Cont: Electric Vehicles II

[acbytesla]

When I got my present bike the very idea of spending that much on an e-bike would have had me in stitches. I found exactly what I wanted for what I was willing to pay. And it's still exactly what I wanted. But riding it has shown me that I want to go beyond its limitations, and that requires a different bike. Fortunately I have the budget if I want it badly enough. In 2024 I didn't know I wanted it. Now I do.

The website sucks, but they're all like that. The Amflow one is even worse and kept freezing my browser. (The new Amflows are very tasty but I don't want rear suspension and my regular bike shop said it was too much bike for me, I needed something set up for gravel tracks and hill climbing, not for jumping rocks.)

I looked at the Trek, but weight was a bit of a deal-breaker. Even taking the battery out of the equivalent Trek bike didn't bring its weight down to the Orbea's weight (the Orbea's battery is not removable). I need to have half a chance of being able to lift the thing into my car.

I was originally looking at a different Orbea (the Urrun), and had a test ride on one, but while we were discussing options the lad in the shop in Edinburgh said, have you considered the Kemen, because that's almost the same bike, but configured the way you're talking about optioning the Urrun. I hadn't, because the Kemen was listed under urban bikes, and I was definitely not looking for an urban bike. He said never mind that, I don't want to confuse you, but maybe take a look. I left the shop, went home and scrutinised the Kemen specifications, and went straight back to the shop the next day and ordered one, saying I would get that in the car come hell or high water, and if I really couldn't I'd fit a towbar for a bike rack, because it was everything I wanted and more. It even has a step-through model, which I have specified.

View attachment 70963

I am counting the days. My present bike won't be redundant, because it's absolutely perfect for easier runs and I can chuck it in and out of the car in a minute. One of the things I do is put it in the car, drive to the edge of the free parking around Edinburgh, then get the bike out and cycle the rest. Far quicker than the bus and I get bus-sick anyway. And all the local stuff, going to the shop, visiting friends and so on. And local training rides, where not having so much assist is better for fitness. The new bike will take time and effort and ingenuity to get it in the car, and that's something I'll only do if it's worth it. But going on trips to the Highlands where prolonged gradients of over 10%, sometimes well over 10%, are commonplace, makes it really worth it.

This brand doesn't look like it's available at all in the US. I was trying to find the weight spec on your bike at the website but I couldn't find it on it. And when I say the website sucks I mean it. It really displays terribly on my Samsung Android tablet. There are lots of brands in Europe you would be hard pressed to find over here. Especially the Chinese brands. I was trying to see if I could get the Engwe N1 Pro. A carbon fiber Chinese bike. But no luck. I'm probably going to buy a used ebike on Marketplace. I want an Ebike for both exercise and to ride on the my trips. I'm trying to keep the weight below 50 pounds so I don't have to wrestle getting it in and out of my skoolie.

 

[acbytesla]

(You know you can replace your "deleted" post with your new one if you're still within the edit window - you don't have to create a second post.)

I do. I forgot.

 

[novaphile]

Hmm...

If the battery is not removable, does that mean the bike is junk when the battery fails?

 

[Fast Eddie B]

My current e-bike ride:

About 35 lbs (16 kg)

My former was bought used for $900 and is a 70 lb beast (about 32 kg):

It’s still fun to ride once in a while.

 

[Rolfe]

Hmm...

If the battery is not removable, does that mean the bike is junk when the battery fails?

Not  user removable. Some bikes are made so that the battery can be easily removed to lighten the bike, or to take indoors to charge, or to swap with a spare for longer range. However that makes the bike clunkier and heavier overall. Others are made with the battery integral and not user-removable for simplicity and overall lightness.

Of course the battery can be removed by a technician if necessary for repair or maintenance or even replacement. Although given modern battery technology I don't think any of that is particularly likely to be needed.

 

[Rolfe]

This brand doesn't look like it's available at all in the US. I was trying to find the weight spec on your bike at the website but I couldn't find it on it. And when I say the website sucks I mean it. It really displays terribly on my Samsung Android tablet. There are lots of brands in Europe you would be hard pressed to find over here. Especially the Chinese brands. I was trying to see if I could get the Engwe N1 Pro. A carbon fiber Chinese bike. But no luck. I'm probably going to buy a used ebike on Marketplace. I want an Ebike for both exercise and to ride on the my trips. I'm trying to keep the weight below 50 pounds so I don't have to wrestle getting it in and out of my skoolie.

I answered the first part already. 23 kg including mudguards, rear carrier, prop stand, lights and so on. The Urrun, the model I first looked at which doesn't have any of these as standard, is 21 kg.

50 lb is 23 kg, more or less.

I know the Amflow is available in America and that's down as low as 19 kg I think, depending on the model. That's carbon fibre.

I will have to wrestle to get the Kemen into my car, I imagine, but that's OK so long as I can actually manage it.

 

[Rolfe]

My current e-bike ride:

About 35 lbs (16 kg)

My former was bought used for $900 and is a 70 lb beast (about 32 kg):

It’s still fun to ride once in a while.

That Canyon is remarkably similar to one of the new Ribble lineup, which is only 12 kg. My current Ribble is only about 13 kg, including mudguards and rear carrier.

 

[acbytesla]

Wh

I answered the first part already. 23 kg including mudguards, rear carrier, prop stand, lights and so on. The Urrun, the model I first looked at which doesn't have any of these as standard, is 21 kg.

50 lb is 23 kg, more or less.

I know the Amflow is available in America and that's down as low as 19 kg I think, depending on the model. That's carbon fibre.

I will have to wrestle to get the Kemen into my car, I imagine, but that's OK so long as I can actually manage it.

Well, the first Amflow I found was on sale. For $6500 US. Lol.

 

[acbytesla]

Things keep changing. CATL just announced new batteries with much lower resistance. They say within the year, they will be manufacturing batteries that can charge between 10 and 15c. This would allow you to recharge from 10% to 80% in under 4 minutes.

 

[Rolfe]

It's all moving so fast, I wonder if in a few years I might want to replace my car battery, not because there's anything wrong with it, but because something massively better is available.

I could always use the old one at home to store excess solar.

 

[acbytesla]

It's all moving so fast, I wonder if in a few years I might want to replace my car battery, not because there's anything wrong with it, but because something massively better is available.

I could always use the old one at home to store excess solar.

There is no doubt that charging convenience is one of obstacles slowing full adoption of EVs out there. Granted, the issue isn't the problem many see it to be. But if charging speed reaches this, very little will prevent EVs from dominating the market.

 

[Filippo Lippi]

We have the BYD, but haven't been sent anything about the V2G, so haven't connected it up

 

[Rolfe]

There is no doubt that charging convenience is one of obstacles slowing full adoption of EVs out there. Granted, the issue isn't the problem many see it to be. But if charging speed reaches this, very little will prevent EVs from dominating the market.

I don't have a problem with charging convenience, I have a home charger. And 95% of the time I don't drive beyond my car's range in a day anyway. It just sounds tempting!

 

[zooterkin]

I don't have a problem with charging convenience, I have a home charger. And 95% of the time I don't drive beyond my car's range in a day anyway. It just sounds tempting!

Same here; we have two EVs and have no problem keeping them charged. Once a year we head north for a skeptics' conference (Manchester, previously, Liverpool later this year), and that's about the only time we ever need to use a public charger. I drive to Bristol a couple of times a year, and then on to visit a friend in Newport; I have just enough range to do that without charging, but usually add a bit of charge at a Tesla Supercharger (60p or 40p per kWh, peak or off peak) just to be on the safe side.

 

[Rolfe]

When I got my car I wasn't anticipating doing any long trips. But the car is such a dream to drive, and my horizons have expanded, and I seem to keep going to Brighton (450 miles away) for one reason (usually Glyndebourne) or another. In a 51 kwh MG4 which wasn't really intended for such trips, but it manages them fine.

I've also taken to car camping, because the load bed is long enough for a standard air mattress, you can keep the heating on all night, and VtL will run kettle, induction hob, anything you like. Microwave, if only there was room to fit it in the car! I spent three nights in the car last week on Arran, without needing to go near a charger, and still had enough charge for a scenic drive before I got on the ferry. (I had been spending the holiday cycling, and of course charging my electric bike from the VtL.)

What's not to like. But what with VtG beginning to take off, and batteries giving 300+ miles of range (the most I have ever driven between charges is about 165 miles) and all sorts, 51 kwh with a peak DC charging rate of about 80 kw begins to look like quite small beer.

 

[acbytesla]

I don't have a problem with charging convenience, I have a home charger. And 95% of the time I don't drive beyond my car's range in a day anyway. It just sounds tempting!

Same here; we have two EVs and have no problem keeping them charged. Once a year we head north for a skeptics' conference (Manchester, previously, Liverpool later this year), and that's about the only time we ever need to use a public charger. I drive to Bristol a couple of times a year, and then on to visit a friend in Newport; I have just enough range to do that without charging, but usually add a bit of charge at a Tesla Supercharger (60p or 40p per kWh, peak or off peak) just to be on the safe side.

Range is just one of the issues slowing adoption. It wasn't an issue for my aunt when she bought the first generation Bolt. Which I think had a range of about 60 miles.

But range and charging while on the road are the best advantages ICE cars have. Lose that and as Hemingway wrote, the bells toll for thee.

 

[acbytesla]

Combined with other factors such as Trump's diversionary war which has caused gas prices to skyrocket, EV sales are increasing almost everywhere. Now I see this guy as a bit of a shill, I don't see that the Electric Viking deliberately posts fabrications. Does anyone know if this is true?

 

[Rolfe]

He bangs out a lot of videos in a hurry. I don't think he deliberately lies, but his accuracy can be a bit questionable sometimes.

 

[steenkh]

Combined with other factors such as Trump's diversionary war which has caused gas prices to skyrocket, EV sales are increasing almost everywhere. Now I see this guy as a bit of a shill, I don't see that the Electric Viking deliberately posts fabrications. Does anyone know if this is true?

It is true. In April, 96.4% of new cars bought by private persons were EVs. The overall percentage was only 82%, however, because companies bought a somewhat higher proportion of fossil cars*. The import to Denmark of used EVs has also grown, but I haven't seen any figures.

ETA: * These are figures from FDM, the Danish Motorists Association.

 

[Filippo Lippi]

V2G might be go!

It's been a constant struggle, but I have a car, charger and I am set up on all of the apps. I'm not sure that any charge is going back to the grid, but there you go. "Oh, it wouldn't export when the car is charged to 100%." Eh, what? I thought that would be very exportable, especially as I only asked for the car to be at 80% by 0600 the next morning.

The BYD Dolphin Comfort is very smart for a "basic" model, everything is very intuitive, though the ride was very spongey until I put it in sport mode.

I'll let you know if/when I actually export any energy.