GoodEnough New battery

[real-human]

here are many new battery technologies that have shown promise. One that will be on the market they claim this year.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/130380-future-batteries-coming-soon-charge-in-seconds-last-months-and-power-over-the-air

Future batteries, coming soon: Charge in seconds, last months and power over the air

[GURGLETROUSERS]

Dean. You are clearly expert in the battery field and I am not. The research you specify sounds exciting, and if workable will eventually revolutionise the way we use, and rely on, electrical gadgetry.

But for transport, heavy lorries and cars travelling long distances at speed in cold adverse winter conditions, using heaters. lights. wipers etc, I still cannot believe it would make sense. Those super batteries would expend an enormous amount of horse power and would need the equivalent amount to recharge. What power source (fuel) would supply that charge? (Power in must equal power out.)

I stood on that motorway bridge again yesterday (return from windsurfing) and watched the same thundering at 70 m.p.h. traffic , and I just cannot visualise it all doing likewise just on battery power. But even should it eventually be possible I still want to know WHAT power source would replenish those batteries? THAT is the question!

Meanwhile, I'm reminded of the 1950's when Science Fiction was predicting the wonders of the future, and how we were going to live. Sadly, it all remained a Star Trek type vision, not reality.

[coboardhead]

GT

Of course you are correct. The transportation system, as we know it, cannot work on battery power. My life style certainly wouldn't. My friend's Prius can't get out of my driveway much less that cute little BMW electric car. We always take my all wheel drive wagon.

Windsurfing and kiting gear for two in a 100 MPG equivalent electric car...not gonna happen.

What these technologies offer is an opportunity to extend our resources. I cannot NOT be hooked up to the grid at my house; but I have reduced my carbon based consumption of electricity by more than half.

Driving a super mini, as you do, really accomplishes the same. Conservation is more important than technological wizardry.

[GURGLETROUSERS]

I completely agree C.B.

As it happens I take delivery of a new 'super mini' next week. I keep them for 40.000 miles (i.e. 2 years at 20.000 miles per year. Yes i know - ruining the planet and all that, but we only have one life, and must maximize our life choices!

The new one is, again, a Suzuki small petrol engine which will give an all in average of around 55 m.p.g. (As have all my previous small Suzuki minis.) As you say, there is no viable or practical AFFORDABLE alternative for folk of modest means, which could meet my requirements. (Suzuki minis are class leaders in low pollution engines.)

Oh, to have been a millionaire, though I think it would have ruined that feeling of contentment at getting the most you can out of life, with finite means!

P.S. If we were not such a 'well watered land', and the sun shone a liitle more, I would certainly think about solar cells on the roof. (But NO bloody windmill!!!!)

[real-human]

as I mentioned the Germans are in production with a large delivery truck already in the test market. Gets cold in Germany. As a motorcyclist I say do not be a wimp and dress for it. I have been in German factories and offices in the winter and I had to wear my winter jacket inside them.

as noted some of these new style batteries have an advantage of a minute charge or two. Most charge at home which takes many hours and actually can be power outage backups for a day or so is another trade off benefit..

Ideally we make fossil fuel based vehicles the large minority.

your mini at 55 mpg sounds awesome.. bring it on...

[GURGLETROUSERS]

Yes, indeed excellent! (And it's not at all slow or feeble in performance.) But such efficiency is perhaps the result of European, and our countries, petrol prices at the pumps. It is now (here) at the equivalent of 6.38 dollars a gallon!!

Incidentally, I was an ardent motor cyclist for many tears, (slip of the tongue, years), last bike Triumph Bonneville 650 with factory No 3 tuning kit, but the old bones (ahh!) tend to rattle a bit with early morning cold nowadays. The one sure thing with super minis is their very efficient and boiling heaters!

[cgoudie1]

Greetings GT,

I have considered the "oh to have been a millionaire" perspective at
length and have decided that had I been rich young, I would have died
young. Not that there is anything wrong with a young death from a life
lived well (though it would have deprived the world of some premium
resources in the form of my grand children).

I do get a great sense of accomplishment from getting the best life has to
to offer from finite resources, similar to that oh so perfect
peeler, which only had rarely, is all the more tasty!

Would that I could drive a Suzuki super mini, but unfortunately the regulations
in the States (to protect us from ourselves) do not permit such.
I too rode 2 wheels for many years in my youth, though I confess it had
nothing to do with a sense of planetary service, and everything to do with a
head full of happy brain chemistry.

With regard to automotive power. Energy transfer from the source to the
road is probably the correct true measure of what is good for the planet.
As I recall, the current most efficient least destructive method would be
something like Methane (egad carbon!).

My brother and his family transport in Muskmobiles, and I have driven
his vehicles. I would consider one for it's "Go Baby Go" acceleration,
but they just aren't practical for me and my current vices.

And we're back on topic. ;*)

.04

-Craig

[swchandler]

G.T., you must have quite a rack and storage setup on the Suzuki to transport your longboards and the necessary gear back and forth from the beach. When I started windsurfing I had a VW Scirocco where I would have to tie-off the nose of the board to the front of the car, or risk it flying off on the freeway.

[Goodwind]

Fishing at my riverfront retreat at the Delta (S.F. Bay Area) the other day and struck up a conversation with an old fellow. He said he could ride train from the Delta all the way to San Francisco some 60 miles away in the old days. I am like, there must be trains all over the map before cars became the dominant form of transportation. In its infancy, I suspect many were skeptical if cars could ever replace trains and be a practice form of transportation for the masses, considering all the roads, gas stations and oil refineries that yet to be built. But here we are today.... We certainly have all the roads now. Is a new charging infrastructure that nonviable?

Accordingly, this new sodium-glass battery will be cheap as sodium and glass are abundant on earth. It has three times the energy storage capacity of a lithium-ion battery, can be charged in minutes rather than hour and is capable of thousands of charge cycles. Top-of-the-line 2016 Tesla Model S has already achieved a driving range of 294 miles per charge. Multiply that by three, you have 882 miles per charge and I could charge up at home, drive all the way from San Francisco to Los Angles and back. Even if I needed recharging somewhere along the way, it would take just minutes, no big deal. Even a run of the mill EV today gets you an average 87 miles per charge or 261 miles per charge with the new battery, probably good enough for majority of the consumers. EV technology is constantly improving, E trucks are not out of the question, right?

Solar technology can be a good partner. Solar energy has already reached cost parity with fossil fuel in more than 30 countries (according to WEF) and in some parts of the US, something unthinkable just a few years ago and the cost continues trending downward. In the future if 30% or so of the homes has solar panels, people can change up at home, the need for supplemental generators for EV will be greatly reduced. Additionally, the new battery-solar combo would allow people to live off the grid a lot easier, more comfortable and may someday transform where people live just like cars did. I don't think we can switch from fossil fuel to electric all the way anytime soon and I won't waste my time to debate any global warming ramifications. As everyone knows, people on this Forum have made up their mine long ago and no mind will be changed no matter what. But with new technology, it opens up more viable options to improve our quality of life and, as a minimum, it makes us less dependent on events in the Middle East or Russia. Why is this not a good thing?

https://qz.com/871907/2016-was-the-year-solar-panels-finally-became-cheaper-than-fossil-fuels-just-wait-for-2017/

[GURGLETROUSERS]

It's always necessary to buy a new purpose designed Suzuki roof rack with each new model S.W.C. The little fiends see to that, by always altering the built in fixing bracket points! But the racks have always been secure at legal 70 mph motorway speed, and have never failed.

I usually carry two boards (long or short) one atop the other, and sails,masts and booms fit inside the passenger side, with front seat folded back. Even the 490 two piece mast just clears the back window. The rack also carries a kayak, even my 18 foot sea kayak, with no need to tie down the front. (nowhere to tie it to anyway.)Bikes are no problem either.

The only failure I ever had was at 60 mph on a main smooth wet dual carriageway, when the buckle on the front strap holding down my custom surf ski snapped. The ski reared up, tore out of the back bar strap, and crashed down perfectly upright on to road behind. Naturally I'd taken my foot off the loud pedal, only to see in the mirror the ski, hell bent on not being left behind, hurtling straight to wards the back of the car in a dead set straight line, with no apparent diminishment in planing power! A burst of throttle was necessary.

It eventually ran out of steam and I could put the car on the grass, and leap out and rescue it from advancing lorries. Incredibly, the only damage was 3 ground flat fin tips, and a small chunk out of a front lower part.

Anyway, glad I'm not the only one who is happy not to be a jaded millionarre. (Greetings Mr Goudy.) That just wouldn't work for some of us!