Electric Motorhomes (1 Viewer)

[Jim]

Will the batteries weigh less than the fuel, the fuel tank, engine, cooling system, exhausts ect. If so, it could mean a big boost in motorhome payload. Or will the leccy motorhome be so weight sensitive we'll be like balloon pilots jettisoning things to lose weight just to make our destination. I can see it now..

"Siân, throw out three more pairs of shoes, and that 6kg bag of ice or we're not going to make it"

"How about you losing some weight you fat b@$%^d"​

 

[Armytwowheels]

I am not throwing my gin out for anyone!

 

[jonandshell]

Crap for skiing.
We will flatten the battery climbing the mountain, have nothing to run the heating on, then only recharge through regen braking on the way down.
Electric motorhomes will end wild camping and tie us all to campsites.

 

[Emmit]

I'll be 91yrs in 2040.

Quite frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!!!

 

[funflair]

I am not throwing my gin out for anyone!

Drink it you will be light as a kite

Martin

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[Larrynwin]

Really long hook up cables

 

[scottie]

That was funny Jim, complete visualisation on that one.

 

[mike mcglynn]

I dread to think how much the caravan clubs would charge you for a hook up ,

 

[SpeedyDux]

I agree with Jim's reservations about weight issues especially if the overall design is constrained by the 3,500 Kg MTPLM and the need to provide a 500 kg user payload as well. If they can achieve all this in an electric 7m MH that will be quite remarkable.

The other issue that @jonandshell touched on is the temperature factor. This not only affects the expected range of the vehicle on a single charge, which assumes that the ambient temperature is always 20c, but also the discharge and charging rate of the batteries themselves. It sounds very nerdy but is rather significant. On a very cold (or hot) day you might struggle. The batteries might need their own heaters if you want to go skiing.

See http://www.batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/discharging_at_high_and_low_temperatures

I would be interested to see @gromit's comments. He always knows much more about this subject than I do.

 

[PP Bear]

I don't think it'll actually be that far away to be honest, but the payload!! Well that's a different thing......I'd say still throw out the fat bloke

Or there's always the option of a conversion

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[Zepp]

I saw this going into the swift factory today I think they have started production already

 

[funflair]

I think the move to full electric should and needs to be via the hybrid route, OK this has started well and truly for passenger cars but has not really caught on in the commercial sector, 80 mile range might be OK for a shopping Prius or i3 but not much good for a commercial driver lugging a few ton around with deadlines to meet.

Martin

 

[MattR]

Range would be the key requirement for me after costs. Trying to shift a mh will take a lot of power but doing it over 300 miles a day? I would fear that much of my holiday would be spent waiting when vehicle to recharge.

 

[Badknee]

I don't thing commercial vehicles will go electric, more like hydrogen cell, well not in my lifetime.......... and I'm only twelve.

 

[Cat53]

Where is the electricity coming from to charge all these vehicles? It's a knee jerk reaction to my mind. Maybe a way of making vehicle manufacturers to start ,pulling their fingers out' over alternatives.

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[cornish boy]

I have faith in the fact that some very clever people with brains the size of small planets are working on this as we speak.

I just hope that they also have a 'normal' person in the room as well or else the world may just end up with an amazing solution that serves no practical purpose!

In terms of todays technology, using batteries as energy storage will always mean a payoff between range and recharge time. The longer the range, the longer the recharge time. There is a lot of focus on charging technology to reduce the recharge cycle times to address the range/recharge equation but we are a long way off having a solution of storage and recharge that works across all temperature and altitude zones at a range/speed acceptable to today's consumer desire.
Moving forward, the world may just have to accept that clean fuel means life will be delivered slower!

Of course, energy storage in a battery still relies on power generation and distribution, so hand in hand with battery research, we need to address the issue of clean power and find a method of generation which doesn't produce long term legacy issues such as nuclear waste.

On the other hand, we should encourage research into alternative energy sources and continue looking at fuel cell technology in the hope that within the next ten years, the technology will be better understood leading to a reduction in costs and becoming viable mainstream options.

I am a firm believer that we all have a part to play in the development of tomorrows fuel sources by encouraging research through private and public funding, pushing the agenda for change and most importantly accepting life will be different.

 

[old-mo]

These are running all round the county town of Dorchester...

So not that far fetched really... they are coming sooon... don`t know what they weigh, but only fill up/Charge once a day.... and do a fair few miles..

(Just googled this = most buses are out on the road for twelve hours and 150 miles or more per day..)

Imagine the queue`s at the filling station....

 

[Stretto Boy]

I don't think it'll actually be that far away to be honest, but the payload!! Well that's a different thing

View attachment 177024

The payload should be good on this lightweight construction model but frankly I would like a few more creature comforts. Seats would be a good start.

 

[PP Bear]

Seems to me that it's all just another crank of the life handle regarding polution, especially on the streets of capital cities.

This is all brought about because of pollution. It really wasn't that long ago that the only means of transport was the horse. This in itself brought around a polution problem, health hazards and disease. See here: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Horse-Manure-Crisis-of-1894/

We'll mine the earths resources even further for the metals to make these batteries and then draw on our electrical supplies to charge them.

We don't even have power stations that can maintain the UK's power supplies of today without drawing from overseas supplies, let along charge the millions of cars that would eventually run on our roads.

Will we need to build more power stations, possibly nuclear and how safe will they all be. Hopefully nuclear technology will ensure our safety, but what of the disposal years from now. Contain the waste and dump at sea, or bury in the ground or dump in deep space.

Can't help but feel it's the futures futures generations that'll be paying for it all in one way or another.

 

[Theonlysue]

Perhaps an adaptation of the efoy fuel cell?

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[jonandshell]

Perhaps an adaptation of the efoy fuel cell?

Or a Kippor running in the garage!

 

[cornish boy]

Perhaps an adaptation of the efoy fuel cell?

It is a real possibility but methanol production still relies heavily on natural gas for its production so there needs to be signifiant investment to enable the production of synthesis gas using waste CO2 or biomass in the volumes required to start to realise the benefits of clean fuels while maintaining control over, and reducing, the worlds reliance on the consumption of natural resources until the tipping point is reached.

Convincing developing economies to leap beyond using carbon/fossel fuels to 'fuel' growth (no pun intended) and instead embrace clean, but more costly, alternatives will be hard (but not impossible). Not least because over the last 100 years the major world economies have freely used and abused carbon/fossel fuels to drive and sustain their own growth.

The biggest hurdle to overcome in the entire journey from dirty fuels to clean energy is not the technology nor the investment, but simply the acceptance of the consumer that the impact of the change over to clean energy may require a step backwards before we can make a leap forward.

All in my own opinion of course!

 

[Robert Clark]

Saw this on the BBC

Electric trucks and vans cut pollution faster than cars
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40715793

 

[Theonlysue]

I'm sure they do but what about the extra risk and pollution caused by more power plants?

 

[DBK]

Where is the electricity coming from to charge all these vehicles?

I did some sums on this last week but came up with too high a figure. I've since seen a report suggesting the increase might only be about 10% which could come from increased generating capacity but probably more likely from electricity created in off peak times stored somewhere - probably big batteries unless someone comes up with a viable alternative.

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[funflair]

These are running all round the county town of Dorchester...

So not that far fetched really... they are coming sooon... don`t know what they weigh, but only fill up/Charge once a day.... and do a fair few miles..

(Just googled this = most buses are out on the road for twelve hours and 150 miles or more per day..)

Imagine the queue`s at the filling station....

Between 80 and 100 miles per charge so the driver must have a lot of tea breaks

Just read a bit more they have top up charging plates at a couple of stops around the route so they can take on a 10 minute charge when the bus is standing

Martin

 

[Lot lover]

I think the move to full electric should and needs to be via the hybrid route

But what will replace the petrol or diesel part of the hybrid engine? Perhaps I should corner the market in rubber bands.

 

[pyro]

In 5 words

Harrods Electric Delivery Van 1939

 

[eyesire]

Really long hook up cables

it does not matter how much you worry you will not get out of this world ALIVE.

 

[Larrynwin]

it does not matter how much you worry you will not get out of this world ALIVE.

You could well be right , but I'm not worried

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