 |
Re: 4 hours to charge Muni battery but, or even 15 minutes on fast charge, is not the problem? What is the economically useful operating range (car, bus, choo-choo?)
Author: FUD
Date: 12-06-2022 - 09:00
Yes, I'm back...
Lithium batteries were a game changer for EVs of all types. They're long-lived enough, and compact and energy-dense enough, to make things practical. But ... the most common, and most energy-dense types, use flammable electrolyte and several expensive and "conflict" minerals. If you don't demand the most-dense type, lithium-iron-phosphate can be used, which is a bit heavier and less energy-dense (though both of those have improved considerably in recent years), does not use a flammable electrolyte, uses very little of the "special" metals, and has a life several times that of the more common (for now) LCA and LMC batteries. "LFP" is used in practically all new electric buses and most of the EV heavy trucks that are now on the market. But not (yet) in the recently released Tesla Semi.
150-200 miles range is enough for most urban transit use. It covers a days driving. Where it isn't quite enough, or the bus is in use for more than 8 hours or so (with driver changes), there are overhead fast chargers that can be installed at layover points and add a substantial charge in 15 min or so - as a regular option. There are several schemes for doing fast charging at layover points using loops in the roadway. California's energy mix already has a lot of renewables in it, and little coal (any more), so electric buses are not only locally clean but globally pretty good.
Electric is now a Regular Production Option for most transit (and school!) buses. It's not experimental by any stretch. And California requires electric buses when new ones are purchased (and offers some subsidies for the process). So you'll see more of them.
Now if only trolley buses were on the menu...
Elon hates fuel cells because he didn't "invent" them. They have excellent characteristics for long-distance trucks and buses, with both long range (which gets very heavy very quickly with batteries - see the 10K# Hummer) and quick recharging. Hydrogen is not without its drawbacks, but it works, well. And some bus and truck makers will deliver their product with any drive/fuel train to your order: gasoline, diesel, natural gas, battery-electric, hydrogen/fuel cell-electric (fuel cell is still electric drive), and/or hybrid (fuel cell is usually a hybrid, with a small battery to buffer rapidly changing power demand).
Next week, back to trains...where battery-electrics are now being sold again, and working in the right application.
Lithium batteries were a game changer for EVs of all types. They're long-lived enough, and compact and energy-dense enough, to make things practical. But ... the most common, and most energy-dense types, use flammable electrolyte and several expensive and "conflict" minerals. If you don't demand the most-dense type, lithium-iron-phosphate can be used, which is a bit heavier and less energy-dense (though both of those have improved considerably in recent years), does not use a flammable electrolyte, uses very little of the "special" metals, and has a life several times that of the more common (for now) LCA and LMC batteries. "LFP" is used in practically all new electric buses and most of the EV heavy trucks that are now on the market. But not (yet) in the recently released Tesla Semi.
150-200 miles range is enough for most urban transit use. It covers a days driving. Where it isn't quite enough, or the bus is in use for more than 8 hours or so (with driver changes), there are overhead fast chargers that can be installed at layover points and add a substantial charge in 15 min or so - as a regular option. There are several schemes for doing fast charging at layover points using loops in the roadway. California's energy mix already has a lot of renewables in it, and little coal (any more), so electric buses are not only locally clean but globally pretty good.
Electric is now a Regular Production Option for most transit (and school!) buses. It's not experimental by any stretch. And California requires electric buses when new ones are purchased (and offers some subsidies for the process). So you'll see more of them.
Now if only trolley buses were on the menu...
Elon hates fuel cells because he didn't "invent" them. They have excellent characteristics for long-distance trucks and buses, with both long range (which gets very heavy very quickly with batteries - see the 10K# Hummer) and quick recharging. Hydrogen is not without its drawbacks, but it works, well. And some bus and truck makers will deliver their product with any drive/fuel train to your order: gasoline, diesel, natural gas, battery-electric, hydrogen/fuel cell-electric (fuel cell is still electric drive), and/or hybrid (fuel cell is usually a hybrid, with a small battery to buffer rapidly changing power demand).
Next week, back to trains...where battery-electrics are now being sold again, and working in the right application.
