Electric car thread

[facthunter]

I see their currently operated double decker ones frequently and they always look clean, ride and move along well.    Nev

[onetrack]

The W.A. Govt has purchased its last diesel bus, all public transport buses produced in Perth from here on in, are going to be electric.

 

My landlady turfed me out of my factory unit (along with the other 11 factory lessees), and sold the 3.7Ha of industrial land she owned, to the W.A. PTA (Public Transport Authority) for conversion of the site to a huge electric bus parking/recharging depot.

Everything on the entire site has been demolished, and work is proceeding at speed to totally renovate and rebuild the site to the new major plan.

 

Once again, it's the European companies getting the lions share of the EV development money. I don't understand why Australian companies can't be in the forefront of these developments.

 

I was also quite surprised to find (there was no fanfare with this expansion), that an entirely new Govt Dept, The "Dept of Energy and Economic Diversification" has appeared. This agency is pursuing a major new initiative, called "Powering W.A."

 

Powering W.A. is taking charge of a massive revamp of the entire electricity supply system in the S.W. of W.A., as coal power generation is planned to be phased out within 2 or 3 years, huge wind and solar generation projects take its place, and massive grid batteries are being installed everywhere. The speed and level of change in our electricity network is staggering.

 

https://www.pta.wa.gov.au/news/media-statements/electric-future-starts-now-as-last-diesel-bus-leaves-the-depot

 

https://www.pta.wa.gov.au/news/media-statements/electric-buses-charge-into-the-suburbs-for-the-first-time

 

https://www.theindustrialist.com.au/2024/08/28/bayswater-327ha-site-sold-strategic-transport-operator-new-electric-bus-fleet-colliers 

 

https://www.sustainable-bus.com/infrastructure/kempower-perth-electric-bus-depot/

 

https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook Labor Government/Construction-starts-on-Merredin-Battery-Energy-Storage-System-20250805

 

https://reneweconomy.com.au/construction-begins-on-merredin-four-hour-big-battery-in-wa/

[octave]

Yep, can't complain. They are a little noisy inside.  When we fly, which is 4 or 5 times a year we work out the break-even point between train plus Skybus and decide how to travel.   During our recent NZ trip, we travelled on an Electric bus from the airport into the city, very smooth and quiet.

[spacesailor]

Electric buses .

brings back memories of the 50s  ( UK ) with these new  trolley buses ,

That replaced the older trams .

spacesailor

 

[facthunter]

SYDNEY had them also. Nev

[onetrack]

I can remember the Sunbeam Trolley buses we had in Perth, they were made obsolete by diesel buses, with the last of them taken out of service in 1969.

 

Leyland trolley buses were first introduced in Perth in 1933, but I don't recall seeing any of the Leylands, they were probably gone by the early 1950's, when the Sunbeams came in.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolleybuses_in_Perth

[octave]

I saw trolley buses in Wellington, NZ, a few years ago. They ran until 2017.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolleybuses_in_Wellington

 

 

 

[old man emu]

The only problem with trolley buses is the visual impact of the wires, as well as the infrastructure maintenance the wires need.

[facthunter]

Ah the Lingerging smell of a Leyland's exhaust after breakfast.. Nev

[spacesailor]

They just needed the batteries of today , 

then they could ' hitch up ' their poles  and go sightseeing! . LoL

spacesailor

[facthunter]

That's about where WE are AT. Now. Nev

[spacesailor]

not in nsw .

Trams full speed Ahead .

Rip up the road's, ban the car's  that helped pay for those roads .

Then trap those ' cyclists ' who brave the railway lines .

spacesailor

[facthunter]

We are NOT talking about Trams (which DO run on rails. ). Nev 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Chinese scientists make lithium battery breakthrough, doubling energy density | The Independent https://share.google/2PZSRzB1lql4apLHq

[onetrack]

As always, it's a research prototype, and putting the product into commercial production, economically, is where a lot of these "breakthroughs" fail to gain traction.

But I have no doubt if anyone is dedicated enough to produce a world-beating battery, and manufacture it on a colossal scale, then it's going to be the Chinese.

The Americans are too fat, rich, dumb, and lack drive, to produce any technological major advance in battery design. They're all too used to the Chinese doing all the groundwork for them.

[facthunter]

Trump BLAMEs everyone else/ USA is a rust belt with outdated infrastructure. Dividends instead or of reinvestment.  Middle Class Vanishes. Rich/Poor Gap widens. Neither Party Cares Racism gets worse. Gun riddled society Trump Further divides. Trades on it. Worse to come. Trump is a Dictator and capable of anything. The World will suffer as It always has when the USA goes amok as the US DOLLAR is the standard.  Not for ever I suggest. .Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

People seem to lap it up.. George Orwell 1984 style

Edited August 22 by Jerry_Atrick

[facthunter]

Make an enemy to unite the People behind you and CONTROL them. That's the Plan.  Nev

[old man emu]

On 22/08/2025 at 3:44 PM, Jerry_Atrick said:

People seem to lap it up.. George Orwell 1984 style

Havwe yoiu read 1984? It's sooo 2024.

[facthunter]

Read "ANIMAL FARM" while you are  at it. Some things never change, but it's a diversion  from  Electric Car.  Nev

[nomadpete]

2 hours ago, facthunter said:

Read "ANIMAL FARM" while you are  at it. Some things never change, but it's a diversion  from  Electric Car.  Nev

Nev, we already know.....

All electric cars are created equal. But some are more equal than others. 

 

 

[facthunter]

YOU have Potential. Nev

[onetrack]

Here's an interesting article (warning - it's quite long), which examines the financial angle of Chinese EV manufacturing.

 

Despite China launching a massive assault on the worlds car markets - and by doing so, trying to make Chinese EV's dominant in that market - it is being done via unsustainable financial practices.

 

Just as China's massive property boom has turned into a bust (it cost the Chinese Govt a LOT of money, by trying to reduce the impact of the bust), so is China's attempted domination of the world with cheap Chinese EV's bound to come to a point whereby a lot of Chinese EV manufacturers are going to go broke. 

At some stage (definitely within 5 years), the Chinese Govt will let dozens of those manufacturers go broke, and only support a handful of the remaining EV manufacturers.

 

I read where the pundits say that only 5 Chinese EV manufacturers will still be surviving by the early 2030's. I suspect they are right. There will be a lot of Chinese EV owners left out on a limb with "orphan" cars in the 2030's, cars with no parts, service or backup available.

 

We already have car brands such as Citroen, Peugeot and Renault merging and entering joint ventures, and trying all sorts of alliances to try and survive, and before long, even Toyota will be in trouble.

 

https://www.dunham.com/FA/Blog/Posts/china-auto-price-war-global-fallout

 

Edited August 31 by onetrack

[kgwilson]

There were over 150 Chinese EV manufacturers a year or so back and now there are less than 100. Some of these to be fair produced EVs that were little more than electric rickshaws. Costs to produce the ever more complex safety and comfort systems and long warranty periods demanded by the buying public are increasing dramatically and the only way to keep prices competitive is by sales volume. Current predictions are there will be only 15 manufacturers left by 2030.

 

Some will only survive by merging with other manufacturers. Geely that produces the Zeekr also owns European brands Volvo, Lotus & Polestar. SAIC owns MG & has joint ventures with VW & GM. My MG4 has Audi components in it. SAIC is the first manufacturer to build cars with robot technology only.

 

Toyota, the world largest car producer has lost a huge %age of market share in its biggest market, China and given its reluctance to enter the EV market has seen declining sales world wide. GM once the biggest car maker is only a shadow of its former self & continues to produce many poorly designed vehicles in the US. Ford is also struggling but is embracing the EV world and innovating. Fords CEO drives a Xaiomi EV. Pretty much all of the original Chrysler, Jeep & other US brands are owned by Stellantis based in Holland.

 

The next 5 years is looking like there will be some major turbulence in the worlds car manufacturing companies. Trumps dumb policies won't help the US based manufacturers either. The Chinese are already 5 to 10 years ahead of the US.

[facthunter]

People who can't stand BS will  desert Trump whenever they can. That's obvious. HE can Build $#!t Castles in his Playpen.. Nev