Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Hybrids
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 01-01-2021, 07:31 PM   #21 (permalink)
It's all about Diesel
 
cRiPpLe_rOoStEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Posts: 12,548
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,622 Times in 1,447 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by raubvogel View Post
I never understood why they never brought the Smart Roadster to the US. I guess they expected the typical Smart owner here to be horrified for having something sporty/fun under that brand.
IIRC there was a Dodge-branded concept car based on the Smart Roadster, but it was never released as a production model. Well, maybe the Smart brand was not so appealing to the performance market there, yet a rebadged (and easily re-skinned to get the family look of regular Dodge models) version could have some better chances to succeed.

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 01-20-2021, 05:39 PM   #22 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Eugene, OR, USA
Posts: 375

Lord Vader - '15 BMW i3 REx
90 day: 35.06 mpg (US)
Thanks: 90
Thanked 167 Times in 123 Posts
Solar car roofs don't make sense in any practical terms unless you have to deal with being away from the grid. It makes for more sense to place panels on a fixed roof optimized for solar exposure, vs. the sometimes and likely far less than ideal exposure of a car roof.

More simply, if you have the grid and can wait for car solar panels to charge the car, you can wait for the car to charge plugged in - from panels working far more efficiently.
__________________
2015 BMW i3 REx
2011 Ford Flex SEL AWD
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Snax For This Useful Post:
JSH (01-20-2021), redpoint5 (01-20-2021)
Old 01-20-2021, 08:57 PM   #23 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,562
Thanks: 7,738
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
Quote:
Solar car roofs don't make sense in any practical terms unless you have to deal with being away from the grid. It makes for more sense to place panels on a fixed roof optimized for solar exposure
Solar car roofs make sense as they liberate one from Big AC's grid. It makes more sense for roof panels to be optimized for Solar exposure, rather than fixed.

What power lost as the house battery transfers to the car batter?
__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2021, 10:47 PM   #24 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Eugene, OR, USA
Posts: 375

Lord Vader - '15 BMW i3 REx
90 day: 35.06 mpg (US)
Thanks: 90
Thanked 167 Times in 123 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard View Post
Solar car roofs make sense as they liberate one from Big AC's grid. It makes more sense for roof panels to be optimized for Solar exposure, rather than fixed.

What power lost as the house battery transfers to the car batter?
The problem is that most EVs spend most of their time charging at home. So whatever can be installed at home is still going to be more efficient. Likewise, once the car is fully charged, extra energy the solar panels mounted on the roof of it could produce becomes completely wasted. But obviously, any net metering or battery bank at home can keep home panels productive.

I think similar efficiencies are at play with AC charging vs. stepping up voltage for DC charging direct from panels, but I am not certain of that.

I am not saying they could not help or be useful on a car, but rather, for dollars spent on PV panels, there is far far more bang for the buck to be had with permanent home installations.
__________________
2015 BMW i3 REx
2011 Ford Flex SEL AWD
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2021, 11:03 PM   #25 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,562
Thanks: 7,738
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
I was trying for terse-but-balancing commentary. It may have come across as snarky contrarianism.

I think there's a case for both, with the house and car load-balancing with any excess power mining Bitcoin.

As far as that, how about inductive charging at traffic light left turn lanes?
__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 10:03 AM   #26 (permalink)
Corporate imperialist
 
oil pan 4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NewMexico (USA)
Posts: 11,175

Sub - '84 Chevy Diesel Suburban C10
SUV
90 day: 19.5 mpg (US)

camaro - '85 Chevy Camaro Z28

Riot - '03 Kia Rio POS
Team Hyundai
90 day: 30.21 mpg (US)

Bug - '01 VW Beetle GLSturbo
90 day: 26.43 mpg (US)

Sub2500 - '86 GMC Suburban C2500
90 day: 11.95 mpg (US)

Snow flake - '11 Nissan Leaf SL
SUV
90 day: 141.63 mpg (US)
Thanks: 269
Thanked 3,522 Times in 2,796 Posts
I say it's a waste of solar panels.
I want to park in the shade in the summer and panels laying flat on a car roof only produce about half of what they are rated for in new mexico in the summer. In the winter it's more like 1/3. Then if you live up north forgetaboutit.
__________________
1984 chevy suburban, custom made 6.5L diesel turbocharged with a Garrett T76 and Holset HE351VE, 22:1 compression 13psi of intercooled boost.
1989 firebird mostly stock. Aside from the 6-speed manual trans, corvette gen 5 front brakes, 1LE drive shaft, 4th Gen disc brake fbody rear end.
2011 leaf SL, white, portable 240v CHAdeMO, trailer hitch, new batt as of 2014.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 11:36 AM   #27 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,395

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Prius Plug-in - '12 Toyota Prius Plug-in
90 day: 57.64 mpg (US)

Mazda CX-5 - '17 Mazda CX-5 Touring
90 day: 26.68 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,192
Thanked 4,380 Times in 3,354 Posts
I'd say PV installed in the PNW is a waste period.

As I've been saying, I could install my panels in AZ, the people in AZ could pay a discounted rate for the electricity, and my payback period is reduced. It's a win/win proposition, but instead we like to have 3 different government subsidies pay for doing it the dumb way.

The value proposition just barely broke even after I got 3 different groups of citizens to non-voluntarily pay for most of it. "Hey, help me put these panels on my roof or I'll break yer leg".
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 12:34 PM   #28 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Eugene, OR, USA
Posts: 375

Lord Vader - '15 BMW i3 REx
90 day: 35.06 mpg (US)
Thanks: 90
Thanked 167 Times in 123 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5 View Post
I'd say PV installed in the PNW is a waste period.

As I've been saying, I could install my panels in AZ, the people in AZ could pay a discounted rate for the electricity, and my payback period is reduced. It's a win/win proposition, but instead we like to have 3 different government subsidies pay for doing it the dumb way.

The value proposition just barely broke even after I got 3 different groups of citizens to non-voluntarily pay for most of it. "Hey, help me put these panels on my roof or I'll break yer leg".
Yep. On the best day, my 4.96kW array has only produced 3.8kW here in Eugene. This time of year, even half that peak production does not happen, and when it does, it is fewer hours. (Highest recorded totals this year were 28kWh in June, and 5.3kWh in December, or about $2.80 vs. $0.50 saved on those days.) It produced 4.9MWh for the year, saving just over $490. At that rate, it is going to take 12 years to pay for itself - plus my extra effort to keep them clean.

I would not have installed the panels without the maximum tax credits.

The up side is that panel efficiency keeps going up while costs continue to fall. So there may come a day where we are all just looking for new places to put them, and sure, why not the roof of a car? But I think we are a long way from that.
__________________
2015 BMW i3 REx
2011 Ford Flex SEL AWD
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Snax For This Useful Post:
S Keith (01-21-2021)
Old 01-21-2021, 12:51 PM   #29 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,395

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Prius Plug-in - '12 Toyota Prius Plug-in
90 day: 57.64 mpg (US)

Mazda CX-5 - '17 Mazda CX-5 Touring
90 day: 26.68 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,192
Thanked 4,380 Times in 3,354 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snax View Post
Yep. On the best day, my 4.96kW array has only produced 3.8kW here in Eugene. This time of year, even half that peak production does not happen, and when it does, it is fewer hours. (Highest recorded totals this year were 28kWh in June, and 5.3kWh in December, or about $2.80 vs. $0.50 saved on those days.) It produced 4.9MWh for the year, saving just over $490. At that rate, it is going to take 12 years to pay for itself - plus my extra effort to keep them clean.
My 6.4 kW array produced 5 MWh last year, but I started in May. July was my peak, at almost 1 MWh. 220 kWh Nov, and 210 kWh Dec. My estimate was 1 MWh per year, per installed kW.

It will take 12 years to pay for itself, not adjusting for rate changes or opportunity cost of not investing the money into the stock market, which would have been phenomenal in March.

I'm glad I did it for the experience, and it will probably end up at least breaking even financially all things considered. Probably a nightmare when I go to re-roof, but that's future self's problem.
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to redpoint5 For This Useful Post:
S Keith (01-21-2021)
Old 01-25-2021, 07:01 PM   #30 (permalink)
It's all about Diesel
 
cRiPpLe_rOoStEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Posts: 12,548
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,622 Times in 1,447 Posts
I know a guy who recently got 2 solar panels for his van, in order to provide power for a fridge and other camping appliances. Now it seems like he usually parks it at a different position in order to get a more effective sunlight exposure.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com