Electric Cars - the discussion continues.

[old man emu]

3 minutes ago, facthunter said:

The originals are by far the best till someone makes better 45in barrels

And originals are found beside the hens' teeth in a pile rocking horse manure.

[facthunter]

That's not how it works, but there was an Aussie Also Motorcycle briefly made here when the Patents for the US Made POPE expired. They also made a 2 stroke model. All were built in Melbourne..   Nev

[willedoo]

3 hours ago, onetrack said:

Of course it's an INDIAN!!  It's made in INDIA, isn't it??

Indian had a deal to import Royal Enfields from England and from about 1955 to 1959, they rebadged them and made some modifications to sell the Indian Woodsman, Westerner and Tomahawk. It's hard to say exactly what the bike in question is. Most likely a customised hybrid. The engine is Indian badged and it has the frame type seen on the Indian Woodsman, but the headlight surround of the Tomahawk. It has the higher exhaust pipe as seen on the race version Westerner. Perhaps it's an Indian Woodsman with a custom pipe and seat and a Tomahawk front end. Either that or someone has done an Enfield up to look like the Indian (motorcycles, not the country) version by adding the engine badge. Or put an Indian badged engine in it.

[facthunter]

India made Enfields were never  involved like that I believe. There was also a Brockhouse 350 SV  exported to the USA. from England. Fat chance that would have ever sold. The Bike there looks like one of the first India built singles with the typical Enfield frame and Albion gearbox but I'm only going on the carburetter. It could well be a british made bike. IF it's a 500 trials  ( know of NO racers) It would have been high on my wish list in times past.. They made larger vertical twins that would have been more in demand in the US often in street Scrambler form  with pipes on one side and high handlebars The bike shown is a TRIALS bike completely with alloy guards and high ground clearance a high pipe and small brakes.  Nev

[willedoo]

The Enfield Bullet comes to mind.

[facthunter]

A Name they adopted in the early 30's and some had 4 valve heads. . The 1947 Bullet was about the first Brit bike to have a rear end swing arm frame and the one I had was at times the only vehicle I had. I fitted a roller big end in mine. (They originally had a floating white metal bush) and thrashed it but the heads were fairly porous and sometimes leaked a bit of oil. The frame flexed a bit with rapid gear changes but you got used to that. It never did a tank slapper. That was when Helmets were not compulsory.  Nev

[red750]

There are two Chinese BYD (Beyond Your Dreams) Atto 3 electric cars on display in the shopping mall at Box Hill Central.

 

[onetrack]

BYD is displayed as "Build Your Dreams" on Australian models, but that is soon going to disappear, for more subtle badging.

 

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/dreams-dashed-as-byd-makes-key-change-to-its-vehicles-rears

 

The BYD name was originally the Pinyin initials for the companys Chinese company name Biyadi - which was created from the companys former name, Yadi Electronics.

The Bi was added later to gain an alphabetical advantage at trade shows.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_Company#:~:text=However%2C the company later back,fit the "BYD" name.

[Bruce Tuncks]

I hope the Chinese make  electric cars cheaper in the future. Right now, you are paying a LOT more for being an early adopter. There is a lot less build in an electric car than an IC one. And there should be cheaper batteries one day too.

[old man emu]

The Chinese have a small EV (3780 mm long and 1780 mm wide). Range is about 300 kms. Its price is pitched around $20k. It will take four adult Europeans and handle metropolitan traffic effectively 

 

I see the problem in Australia as being targeted on how far any car can go before it needs to be refuelled. An EV used for a daily 120 km round trip to work, or for pottering around the local area transporting kids and groceries, or even the more important trip to Bunnings, would be quite OK. You can plug it in at night to recharge if it was your daily ride, or leave it for a couple of days if it is just a local run-arounder. Leaving aside the ride comfort of small vehicles in Australian rural highways, the short range does not make for efficient long distance driving. In other words, in an ICE car, a fuel and meal stop might take only 30 minutes, but a recharge and meal stop could take an hour. Do that twice in a day and it makes a long day of it.

[red750]

I log my kilometres daily on a spredsheet. In the last 6 months, I have averaged just under 400 km per month. Some days I don't even start the car. Seems I'm ideal for an EV, but they would need to be a whole lot cheaper before I swapped my 1997 Festiva. Doesn't even have airbags, and who remembers wind-up windows? It does get me where I want to go.

[spacesailor]

I've got my EV mobility scooter .

But the bureaucratic laws around using one are " lunacy " .

I did Not know all those laws !,  So I will have to keep walking. 

spacesailor

[onetrack]

Once again, as a nation, we're in the forefront of battery development progress. Monash University researchers have produced a lithium sulphur battery that utilises a unique nanoporous polymer-coated lithium foil anode, that reduces the amount of lithium required to manufacture a battery, eliminates cobalt and nickel in the batterys construction, lasts longer than current batteries, produces more energy - and is going to be half the cost of current batteries!

 

The critical factor is, the technology is ready for manufacturing right now, and is likely to have an impact on battery manufacturing in the near future. No promises here of something in 10 or 15 years, they're ready to roll with it.

 

https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/smaller,-lighter-lithium-sulphur-battery-lowers-costs-and-improves-recycling-options#:~:text=Smaller%2C lighter lithium-sulphur battery lowers costs and improves recycling options,-13 October 2023&text=Researchers at Monash University have,required in a single battery.

[red750]

This popped up on Facebook this morning.

 

Toyota ammonia engine - the end of EV?

[facthunter]

Toyota hang on to any hope of retaining ICE engines.   Nev

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, red750 said:

This popped up on Facebook this morning.

 

Toyota ammonia engine - the end of EV?

Red, stop posting jokes and silly pictures and read what is here. We discussed ammonia engines last week.

[spacesailor]

I have read , ' EV owner's saying they won't buy a another ev , but return to ICE car's ' .

I just find them too low , for the  ' bad. Back brigade ' to get in them .

Even the Subaru's are too low for me .

spacesailor

 

[Marty_d]

I've read EV owners saying they'd never go back to ICE.

Doesn't mean much unless you can give stats.

[spacesailor]

20% .

Hope it's enough. 

spacesailor

[red750]

Tesla Cybertruck is bulletproof.

 

[onetrack]

It needs to be, if you want to drive around America very much!

[Bruce Tuncks]

Low cars!  I agree with u space. My last year's ford falcon has been replaced by a higher mitsubishi ASX, with the main difference being the height of the seat compared to the road. The SUV is a lot easier to get in n out of.

I would not recommend anybody return to a low car after driving in a higher one.

[spenaroo]

12 minutes ago, Bruce Tuncks said:

Low cars!  I agree with u space. My last year's ford falcon has been replaced by a higher mitsubishi ASX, with the main difference being the height of the seat compared to the road. The SUV is a lot easier to get in n out of.

I would not recommend anybody return to a low car after driving in a higher one.

and here's me swapping between an amarok and a MG midget

[facthunter]

Like being between a rok and a hard place.   I drove an MG B in a trial once. The Midget isn't a race car..  Nev

[red750]

I have the opposite problem. When I didn't have a car, a mate with a Landcruiser used to give me a lift to the Men's Shed and home again. I almost needed a step ladder to get in the thing. Then  I bought the Festiva and have no problem.

 

Lounge chair and toilets are a challenge. We have been looking at ads for toilet surrounds which provide armrestst you can use to help stand up. Turned 79 yesterday - getting older is a curse.