptions, including people will charge their cars at home, at night. That seems to be common today, but I’m not sure that’ll be the case down the road. This is especially true in cities where installing chargers is prohibitively expensive, especially if people rent their parking spaces. Also consider many older homes don’t have the optimal electrical service, which costs thousands to upgrade. And given the advancements of fast charging even in the past serval years, EV charging may operate more like gas stations for many people. If you can charge 200 miles into a Lucid Air (with the proper infrastructure) in 12 minutes, people won’t necessarily invest in home chargers.

Such claims also depend things like improved transmission (historically a nightmare of lawsuits that make it impossible), installation of a smart grid, and the ability to suck power out of peoples parked cars that are plugged in- which the grid is not setup to do, expanded renewables and storage, etc.

I’m not anti-EV or green energy. There are many applications where they make sense and I would rather see federal money spent installing solar panels in the American Southwest than upstate NY in order to best optimize generation.

That said, there are legitimate concerns that have to be taken into consideration for these goals to become reality. We do have serious issues like generation, transmission, renewable storage, rare earth mineral mining and processing capacities, etc that must be looked at seriously. And Nuclear is the obvious solution to a lot of this, especially novel nuclear technologies that are safer and produce less waste- the answer has been staring us in the face for decades. Supplying the future demand of batteries and elements like copper for electric motors, heat pumps, etc may prove difficult.
 

JT2002TJ

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2013
2,068
1,396
I’m not anti-EV or green energy. There are many applications where they make sense and I would rather see federal money spent installing solar panels in the American Southwest than upstate NY in order to best optimize generation.

Just an FYI, My solar panels in Long Island NY, make more electricity than they cost, In the summer I put more in the grid than I use, enough that it offsets the shorter days of the winter (which is more than 1/2 the year). I also generate electricity even on cloudy days.

I think for it to properly work, there should be solar panels on every building across the US. We need to find a way to make it cost effective to be everywhere, and make them look good (like the solar shingles). It is important to find ways to squeeze all the renewable energy we can, from everywhere we can.
 
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Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,985
55,998
Behind the Lens, UK
Just an FYI, My solar panels in Long Island NY, make more electricity than they cost, In the summer I put more in the grid than I use, enough that it offsets the shorter days of the winter (which is more than 1/2 the year). I also generate electricity even on cloudy days.

I think for it to properly work, there should be solar panels on every building across the US. We need to find a way to make it cost effective to be everywhere, and make them look good (like the solar shingles). It is important to find ways to squeeze all the renewable energy we can, from everywhere we can.
Absolutely!
Save money
Save the planet.

Solar panels will be my next purchase when funds allow. I just wish in the UK they had a better system.
Buying energy at 10 x the price the grid buy back from you means the only way to make it work is to buy a battery as well. Madness. If they paid 95% of what you had to pay it would work a lot better.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,135
15,487
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
Absolutely!
Save money
Save the planet.

Solar panels will be my next purchase when funds allow. I just wish in the UK they had a better system.
Buying energy at 10 x the price the grid buy back from you means the only way to make it work is to buy a battery as well. Madness. If they paid 95% of what you had to pay it would work a lot better.

But will this charge your EV?
 

JT2002TJ

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2013
2,068
1,396
Only if you are home in the day when it’s sunny. But generally I charge mine at work. I like the price point there!

True, but technically, for me, when I put juice into the grid, it winds my meter backwards, so I get credits at whatever rate I reuse them. I do not have peak/off-peak billing.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,985
55,998
Behind the Lens, UK
For those in the UK an additional 839 new charging points added in January alone.
1676322778192.png

1676322878710.png
 

AlaskaMoose

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2008
3,586
13,430
Alaska
But will this charge your EV?
The host of the following video (below) explains the use of solar panels in CA (san Diego, I believe). It is a long video, but it is worth the long watch. Just keep in mind that solar panels may not work as well where you live at (geographical location). For example, numerous residents in the interior of Alaska have arrays of solar panels on the roof of their houses or businesses, but during most of the winter there isn't enough daylight for the panels to generate electricity, and also that it is very difficult to keep snow from accumulating on both the roofs and the panels.

We have approximately 26 inches of snow on our roofs at the moment, and all the solar panels on roofs around Fairbanks are covered with a thick layer of snow. Now, during the summer we have nearly 24 hours of daylight, so getting on the roof and cleaning the solar panels is much easier.

The problem with CA it does not produce enough electricity to keep up with the demand. It has to buy electricity that is generated by the use of fossil fuels from other States, and Mexico.

Now, solar panels could save you some money and this is good for your pocket, but large solar farms contribute to the solar heat island effect over your city.
 
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Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,985
55,998
Behind the Lens, UK
The host of the following video (below) explains the use of solar panels in CA (san Diego, I believe). It is a long video, but it is worth the long watch. Just keep in mind that solar panels may not work as well where you live at (geographical location). For example, numerous residents in the interior of Alaska have arrays of solar panels on the roof of their houses or businesses, but during most of the winter there isn't enough daylight for the panels to generate electricity, and also that it is very difficult to keep snow from accumulating on both the roofs and the panels.

We have approximately 26 inches of snow on our roofs at the moment, and all the solar panels on roofs around Fairbanks are covered with a thick layer of snow. Now, during the summer we have nearly 24 hours of daylight, so getting on the roof and cleaning the solar panels is much easier.

The problem with CA it does not produce enough electricity to keep up with the demand. It has to buy electricity that is generated by the use of fossil fuels from other States.
Finally an EV just for you.

1676323294224.png


Going to drive Pole to pole so that must be good for your photography trips in Alaska. Article here.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,135
15,487
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
For those in the UK an additional 839 new charging points added in January alone.
View attachment 2158099
View attachment 2158105

That’s the challenge in my area.
I rented a Mach-E for a few days and I ran into more charging points that didn’t work than did. Finding a fast charge unoccupied and working was a challenge. It wasn’t that I needed one rather I was actively looking to get a decent idea of what there really was.
Tesla has much better infrastructure.
 
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