Ch.ch.ch.changes

[glend (Glen)]

Over the past couple of month I have been disposing of my ICE car collection (3 of the European sporty variety), and have now put my faith in a new 2024 MG3 Hybrid. Yeah I know it's not pure EV, but it's as close as I am prepared to go for now. So far I am fairly amazed at just how much time I am running in pure EV mode, with the engine just starting up to generate electricity to the battery bank. From my house to the nearby town, about 80% of the trip is on battery alone. Of course if I was driving to Sydney (heaven forbid), the equation changes to a more balanced power sharing arrangement. And regeneration braking or downhill coasting quickly tops up the battery, to return to EV alone mode, even on the M1.
I held off on a full EV car only because of my annual trip to Qld to see the grandkids, and my anxiety about charging and running distances in a route full of high speed hills. Perhaps flying out of Newcastle is in my future for those trips, especially as my age is making each of those drives more taxing.
And I could not conclude this post without mentioning just how fast this little MG3 is, 0-100kmph in under 8 seconds, and just 5 seconds from 80 to 120kmph. The instant torque provided by the electric motor is amazing. Performance that outshines my old Renault Megane GT and the Alfa Romeo.

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Until they sort the battery charging issues to eliminate range anxiety Hybrids are aa good alternative. Even so their batteries still need to improve because of a 10-12 year shelf life and the cost of replacing them. I had a hybrid camry on loan when my car was in for panel repairs and it was so economical without issue for power. Great concept.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

I think the hybrids are amazing though I soon learnt to call the local Camry hybrid taxis "whispering death" after nearly getting hit by one in a service station, I didn't hear it and the driver didn't see me. Thankfully I move faster than I probably should and walked away unscathed. No one at fault and it wouldn't have been a high speed impact, I still didn't need a broken leg again.



Megane GT?
I've only driven them in one of my sons racing games but it was always the best vehicle down a very twisted track. I would love to try one for real.


My concern with an EV isn't range, I rarely drive out of town. My bigger concern is what happens to these cars once they hit 10 years of age, if they hit 10 years? (Plus I couldn't afford one if I wanted one)

Many of the newer vehicles become inoperable as of 7-8 years because of electronic failures with all of the electronics aids (junk) fitted, sure, they go better, they stop better and have fancy junk to play with along the way but a lot of people and places can't analyse the complex electronics systems and the wrecking yards are filling up with near new vehicles insurers have written off because it's far cheaper than trying to get them fixed. An acquaintance locally spent a small fortune getting his 2004 BA Falcon tilt-trayed to various mechanics and auto electricians to fix a no start fault. No one had a clue. Then one day he was playing around and found the parking light socket was corroded, decided he may as well clean it up while the lens was removed, it instantly fixed his no start computer condition, a corroded parking light socket. If that's not beyond ridiculous I don't know what is.
This all only adds to landfill in my opinion.

My big question is when are they going to work on recycling the chemicals in the batteries?


Though I've spent my life playing with electrical and electronics, I love the instantaneous torque electric motors provide. I'd love to try one of the Zero electric motorbikes if they could make it noisy so motorists knew I was there.


In all of my whining about recycling and unreliable electronics, my 33 year old Ford Falcon (EB-II) is due for registration next Wednesday. I replaced front rotors, pads and wheel bearings a couple of days ago and the brake booster just died, I heard a big whoosh when I pulled up at lights yesterday driving down to get a pink slip and the engine stalled and the master cylinder started leaking. NO ELECTRONICS INVOLVED.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


I'm going to attempt a transplant from an EL Falcon I have sitting in my back yard, a car I only bought for the transmission already minus a few panels and other bits and pieces. It may not be possible, different booster and master cylinder but if I can't get anything else delivered by Tuesday (and really can;t afford it).......

[BlakPhoenix (Rohan)]

I love ICE cars, but after 1 year of owning an EV I can't see myself going back to ICE for daily driving (weekenders are a different story though).


The convenience of being able to use the AC whenever you like is something I have grown very reliant on (can leave my dog in the car while I shop without worry for example). As you also mentioned, the instant and high level of torque is very useful for overtaking (and rather fun).


For sure battery tech will continue to improve drastically over the next decade+, but we have also come a long way in the last 20 from the lead/NiCd/alkaline battery days. The number of discharge cycles that modern battery variants can undergo is truly phenomenal, I was recently in a 9 year old EV in the US that had been used for Ubering with over 220k miles on the clock and the original battery was going strong with ~89% of its original capacity remaining. I think that's more than acceptable given what a comparable ICE car would have had to go through after that amount of miles to stay roadworthy.


I do hope that we find better ways to recycle & further improve batteries though. With all the packs currently being built I foresee a glut of them arriving in scrap yards which we will need to make the most of given the difficulty in obtaining the raw materials they require to make.

[SimmoW (SIMON)]

Well I'm a convert! Coincidentally we just picked up a $20k bargain 6yo Jap import Nissan Leaf. Will just be using it for our all too regular commutes to the big smoke, Shepparton, a 70km round trip. Very quiet, hilariously so. Regenerative brakes extremely effective , driving thru Melb city I could see we were barely consuming any battery. Range of 240km is perfect for us, won't be using it often for longer trips, but might be tempted every now and then once I'm more confident with the fast chargers.

[glend (Glen)]

Look I loved my ICE cars, for over 60 years, but maintaining them has taken a toll on my ancient body. As this as may likely be my last new car, I was happy to get MGs 10 year unlimited kilometre warranty, and they don't lock you into their service workshop (like Toyota does). So i am getting rid of alot of tools, and junk related to ICE servicing. Never again will I need to crawl under a car to change an oil filter, etc.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

ICE vehicles are expensive to maintain, there's no arguing with that. It's just cost me $250 (and phone calls all around Australia) for a used brake booster to fit my old Falcon, throw in the new rotors, pad, fluid and bearings I just did last week.
At least I found a kit for the master cylinder, they were dearer than a new MC last time I tried to get one. The master cylinder didn't leak till my son and I just bled the brakes.
10 years warranty sounds good, I'd probably run out before it did.
I cann't afford a new vehicle, I don't play with my old thing and do all of the maintenance for nothing including a full engine rebuild when I cooked the thing when a head gasket blew (full rebuild done myself). The temperature gauge coming off the thermostat housing didn't go past normal on a windy day with incoming air flow cooling the housing. That was an expensive drive to Wyong, $1400 to join NRMA and tilt tray the thing home, 2 weeks after putting new tyres, brakes and exhaust on for registration and paying for 12 months rego.


I think I need a cheap push bike, lol.

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by Leo.G

ICE vehicles are expensive to maintain, there's no arguing with that...

Agreed. We are on our second Tesla which in 4 years only required wiper blades and a fresh AC filter. $150 all up. That's it.

With PV cells on our roof, the energy cost of driving is almost nil. The car still
gives us 490km on a full charge. (I do have a heavy right foot ).

The only frustration I have with Tesla is their BS range figures (many other automakers have the same problem). If the box says 560km, in the real world you will likely only get 510km or so.

But then again there is that right foot of mine.....0-100km/hr in 3.2 seconds (which is accurate)
and is so much fun!

[blindman]

Maybe good idea to watch benefits of EVs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JOw...l=PistonPundit

[Leo.G (Leo)]

But then again there is that right foot of mine.....0-100km/hr in 3.2 seconds (which is accurate)
and is so much fun!

That would be exhilarating out on the open road, not so good in the city.
I always loved my V8s (ford 351) which probably took 12 seconds or more to reach the same speed but they sounded great getting there.
And I've had several high powered motorbikes including the 6 cylinder Honda CBX1000, again, loved the acceleration and top end.

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Originally Posted by Leo.G

That would be exhilarating out on the open road, not so good in the city.
I always loved my V8s (ford 351) which probably took 12 seconds or more to reach the same speed but they sounded great getting there.
And I've had several high powered motorbikes including the 6 cylinder Honda CBX1000, again, loved the acceleration and top end.

Yeah my bmw motorcycle does the 0-100 in 3-4 seconds nothing like it

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by blindman

Maybe good idea to watch benefits of EVs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JOw...l=PistonPundit

Have say this video is the biggest lot of bollocks I have viewed in sometime.

To argue EV's are somehow more dangerous than a vehicle fitted with 100 litres (or there abouts) of highly flammable petroleum (plus a highly explosive fuel/air mix) beggars belief.

It totally ignores reality.

The NSW fire and rescue service attended to 24,026 vehicle fires in NSW since 2015 (spreadsheet freely available on their website)

When a car is engulfed, Fire and rescue don't give a toss about what sort of noxious gasses are being emitted, they are all bad, and don breathing apparatus EV or no EV.

But of those 24,026 fires 3 were EV car fires, one of which had its damaged battery pack removed but stored incorrectly next to it and some other vehicles (i.e. doesn't count)

So...you are 12,000 times more likely to have an ICE car fire than with an EV. 'nuff said?

[Leo.G (Leo)]

It used to be said the VW beetle was a death trap because it's fuel tank was under the bonnet and a front end collision would cause an ensuing ball of flame.
How about the thousands of rear ended accidents where the fuel tank is under the boot?


Where I would see electric vehicles as potentially dangerous wouldn't be the cars themselves but younger, inexperienced drivers behind the wheel with the high levels of torque and acceleration associated with it.
I've oft discussed the fact we were all idiots behind the wheel when younger (with friends I mean) but cars didn't have the instantaneous response computerised fuel injection and turbo chargers has provided for new vehicles and there was nowhere near the level of road users on the road. The old V8 with carburettors had good acceleration but it was nothing compared to some of these new, light weight turbo charged (and non turbo) 4 cylinders which seem to be very popular. Where the V8 shone though was putting the foot down at 100 or when towing trailers (heavy loads) and climbing up the mountains.

Yeah my bmw motorcycle does the 0-100 in 3-4 seconds nothing like it

Lucky man, I'd kill for a motorbike!
I had my first new Honda 750/4 at 16 (and a license) through a legitimate paperwork mistake on a document considered a legal form of ID I knew nothing of till later in life. Being born in January my baptism certificate was dated the year prior by mistake. It's the only form of identification of my birth I'd ever seen and my father changed my year of birth to the prior year at my primary school when I was in fist class. I had no idea what year I was born, neither did my drunken, abusive father (my mother was long gone) and I knew better than to argue with my father.
I'm still alive at 64 (the bikes only got bigger) with a correct birth date now on my license after needing a birth certificate for a government job in my early 20s. It was easy, go in to the RTA, my year of birth is wrong "simple typo mate, we'll fix it right up"

I had a K100LT loaned to me by a friend for around 3 years and loved it. I hired a K100 in 88 and rode it from Sydney to Expo in Queensland with my then wife on the back and camping gear and acquired a fondness for the machines from that point on.
I miss motorbikes but can't afford one!

[glend (Glen)]

Death trap list:

Add the Ford Pinto, burst into flames in rear end collisions. Ford designed it with the fuel tank behind the rear axle, any sort of low speed rear end collisions caused the tank to rupture and the car to burst into flames. Ralph Nader led a legal class action on that and was instrumental in establishing design rules. The AMC Gremlin had similiar design issues.

Add Chevolet Corvair, rear swing axles jacked up the car in corners causing roll overs. A great car but was killed off rather than Chevrolet fixing the problem.

And the early VW Beetles did the same as the Corvairs.

It's a learning curve, and the big lesson is " do not be an early adopter". EV manufacturers will, weed out the issues, and battery technology will evolve. There are batteries today that cannot catch fire, even if you drive nails through the cells. In a couple of years the batteries that might catch fire if damaged will be eliminated from production.

But stay off of motorcycles because you will eventually be hit by a car, or injured or killed through your own stupidity. No matter how safely you ride (I have the broken bones and arthritis to prove it.) My wife's cousin was a motorcycle courier in Sydney, he was killed sitting on his bike at a red light on Liverpool St, CBD, a car rear ended him and snapped his brain stem. My neighbour (a seemingly sensible guy in his 40s), across the street was killed last month, riding his dirt bike (likely too fast as always) failed to make a bend at the bottom of my street and hit the curb, flew off the bike and impacted a tree, killed instantly. Darwin weeds them out.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

There are batteries today that cannot catch fire, even if you drive nails through the cells. In a couple of years the batteries that might catch fire if damaged will be eliminated from production.

I spent several years working as a forklift technician, specialising in electric/electronic forklifts. It always amazed me when the highly flammable battery banks, made up of individual cells to give the 48 volt (standard on most units) would be repaired by someone from century batteries (or another mob I can't remember) and they'd pull the dead individual cells out, slip another cell in it's place then proceed to connect it to the bank with lead straps and an oxy/acetylene torch. The gasses are highly explosive but they'd throw a blanket across the top and get to their job. It was always a risky procedure but I never saw an accident. Still it's not something I wanted to do on a regular basis but I had to do it a few times.
No different to people smoking while standing over their car battery while it's charging up, not a recommended practice.


I've had my share of broken bones (more than my share) and scars from motorbike accidents but I'd still love another one, I've also lost numerous friends over the years, mostly not their faults.
Today I'd settle for roller blades since I can't get a new master cylinder here for my car today (or this week probably) and the current unit is leaking at the booster and the registration is due today. It won't pass the inspection with a leaky brake master cylinder.