An "Insight" into the future!
Discussion
Davi said:
could you tell me the individual cell ah, or how many cells are in one block? (I take it there are actually 30 clusters of cells rather than 30 200ah packs!!!)
30 x 200ah cells not packs!
www.thunder-sky.com/detal/TS-LCP200AHA.pdf
215cu said:
We have enough fossil fuel for another 100 years and both of the Insight and Prius have fossil fuel engines. The Prius and Insight when this is taken into consideration offer an mpg no better than a 1.4 Polo TDi.
*IF* we were serious and wanted to tackle this 21st century fuel crisis then we could grow as much as 25% of our fuel needs through bio-diesel and ethanol/methanol and use the carbon cycle in a much more productive manner. However, you have to remember we have a government addicted to fuel duty every bit as much as we are to our fossil fuel cars.
Couldn't agree more. As I said on another thread the govt are tackling the whole issue with the precision of a runaway B52.
Apache said:
215cu said:
We have enough fossil fuel for another 100 years and both of the Insight and Prius have fossil fuel engines. The Prius and Insight when this is taken into consideration offer an mpg no better than a 1.4 Polo TDi.
*IF* we were serious and wanted to tackle this 21st century fuel crisis then we could grow as much as 25% of our fuel needs through bio-diesel and ethanol/methanol and use the carbon cycle in a much more productive manner. However, you have to remember we have a government addicted to fuel duty every bit as much as we are to our fossil fuel cars.
Couldn't agree more. As I said on another thread the govt are tackling the whole issue with the precision of a runaway B52.
Cool!!!! Yeah, I looked at getting a powertrain grant (up to 80% cost of converting to LPG) because several petrol stations were doing LPG near me, it's cleaner and less wearing on the engine. Not only could I not get one but I was told the government had stopped doing it.
As for bio-diesel/meth/eth, we have farmers practically destitute in this country with empty fields and told to grow nothing. We have bumper sugar harvests that get destroyed or used for cattle feed. It's lunancy. We could be putting up to 30% bio-diesel into normal diesel, helping our own economy and slashing the cost of diesel.
I know eth/meth requires more conversion but Brazil have been doing it for years, I'm sure it's not beyond the wit of man in this country, imagine the jobs, the new plant, balance of payment correction and we could export the stuff. Unbelievable.
peterperkins said:
Davi said:
could you tell me the individual cell ah, or how many cells are in one block? (I take it there are actually 30 clusters of cells rather than 30 200ah packs!!!)
30 x 200ah cells not packs!
www.thunder-sky.com/detal/TS-LCP200AHA.pdf
bloody hell, that's a serious cell. Not come across those before! Most of the work in this field I've seen has used clusters of cells (sometimes thousands of cells) rather than smaller volume higher capacity. Would certainly make it easier to wire up.
215cu said:
As for bio-diesel/meth/eth, we have farmers practically destitute in this country with empty fields and told to grow nothing. We have bumper sugar harvests that get destroyed or used for cattle feed. It's lunancy. We could be putting up to 30% bio-diesel into normal diesel, helping our own economy and slashing the cost of diesel.
Totally agree. We complain about subsidies supporting farmers, yet a potential product is essentially taxed before it even comes significantly to market. People suggest the rainforests will suffer because it'll be produced there cheaply, but if energy costs rise further then transporting such fuels across the Atlantic when it can be produced here wouldn't be viable.
But, you have to then wonder why our farmers are poorer, more produce is again imported because it can be made cheaply elsewhere, even though distribution ranges must be upto 100x further! So cheap is movement on a global scale at least...
Perhaps when the crunch comes, and air flight and shipping costs rise, we will need more domestic produce with respect to food, and demands on our land will be higher again, with it trying to produce our fuels too.
Either way, I agree. Our government is doing NOTHING for the planet or the economy long term, I fear that there are too many people with money in fossil energy reserves to make any sudden changes, but they'll charge us more for the priveledge of being ultimately forced to use it (no choice, any alternative is taxed out of mind) before it's all gone!
Dave
I would imagine that one of the main reasons that the government aren't keen on bio ethanol is that the distillation of the ethanol from water (after you've formented your sugar beet or whatever) require large volumes of natural gas.
What is in desperately short supply in this country?
Natural gas.
The phrase "turning gold into lead" springs to mind.
The Brazillians get round this by burning part of the sugar cane plant called the baggess.
We don't have that option with sugar beet sadly.
As for bio diesel, well I'd say its just cos the government are inept. Probably.
Andy
What is in desperately short supply in this country?
Natural gas.
The phrase "turning gold into lead" springs to mind.
The Brazillians get round this by burning part of the sugar cane plant called the baggess.
We don't have that option with sugar beet sadly.
As for bio diesel, well I'd say its just cos the government are inept. Probably.
Andy
markelvin said:
Dilligaf10 said:
Is there a "BatteryHeads" site somewhere?
Typical narrowminded response.
i like mine because it's different
markelvin said:
An no doubt be unrelaible as any other kit car (runs for cover) & would of course have the factory backup that Honda give to the Insight
oh the irony.
the joy of kit cars... as reliable as you chose to build it, not as reliable as some monkey in a factory bored of his 8 to 4 existance.
andytk said:
I would imagine that one of the main reasons that the government aren't keen on bio ethanol is that the distillation of the ethanol from water (after you've formented your sugar beet or whatever) require large volumes of natural gas.
What is in desperately short supply in this country?
Natural gas.
The phrase "turning gold into lead" springs to mind.
The Brazillians get round this by burning part of the sugar cane plant called the baggess.
We don't have that option with sugar beet sadly.
As for bio diesel, well I'd say its just cos the government are inept. Probably.
Andy
What is in desperately short supply in this country?
Natural gas.
The phrase "turning gold into lead" springs to mind.
The Brazillians get round this by burning part of the sugar cane plant called the baggess.
We don't have that option with sugar beet sadly.
As for bio diesel, well I'd say its just cos the government are inept. Probably.
Andy
Another is probably because they have been caught between a rock and a hard place, they have the ability to encourage alternative fuels yet need the income from fossil fuels.
Edited by Apache on Tuesday 28th November 16:16
Davi said:
markelvin said:
Dilligaf10 said:
Is there a "BatteryHeads" site somewhere?
Typical narrowminded response.
i like mine because it's different
markelvin said:
An no doubt be unrelaible as any other kit car (runs for cover) & would of course have the factory backup that Honda give to the Insight
oh the irony.
the joy of kit cars... as reliable as you chose to build it, not as reliable as some monkey in a factory bored of his 8 to 4 existance.
Indeed, you would expect an engineer, especially one that is in R+D to be able to open their mind to new concepts but it seems our boy here is simply certain that his 950cc petrol Honda is as good as it gets.
Personally, I'd rather build a kit car to be suitably reliable than try and track down the electrical gremlins of an Insight or Prius in a few years time. Further, I'd rather build a car from a sum of readily available parts from various brands and that can be maintained by any reasonable garage, than rely on UK Honda dealership support of bespoke model parts that will be priced accordingly.
Very interesting project, I've often wondered why things like this haven't taken off in crowded cities like London as they make so much sense. The tech isn't up to replacing an IC vehicle yet but for probably 80%+ of journeys it's more than adequate, plus as mentioned the technologies behind them are improving all the time. I'd love to build one myself from an old tired Mk1 MX-5... If it was light enough I bet it'd still be a good drive too.
From a mass-market point of view I think fuel cells are the future but battery powered town cars will always have a place, more so once a certain level of range and performance is reached - say 150 mile range, quick charges ( <15mins) and performance (0-60 <15 secs) - all of which are in development and will be readily available in the next decade or so. Expect to see all sorts of quirky practical supermini EV's when that happens.
From a mass-market point of view I think fuel cells are the future but battery powered town cars will always have a place, more so once a certain level of range and performance is reached - say 150 mile range, quick charges ( <15mins) and performance (0-60 <15 secs) - all of which are in development and will be readily available in the next decade or so. Expect to see all sorts of quirky practical supermini EV's when that happens.
Edited by flat_steve on Tuesday 28th November 22:23
this thread reminds me of a south park episode, called 'smug alert!'[url]www.dailymotion.com%2Fget%2F502%2F">www.dailymotion.com/flash/flvplayer.swf?rev=1164259906&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymotion.com%2Fget%2F502%2F[/url]
i think its alot more to do with people wanting to not be blamed for any effects themselves. ignoring the fact that hybrids are just as bad when it comes down to it(dust to dust).
i think its alot more to do with people wanting to not be blamed for any effects themselves. ignoring the fact that hybrids are just as bad when it comes down to it(dust to dust).
robinhood21 said:
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