The Electric Future of Motorhomes and Camper Vans (1 Viewer)

Jamesh

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Taken from a woodworking forum interesting .....


Hope my recent experience might be of interest, in 2018 I completed the self build of our latest house a dormer bungalow of 2250 sq ft, a friend of mine also completed a self build around the same time his was a house of approx 1800 sq ft. Both homes were very well insulated as we are both in the building trade and realise that insulation is the cheapest way to ensure low running costs. We installed an oil boiler for heating and hot water, my friend went down the air source heat pump route. My friend used a specialist heating firm to install his ASHP system which cost him £16,000 (this does not include the cost of the underfloor heating or oversized upstairs rads the ASHP system was connected to), our boiler and oil tank cost £2,100, our heating system uses ordinary rads so there was quite a cost saving there as well. Over the last 3 years our oil consumption has been constant at 900-1000 litres per year, so on average, by buying our oil in the summer when its cheapest its cost us roughly £600 per year. Unfortunately my friends ASHP has not been so economical, stripping out the domestic electric costs (lighting and household electrical use), the ASHP is using £1500-£2000 per year.
This might be a bit simplistic, but our oil system saved us £13,900 in purchase price and every year going forward we will be saving £900-£1400 per year in running costs. Just for a figure lets say the boiler lasts 20 years (although I know of many that are over 30 years old and still going strong) including the cost of the ASHP system my friend stands to be around £35,000 out of pocket, and the cynic in me says that until all the electric produced in this country comes from renewables a lot of the extra expense will come from burning fossil fuels, so how is that helping global warming?
 

ronecc1

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Jun 25, 2021
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Plus the cost to the tax payer of building the infrastructure to site the wind turbines and the dumping of the blades after 20 years or so. They cannot be recycled, so will have to litter our countryside in big piles somewhere. The cost of subsidising the foreign energy companies, who own the vast majority, when the wind does not blow or is blowing too strong is just another cost to be added to the bill. It is a joke all this 'green energy', it is nothing of the sort, but people are believing it.
 
Nov 6, 2016
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Taken from a woodworking forum interesting .....


Hope my recent experience might be of interest, in 2018 I completed the self build of our latest house a dormer bungalow of 2250 sq ft, a friend of mine also completed a self build around the same time his was a house of approx 1800 sq ft. Both homes were very well insulated as we are both in the building trade and realise that insulation is the cheapest way to ensure low running costs. We installed an oil boiler for heating and hot water, my friend went down the air source heat pump route. My friend used a specialist heating firm to install his ASHP system which cost him £16,000 (this does not include the cost of the underfloor heating or oversized upstairs rads the ASHP system was connected to), our boiler and oil tank cost £2,100, our heating system uses ordinary rads so there was quite a cost saving there as well. Over the last 3 years our oil consumption has been constant at 900-1000 litres per year, so on average, by buying our oil in the summer when its cheapest its cost us roughly £600 per year. Unfortunately my friends ASHP has not been so economical, stripping out the domestic electric costs (lighting and household electrical use), the ASHP is using £1500-£2000 per year.
This might be a bit simplistic, but our oil system saved us £13,900 in purchase price and every year going forward we will be saving £900-£1400 per year in running costs. Just for a figure lets say the boiler lasts 20 years (although I know of many that are over 30 years old and still going strong) including the cost of the ASHP system my friend stands to be around £35,000 out of pocket, and the cynic in me says that until all the electric produced in this country comes from renewables a lot of the extra expense will come from burning fossil fuels, so how is that helping global warming?
But you are using actual data, not computer generated simulations in order to sell the "Green" solutions :giggle:

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Coolcats

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Not acceptable to delete the spare wheel. That ain't progress. (n)
Many manufacturers do this, its just a perspective and most of may vehicles since 2007 have not had spares I suspect there are statistics put there that highlight the probability of having to use a spare.....probably a throwback to the 1900's
 

Coolcats

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But only if the house has been designed to be air and draught proof. The great majority of British houses would never meet the criteria. My stone house cannot be modified, so I have no chance. John Humphries off tv, stated recently, his heat source pump has cost a fortune, because the house and water are only warm, so has to back it up by having a wood burner. So, yes, if a new build has been designed to be heated by air or ground source, that is okay and it will cost a fair penny to do that, but for the average home, no chance,
Not disagreeing with you and here is a question why have new builds not had solar panels incorporated in the past decade because you can be sure the owners of these companies have these installed on thier homes.
 
Dec 19, 2020
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Not disagreeing with you and here is a question why have new builds not had solar panels incorporated in the past decade because you can be sure the owners of these companies have these installed on thier homes.
A question I put to the Energy Secretary last week. Also why are these massive distribution centres with big roofs not required to have solar? The reply will be interesting. Lots of "blah, blah" but no actual contribution to a solution.
 

Clipgate

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It's been kept under wraps, however bus depots have been burnt down, in fact three from memory, also a number of electric buses, most likely cause it seems is battery over heating coupled with infrastructure overload.
Will make you smile, however in North London buses are being charged by diesel generators over night due to no supply of appropriate supplies.
 

Blue Knight

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The UK price seems high - from £47,675 excluding VAT (after the Government PiVG). Presumably that's a short range basic van.

Yes, you're bang on the nail but there are a few added costs:

All costs excl VAT:

1. Basic/Small 10m3 47Kwh Van: €55,400.00

2. 11kwh 3-phase charger (Fixed added cost): €1,500.00

3. Battery Upgrade: 47 to 79Kwh (reduces payload by 300kg): €16,600.00

4. Charger Upgrade 11Kwh to 22Kwh: €3,000.00

5. Charger Upgrade 11Kwh to 50Kwh: €5,500.00.


......so the smallest van with the biggest battery, plus a half decent charger (50Kwh) will cost €77,500/ £65,700 plus VAT.

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Aug 26, 2008
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Smart cars don't have, and couldn't have, a spare wheel.
OK but Smarties aren't like big Ducatos. If my Rapido PVC didn't come with a spare wheel as standard I would have ordered one that did.

I can't agree with those who defend the "delete spare wheel" school of thought because (e.g.) they haven't had a puncture in living memory and the can of goo will do the job anyway. Likewise, airbags are only essential when you crash which is only a remote possibility so why bother fitting them. You are more likely to have a tyre blowout that puts it beyond the can of goo solution. In France they will force you to fit 2 matching new tyres.

Anyhow this debate is one on which we will have to disagree. Let's discuss gassing instead?
 
Feb 27, 2011
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OK but Smarties aren't like big Ducatos. If my Rapido PVC didn't come with a spare wheel as standard I would have ordered one that did.

I can't agree with those who defend the "delete spare wheel" school of thought because (e.g.) they haven't had a puncture in living memory and the can of goo will do the job anyway. Likewise, airbags are only essential when you crash which is only a remote possibility so why bother fitting them. You are more likely to have a tyre blowout that puts it beyond the can of goo solution. In France they will force you to fit 2 matching new tyres.

Anyhow this debate is one on which we will have to disagree. Let's discuss gassing instead?

When I have a puncture I don't swap the wheel out myself. I call out a mobile tyre fitter to swap the tyre out there and then. Done it 3 times now. Last van didn't have a spare wheel. The current one may have but I haven't even looked for it.

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May 7, 2017
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I wouldn't want a Hydrogen car, far too inconvenient. I come home park up and plug in. The charger comes on at 00.30 and goes off at 04.30 or earlier if the car is charged and I pay 5p per KW. In the morning I come out unplug the car and go.
When Electric cars do 400 miles plus without recharge then I would probably buy as a stop gap
 
May 7, 2017
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Saw one of those on our local main (B) road. Waiting for someone to come with a genny to recharge it. I took the driver a drink. The first delivery hadn't been made and already out of charge (wet, cold and foggy day).
Plus when they conk out you cannot tow a Electric Transit I was told by a Amazon Driver
 
Aug 6, 2013
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OK but Smarties aren't like big Ducatos. If my Rapido PVC didn't come with a spare wheel as standard I would have ordered one that did.

I can't agree with those who defend the "delete spare wheel" school of thought because (e.g.) they haven't had a puncture in living memory and the can of goo will do the job anyway. Likewise, airbags are only essential when you crash which is only a remote possibility so why bother fitting them. You are more likely to have a tyre blowout that puts it beyond the can of goo solution. In France they will force you to fit 2 matching new tyres.

Anyhow this debate is one on which we will have to disagree. Let's discuss gassing instead?
I carry a spare on the MH despite not needing one as far back as I can remember. No option with the Smart 😁.

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Tombola

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When Electric cars do 400 miles plus without recharge then I would probably buy as a stop gap
some are quoting this 400 now, (Lucid air 500 if its proves to be true) but it has reached pretty much its limit I fear.
As battery tech hits the crossover point of choice of xxxx amount of miles, you will see batteries still staying at 350-400 ish miles max but with the batteries getting smaller instead of keep adding range and more range. A battery with a range of 600-700 miles is not worth it.
 
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The Dutch have done it!

Students In The Netherlands Built This Solar-Powered Camper Van​


 

Coolcats

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The Dutch have done it!

Students In The Netherlands Built This Solar-Powered Camper Van​


https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/students’-solar-powered-camper-van-turns-heads-on-1-800-mile-road-trip.250968/

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ronecc1

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Not disagreeing with you and here is a question why have new builds not had solar panels incorporated in the past decade because you can be sure the owners of these companies have these installed on thier homes.
My wife and I built a house in Portugal in 2009 and planning regs over there were just starting to insist solar panels were fitted. As usual, our governments are so far behind.
 

Coolcats

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My wife and I built a house in Portugal in 2009 and planning regs over there were just starting to insist solar panels were fitted. As usual, our governments are so far behind.
Agree with you its about how the energy companies can retain their profitability rather than how if every roof in the country had Solar power this would generate a significant amount of energy to be used by the occupants and the remainder shipped out to the grid.
 

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