betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 nissan is just about giving away the leaf now. still expensive. but you get at zero deposit and zero interest rate. am sure some will take up the offer. its a nice looking car, just expensive still ! http://www.nissan.com.au/Cars-Vehicles/LEAF/Offers?utm_source=Columbus%20AU&utm_medium=NATIONAL_GENERIC&utm_content=SOCIAL&utm_campaign=2014-decembercloserlook
Saxon Hall Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 At this stage and for reasons of practicality I reckon a Hybrid is still a better bet. I am sure with the passage of time, "all electric" will become more common. 2
Addicted to music Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 Takes a whole new meaning in "fill her up". The charging dock must be purchased separately, ya think with this new concept they in included that in the price. Like HC2007 says, the hybrid is still the way to go, 170km is for yummy mummies taking the kids for school. 1 1
Zaphod Beeblebrox Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) At this stage and for reasons of practicality I reckon a Hybrid is still a better bet. I am sure with the passage of time, "all electric" will become more common. IMO, the GM Volt and the Mitsubishi PHEV are the two standouts ATM. Both make the most sense for anyone who ventures away from a power point, but does lots of city kms. Of the two, the Volt looks like very poor value for money. For my part, as a mostly city driver, I would fill the fuel tank once or twice PA using either vehicle and, with a garage roof loaded with PV cells, could, conceivably pay nothing for electricity. Running costs should prove to be extremely low. Edited December 10, 2014 by Zaphod Beeblebrox 4
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 IMO, the GM Volt, the Mitsubishi PHEV are the two standouts ATM. Both make the most sense for anyone who ventures away from a power point, but does lots of city kms. Of the two, the Volt looks like very poor value for money. For my part, as a mostly city driver, I would fill the fuel tank once or twice PA and, with a garage roof loaded with PV cells, could, conceivably pay nothing for electricity. Running costs should prove to be extremely low. not sure on the mitsubishi, but the volt too has very poor perceived value. I've posted before where at a holden dealer they had one there (only one on the lot) and they were happy to consider any offer on. said managers special and must go ! this was a large deer ship too. good to see nissan going on the front foot to improve the value equation. whats at their disadvantage is volume though, with such small volumes of them selling I can imagine getting them to meet ADRs and all the costs to develop them for "australian conditions" probably not helping the equation. most of the companies though still seem to be going hybrid rather than pure electric. wonder what will take to change that scenario. 1
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 http://myelectriccar.com.au interesting website that one. one area that seems to be going along in the back ground is electric conversions. when I visited my local epson service centre a couple of years back they were already doing conversions of little hatchbacks with electric motors. they had one on the show room floor and videos showing in operation... http://electronflow.com.au theres many others too, a quick google will show many doing this kind of thing around australia http://zeva.com.au/Projects/RX7/ 1
proftournesol Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 Nissan apparently over-estimated the demand for the Leaf here and all the models for sale are 2011 Leafs as they won't import more until the old stock has sold. There's apparently a new leaf coming with a claimed 250km range but no idea of a timeline for it. 1
Addicted to music Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 most of the companies though still seem to be going hybrid rather than pure electric. wonder what will take to change that scenario. Battery capacity and charging facilities, 160Km out of a tank is not good even for a little car. Where are the charging facilities in the carparks? The only charging facility for the Volt is in Port Melbourne outside Holdens HQ. Hybrids will still be around for a while. 1
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 Nissan apparently over-estimated the demand for the Leaf here and all the models for sale are 2011 Leafs as they won't import more until the old stock has sold. There's apparently a new leaf coming with a claimed 250km range but no idea of a timeline for it. ouch, i wonder how many prospective buyers will realise this. as people know car resale with dealers and wholesale is dependant on compliance (build date) rather than date registered. resale will take a big hit just buying what is effectively a 3-4 year old car. once the 2015 leaf launches, resale would plummet even further ! can imagine why nissan are deals on these ! 1
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 Battery capacity and charging facilities, 160Km out of a tank is not good even for a little car. Where are the charging facilities in the carparks? The only charging facility for the Volt is in Port Melbourne outside Holdens HQ. Hybrids will still be around for a while. true I haven't seen charging stations around at all. not like san fran quite some years ago where even ferry stations had charging points. but then san fran is electric car and hybrid car central ! 1
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 one thing I notice, reading profs thread on the tesla. is they are installing charging stations which is good. but I do hope charging stations are generic. i.e. will do any electric car. otherwise this could be like the smarphone debacle where governments can't get them to standardise. meaning countless chargers and cables get thrown away by people when they update/change phones, plus multiple chargers in a hoese hold of mixed brands. and in the electric car situation would mean duplication of charging points around the country from each brand unless their receptacles and charging needs are compatible. could be a lot of wasted cost and infrastructure. 3
proftournesol Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 Infrastructure for EVs is very very poor here. It'll be interesting to see which standard wins out here, mostly we have Type 1 or 2 low powered chargers here with European connectors, Tesla use their own proprietary connectors and much higher power (>100A ) chargers. The fact that they are free use for Tesla owners may limit the incentive to install compatible commercial chargers that are pay for use. 1
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 Infrastructure for EVs is very very poor here. It'll be interesting to see which standard wins out here, mostly we have Type 1 or 2 low powered chargers here with European connectors, Tesla use their own proprietary connectors and much higher power (>100A ) chargers. The fact that they are free use for Tesla owners may limit the incentive to install compatible commercial chargers that are pay for use. pity on the proprietary connectors they're definitely following the apple model. one way might have been for instance to use credit cards as authorisation for charges…if you are a tesla owner you get charged nothing, anyone else gets charged the requisite amount, i.e. only the charge you take. we could see electric charging points popping up in car parks everywhere…giving car park owners revenue and incentive to fit charging points and slowly replacing and taking revenue away from petrol stations… (though coles and WW would probably do their best to stop that ! ) though never know if they're smart enough you might see the coles little red electric car and little red electric charger pop up ! 1
proftournesol Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 Tesl are definitely following the Apple model although to their credit they have opened up their patents to encourage use of their charging technology. The problem with the existing Chargepoint chargers is that they recharge too slowly for cars like a Tesla, it's fine for small battery capacity cars like a Leaf but a Tesla would take all day to recharge at one, hence the high power Tesla superchargers that will totally recharge an 85kWhr battery in an hour. In real life of course a full charge will be much quicker as a battery will rarely be totally discharged. 1
Jake Posted December 9, 2014 Posted December 9, 2014 nissan is just about giving away the leaf now. still expensive. but you get at zero deposit and zero interest rate. am sure some will take up the offer. its a nice looking car, just expensive still ! http://www.nissan.com.au/Cars-Vehicles/LEAF/Offers?utm_source=Columbus%20AU&utm_medium=NATIONAL_GENERIC&utm_content=SOCIAL&utm_campaign=2014-decembercloserlook That's a zero comparison rate. Beware! https://www.carloans.com.au/guides/0-zero-percent-car-loans-the-truth/
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 That's a zero comparison rate. Beware! https://www.carloans.com.au/guides/0-zero-percent-car-loans-the-truth/ true its probably the same as any other finance offers from the likes of box movers, where the penalty is no negotiation on price. i.e. you prob pay 10% more for the car which covers the finance cost as in the example in the link ! . I suppose it makes it an easy commitment initially for people buying in but you pay longer term. 1
betty boop Posted December 9, 2014 Author Posted December 9, 2014 Tesl are definitely following the Apple model although to their credit they have opened up their patents to encourage use of their charging technology. The problem with the existing Chargepoint chargers is that they recharge too slowly for cars like a Tesla, it's fine for small battery capacity cars like a Leaf but a Tesla would take all day to recharge at one, hence the high power Tesla superchargers that will totally recharge an 85kWhr battery in an hour. In real life of course a full charge will be much quicker as a battery will rarely be totally discharged. understand if the teslas need a larger charge requirement. but usually if you have higher charge capacity lower charge users should be able to use the same units to charge...ie it would just draw less charge. so pity if tesla are not making their units universally compatible. as they are they creating unnecessary need for duplication. 1
Addicted to music Posted December 10, 2014 Posted December 10, 2014 though never know if they're smart enough you might see the coles little red electric car and little red electric charger pop up ! Ha, it will be called "Coles electric shopping cart...." 1
proftournesol Posted December 10, 2014 Posted December 10, 2014 understand if the teslas need a larger charge requirement. but usually if you have higher charge capacity lower charge users should be able to use the same units to charge...ie it would just draw less charge. so pity if tesla are not making their units universally compatible. as they are they creating unnecessary need for duplication. Yes, why can't we have just one standard for once? 3
Zaphod Beeblebrox Posted December 10, 2014 Posted December 10, 2014 not sure on the mitsubishi, but the volt too has very poor perceived value. I've posted before where at a holden dealer they had one there (only one on the lot) and they were happy to consider any offer on. said managers special and must go ! this was a large deer ship too. good to see nissan going on the front foot to improve the value equation. whats at their disadvantage is volume though, with such small volumes of them selling I can imagine getting them to meet ADRs and all the costs to develop them for "australian conditions" probably not helping the equation. most of the companies though still seem to be going hybrid rather than pure electric. wonder what will take to change that scenario. The relative prices of the different vehicles demonstrate with absolute clarity, exactly what is wrong with the Volt: Holden Volt RRP: $59,990.00 Holden Cruze (which is what the Volt really is) RRP: $24,090.00 Mitsubishi Outlander Aspire PHEV RRP: $52,490.00 Mitsubishi Outlander Aspire Petrol RRP: $44,485.00 The PHEV is VASTLY better value for money, based on the original vehicle it is based on. Looking at the potential fuel economy makes the PHEV an even better proposition. Then, of course, is the love affair Australians have with SUV type vehicles. It seems to me that Mitsubishi have read the market perfectly. Holden appear to be greedy. I don't really know. 2
betty boop Posted December 12, 2014 Author Posted December 12, 2014 only thing is the volt is very highly spend, leather and goodies and interior and all. but yeah poor value in the eyes of the beholder...who can still see the holden cruze that it really is 1
Guest Posted December 12, 2014 Posted December 12, 2014 "Who killed the electric car?" Is an interesting doco worth watching.
Guest Posted December 12, 2014 Posted December 12, 2014 (edited) A good start to making them more popular would be to make them look like normal cars instead of cartoony Barbie cars. But they're heading a bit in the right direction now. Same with a lot of the hybrid cars. The Prius looks like a concept car from the 60's or something.... Yuk. Edited December 12, 2014 by Dirty_vinylpusher
wanta911 Posted December 12, 2014 Posted December 12, 2014 If it doesn't pop & crackle on overrun I'm not interested...... 2
Zaphod Beeblebrox Posted December 12, 2014 Posted December 12, 2014 "Who killed the electric car?" Is an interesting doco worth watching. Indeed. The same idiots who are gouging consumers with the over-priced Volt are the same ones who declared that electric cars are not viable. 1
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