2 replies to this topic

[mariner]

It is common view among some OEM's that EV's wil not easily sell in Asia and Latin America etc. due to high cost and lack of power infrastructure. IIRC Toyota sees IC sales continuing for many years in these places.

i

That seems to make sense but this article points out that the most common form of personal transport in Asia is the motorbike/scooter and those can be electrified much more easily

 

https://www.bbc.co.u...siness-61907734

 

The battery swap idea isn't new but it makes lot more sense for smaller bike batteries.

 

I recall that when e - bikes i.e pushbikes with a small motor took of in China many office workers could be seen carrying their battery up to their desk to plug in for free to the office power outlets. What that did for the  buildings fire safety I hate to think!

[BRG]

Risky business, those e-bikes?

[HP]

Well there is Gogoro for example (Search engine will show their website). Serious company. Haven't heard too much negative about it. Except for the pricing. You either buy batteries and charge them for yourself  or you pay a fixed rate per month, and just go and go to the next store that let's you exchange the batteries. Range ~ 50~ to 60 km. With a fixed monthly rate you have to ride much, much more than the battery range per day. But since they are geared for short distances, it only makes economic sense for the company selling the bike. With charging battery myself, if I just want to make a trip into country side or the beach, I'd need to carry extra portable batteries around, Taking the charger with me, well where do I plug into an electrical outlet? For obvious reasons I can't just go to those store that have the batteries from the exchange program. So most people stick with fixed pay rate.

 

The other issue they are light weight build, which has it's own up and down sides.

 

Opinion here is divided, some like them, some have gone to buy combustion engine bikes. IMO neither are the future.

 

The idea of portable batteries might be working somewhat, once the EU gets behind it and demand portable batteries that are usable for bikes from different manufacturers. Before that, consider the possible long term options and issues very careful.

 

Of course there is another category of e-bikes around. They look and drive awful. Insufficient lights. They only exist for those whose driver license have been revoked or never made it through a drivers test. No driver license required. Since they have no great speed, they endanger the busy roads. Whenever you have vehicles on the road that go at different speeds (in town e.g. 30 km/h vs 50 km/h) it creates extra potential for accidents. Never mind when considering the driving standards. And sometimes there is the absolute craziness. Here in town lives a guy who needs a wheelchair. It's electric, reaches 50 km/h, but he also can drive with it into stores. Fascinating, but seeing that guy racing in his wheelchair, makes me wonder about the sanity of it all. Electric car/bikes have opened a Pandora's box IMO. Never mind how we gonna deal with all those portable batteries in future. Not saying gas is better, but fuel once it's gone, it's gone.