Monday 2 December 2013

Trial complete: electric vehicles can work in Australia


Some of the converted Ford Focus cars used in the trial.
Credit: WA EV Trial consortium/The Conversation

Probably work in your country too.

https://theconversation.com/trial-complete-electric-vehicles-can-work-in-australia-18843

In the comments, mention is made of the oft-heard claim that, coal is burnt to generate electricity, so fossil fuel & electric vehicles must have the same carbon footprint. Not surprisingly, reality is much more complex than this simple argument suggests. See a discussion of the issues at:

http://hhg2t-long.blogspot.com/2011/06/why-does-electric-car-generate-less.html / Australia’s first electric vehicle trial completed early 2010 end 2012 11 electric Ford Focus foci 23 fast-charger fast charger charge fast-AC charging bays Level-2 level 2 found few technological barriers adopt adoption electric vehicles EVs EV vehicle Australia government incentive incentives early adopter adopters government program programme programs roll out roll-out fast-DC charging stations station Australia fully embrace start started trial electric cars major manufacturers availability available convert converted Ford Focuses conversions performed Western Australian WA company EV Works equipment equip equipped 23kWh battery pack 27kW DC motor 1000A motor controller used as regular fleet vehicles 11 project partners government and business demonstrate demonstrating usable use usability everyday driving cars achieved road tested test road-tested driving range 131km single charge dyno dynamometer testing resulted 143km range significantly exceeds exceed driving range Mitsubishi i-MiEV achieve achievement achieved 112km range identical road test road-test conditions charge charged charging stations installation instal installed 23 charging stations Level 2 AC fast Level-2 fast-AC charging charge charger Perth CBD international charging standard normal norm IEC 62196 European Type-2/Mennekes Mennekes connectors connector two advantages Type 1 2 Type-1/J1772 charging stations Type-1 US Japan US/Japan Type-2 Europe inlets outlet three phase provide three-phase power electricity charges three times faster achieves better grid balance stations charged 3.5 hours empty full slower home charge 10 Amp 10A power socket 10 hours data collection software development data recorded data loggers 3G modems modem picture vehicle movement charge charging patterns record vehicle vehicles' driving paths charging times use of air conditioning air-conditioning heating other major energy consumers team developed smartphone app useful drivers check EV’s status car on charge let driver know charging completed finished finish finishes complete car collect collected charge longer cars charged drivers charged cars renewable energy used charging emission-free emission free electric electricity utilities utility increase increased peak demand graph summarises summary results fleet EVs charging morning until mid-day mid day charging energy supplied by solar photovoltaics PV PVs company fleets early adopter adopters new car technologynlargest customer segment new vehicles market Australia power usage trial period public charging stations charging curve peak curve that almost ideally matches match solar PV curve graph below customer /