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To: Yardstick
In truth after looking at your profile page, you are likely more qualified to evaluate battery issues in electric vehicles than I am. I am a mere tinkerer who has used cells and batteries in many projects. I realize also some of what I have written to you is disjointed and might leave the wrong impression. It is likely that many worn out EV batteries still function just not well enough to be useful for their intended purpose.

I am not actually completely against electric vehicles either, there are many here that I have conversed with who are satisfied with their performance, although most have a second automobile or truck. They use these for longer trips or towing a trailer something that even the pickup trucks do very poorly.

It is appalling to me that when one divides the government subsidies that have already been spent by the number of electric vehicles that have been produced it comes to over approximately $50,000 per vehicle for what in most cases are play things for the rich.

I once put together an electric bicycle from parts that I purchased from China and a bicycle that I purchased at a department store. The brushless hub motor was rated at 800 watts and the bicycle would go approximately 30mph on flat ground. The expensive Lithium based batteries gave poor range and went bad fairly quickly despite never being charged to more than 80% or discharged to less than 20%. Because the motor was more powerful, the bike easily outperformed commercial electric bikes that were available at the time.

My assumption is that they were either stored improperly or were assembled from poor quality components. After that I used lead based gel cells which were far heavier but gave much better service. After I became bored with the project I sold it and made enough money on it to pay for even the expensive Lithium based batteries.

35 posted on 10/28/2023 7:17:30 PM PDT by fireman15 (Irritating people are the grit from which we fashion our pearl. I provide the grit. You're Welcome.)
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To: fireman15

Yep I’m no expert either — just trying to do some diligence to get a somewhat realistic picture of what’s going on with this EV stuff. The big bottom line issue is of course who decides whether EVs will be adopted, the market or the government. And whether you like EVs or not, the right answer is of course the market.


37 posted on 10/29/2023 8:57:37 AM PDT by Yardstick
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