When people are driving long distance in a fully electric vehicle, being able to charge at a fast charger is vital. In many cases, if they cannot charge, they cannot continue their journey! So please remember these points: 

 * Don't park your ICE (Petrol or diesel-powered vehicle) in an electric vehicle charging space– EVER!

 * Don't park your EV in an electric vehicle park if you are not charging.

 * It should be common sense, but make sure you return the charging handpiece back into the holder.

 * Don't take up a charging park longer than is necessary – if your EV has finished charging, move off the park. So going for a coffee is fine, going to the movies ...NEVER!!

 * Leave your name and cell phone number visible in your charge port area – so others can contact you. 

 * Forget that last 20 percent. EV batteries charge quickly when they’re low, slowing down as they pass the 80% point. Beyond 80 percent, the charging slows to a trickle. So, while it may feel good to pump an additional 50 kms worth of electrons into your range, the time you spend topping off is obnoxiously inefficient.

 *If you visit someone and want to charge - ask first, - they don't how much power you are going to use! Offer to pay them a token amount, - I normally pay $20.00 - it is a lot more than the power will cost, but it is good PR and you are already saving a small fortune on fossil fuel and road user charges.

 

Customs:  All vehicles are checked at the border by Customs and/or MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries) for the correct paperwork, pests and damage, before they are released to the owner/importer.

Used vehicles are subject to a quarantine inspection on arrival by a MPI inspector. If the vehicle is found to be contaminated with soil, plant or animal material, it will require cleaning that is sufficient enough to remove the contaminant. Any structural damage is photographed and documented. The vehicles can be fumigated as part of our biosecurity system, which helps protect New Zealand's economy, environment, human health and a range of social and cultural values.

For more detailed information go to: http://www.customs.govt.nz/news/resources/factsheets/Documents/Fact%20Sheet%2029.pdf

Vehicle Inspection:  After the vehicle is released from Customs, a vehicle inspector works their way through an extensive checklist. This includes safety checks for: lights, safety features, suspension, brakes, seat belts, steering, tyres etc. The inspection is a bit like a warrant of fitness check, but more intensive.

The inspectors base their checks on the VIRM (Vehicle Inspection Requirement Manual), which is provided by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).

VINZ (Vehicle Inspection NZ) is supporting the increasing adoption rate of pure EVs,  and  are offering a discount of $84.50 including GST off the compliance inspection cost until the end of January 2018.

Here at Green cabs we are always trying to reduce emissions and that is the main reason driving our passion for electric cars in general and taxis specifically.

 

We think we are pretty good being at the technological edge and pushing boundaries so it is a little humbling to find out that in 1900 ninety  percent of New York City’s taxis were electric vehicles.

 

These electric cars were built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia.

 

In fact in 1900, electric cars outsold all other types of cars.

 

In 1902 an electric car, the Baker Torpedo reached 80 mph in a speed test before crashing and killing two spectators. It was later clocked as high as 120 mph, but with spectators not invited this time. That’s faster than the top speed of our Nissan Leaf but thankfully our Leaf’s record for killing spectators remains at zero.

Electric cars in 1900 were quiet, emitted no smoke and were easy to start compared with other gas and steam vehicles. The only real advantage that gas powered cars had at this time were the long ranges they were capable of with larger tanks and the ability to fill up quickly when the tank was empty. (Sounds familiar to EV devotees today?)

Fast forward almost 120 years and the story is almost the same. Electric cars are in the minority ( but growing in numbers ) and on average lose with respect to range to their dinosaur drinking cousins but things are changing.

Technology gets better by the day range increases while charging times decrease.

We reckon this time the electric taxi is here to stay. We might be 120 years late but we got there in the end!

Over the last 6 months GRNCAB has tirelessly advanced the cause of EV uptake by giving 702 free trips for 1050 passengers.

He did this while travelling 7,000km without complaint, and with no issues. He has now almost 21,000 km on the odometer with 22 fast charges and 555 slow charges. The battery state of health is still at 94%. (Band new these typically have a state of health between 85 and 95% so 94% is great after 2,0000km)

Customer response has been universally fantastic with most people “getting” the EV thing immediately.

Many drivers helped out and were passionate about spreading the word as they gave free rides.

All the drivers reported being impressed with how smooth and quiet the vehicle was, and how much the passengers loved it.

GRNCAB would like to pass on his thanks for all the lovely people he gave rides for.

For now, GRNCAB is changing his focus from taxi to that of a training vehicle. He will introduce new drivers to electric vehicles and all new drivers will be trained in GRNCAB so they can appreciate the future of zero emission transport.

Between training he will stretch his wheels carpooling staff to and from the office and taking them wherever they need to go.

He has also stated he is available for special events and EV demonstration days where he can help spread the word for Kiwis to transition to EV’s as quickly as possible.

 

Asking the question " Which does the least environmental damage – mining/and producing lithium batteries for electric vehicles or drilling and fracking to produce oil?" is like opening a large can of worms. This question may not actually be possible to answer.  This is because it is very difficult to measure the overall damage done to the environment by producing EV batteries, vs mining for oil in all its various methods. Oil is used once, whereas, the minerals extracted for batteries can be used many times.

 

Which does the least environmental damage – mining/and producing lithium batteries for electric vehicles or drilling and fracking to produce oil?

 

Overview : Oil is extracted at great cost, is used once and is burnt - creating toxic gases which are released into the atmosphere. Electric vehicle batteries can be used many times and do not release toxic gases into the atmosphere. 

Seems simple right? 

 

A battery pack in an electric vehicle is anticipated to last for 10 – 14 years. At that stage, the pack's capacity will be down to 70% of its original capacity. This pack can then be dismantled and used as energy storage in the home or workplace. This extends the life of the cells out for another 10 years or more. After that, they can be recycled. 

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/materials-needed-to-fuel-electric-car-boom-2016-10?IR=T

 

LITHIUM ELECTRIC CAR BATTERIES:

 

While there are many exciting battery technologies out there, we will focus on lithium-ion batteries as they are expected to make up the clear majority of the total rechargeable battery market for the near future.

Each lithium-ion cell contains three major parts:

1) Anode (natural or synthetic graphite)
2) Electrolyte (lithium salts)
3) Cathode (differing formulations)

While the anode and electrolytes are straightforward as far as lithium-ion technology goes, it is the cathode where most developments are being made. Lithium isn’t the only metal that goes into the cathode – other metals like cobalt, manganese, aluminium, and nickel are also used in different formulations.

 

https://cleantechnica.com/2016/05/12/lithium-mining-vs-oil-sands-meme-thorough-response/

 

LITHIUM: The world produces about 650,000 tons of lithium each year. Lithium exists mostly in the form of concentrated salts. Almost all that lithium — greater than 95 percent of it — is produced through a process of pumping underground brine to the surface and allowing it to evaporate in big pans. It’s separated from the brine using electrolysis.

The primary sources of lithium are from the Atacama Desert in Chile, and the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia. Tesla's new gigafactory is based near the only producing lithium mine in the USA, - Albermale's Silver Peak Mine.

 

Environmental concerns and recycling

 

Since Li-ion batteries contain less toxic metals than other types of batteries which may contain lead or cadmium, they are generally categorized as non-hazardous waste. Li-ion battery elements including iron, copper, nickel and cobalt are considered safe for incinerators and for landfills.

These metals can be recycled but mining generally remains cheaper than recycling which is why not much is invested into recycling Li-ion batteries due to the cost, complexities and low yield. 

The most expensive product for producing these batteries is called Cobalt. Which is why Lithium is used. 

Lithium iron phosphate is cheaper but also has its drawbacks. Lithium is less expensive than other metals used, and recycling could prevent a future shortage. Manufacturing a kg of Li-ion battery takes energy equivalent to 1.6 kg of oil.

Lithium, graphite, and cobalt, are all much smaller and less-established markets – and each have supply concerns that remain unanswered:

 

• South America : The countries in the “Lithium Triangle” host a whopping 75% of the world’s lithium resources: Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia.
• China:  65% of flake graphite is mined in China. With poor environmental and labour practices, China’s graphite industry has been under scrutiny – and some mines have even been shut down.
• Indonesia:  Price swings of nickel can impact battery makers. In 2014, Indonesia banned exports of nickel, which caused the price to soar nearly 50%.
• DRC:  60% of the world’s cobalt originates in Congo — a chaotic country rife with corruption and a long history of foreign exploitation of its natural resources. Cobalt are normally mined from open cast mines. A typical electric car has about 4.5 – 9 kgs of cobalt in its batteries. Many miners are impoverished workers who work without pneumatic drills or diesel draglines. Child labour is rife in these mines. Cobalt is usually not mined alone, and tends to be produced as a by-product of nickel and copper mining activities.
• North America:  Yet, companies such as Tesla have stated that they want to source 100% of raw materials sustainably and ethically from North America. The problem? Only nickel sees significant supply come from the continent.
• Reference:   http://www.visualcapitalist.com/critical-ingredients-fuel-battery-boom/

 

OIL:

There are different ways of mining & producing oil. For example, Fracking, Oil Platforms and Open Cast etc. 

Fracking  is the process of drilling down into the earth right before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.

In 2011, energy company Cuadrilla suspended test fracking operations near Blackpool, in Lancashire, after two earthquakes of 1.5 and 2.2 magnitude hit the area. A subsequent study found it was "highly probable" that shale gas test drilling triggered the tremors. Fracking uses huge amounts of water, which must be transported to the fracking site, at significant environmental cost. Environmentalists say potentially carcinogenic chemicals used may escape and contaminate groundwater around the fracking site. The industry suggests pollution incidents are the results of bad practice, rather than an inherently risky technique.

 

OIL SANDS :

There’s the blasting, the trucks, the crushing, and then a mixture of hot water and caustic lye (sodium hydroxide) is added. It’s all mixed up into a black, sandy paste, then the paste is piped over to a plant where it gets churned until the oil floats to the top. The oil then gets sent down some pipelines, while the remaining muck is dumped. It takes about two tons of sand to make a single barrel of oil.

The main environmental effects of Oil Sands are:

• Tailings Ponds Impacts : Tailings ponds are settling ponds that contain the waste by-product of oil sands extraction and upgrading. They are a mix of water, sand, silt, clay, unrecovered hydrocarbons, and other contaminants.

• Climate Impacts : The greenhouse gas emissions for oil sand extraction and processing are significantly larger than for conventional crude oil. These emissions contribute to global warming and the enhanced greenhouse effect.

• Water Impacts:  The extraction of bitumen from oil sands requires a large amount of water, and thus water use is a concern when looking at oil sands extraction. Water used in the oil sands can be recycled, but only small amounts of this water are returned to the natural cycle.

• Air Quality Impacts:  Along with greenhouse gases, other pollutants are released into the air during oil sands operations. These pollutants are harmful to the environment and human health, and include gases such as Nitrogen Oxides and Sulfur Oxides.

• Reclamation: Reclamation is the attempt to return previously used land - whether it is old surface mines, or more frequently tailings ponds - to their natural state. The chemicals in the tailings are factor that can make reclamation difficult.

• http://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Environmental_impacts_of_oil_sands

 

Oil sand mine facts, Fort McMurray, Canada

 

http://www.pembina.org/reports/OSF_Fact72.pdf

• Each day 600 million cubic feet of clean natural gas is used to produce oil sands – that’s enough to heat more than three million homes
• Producing a barrel of oil from the oil sands produces three times more greenhouse gas emissions than a barrel of conventional oil
• Oil sands mining operations are licensed to divert 349 million m3 of water per year from the Athabasca River – twice the amount of water used by the City of Calgary
• At least 90% of this water ends up in toxic tailings ponds. Tailings ponds already cover more than 50 square kilometers and can be seen from space

 

 

Comments: Lithium, once it is put into a car battery, lasts for as long as the battery and can then be re-used. The battery is a closed unit and none of the metals are lost. Furthermore, they are designed by the likes of Tesla to be recycled at the end of life with all the metals re-used. As opposed to the oil from oil sands, which is destined to be burnt, releasing CO2, going into cars designed to consume oil over their entire life cycle.

Nissan Leaf : The pack contains air-cooled, stacked laminated lithium ion manganese oxide batteries.

The batteries that Tesla has been using, sourced from Panasonic, for its Model S electric car are most likely a lithium-ion battery with a cathode that is a combination of a lithium, nickel, cobalt, aluminium oxide.

The NZ Herald on Thursday Oct 27, 2011 reported that our imports of petroleum (read crude oil) climbed 22% to $7.7 billion in the year.  If it keeps rising by 22% a year, by 2016 the cost of crude oil imports will be $20.81billion which will be approaching what we spend on social security and welfare.

Conventional oil peaked in 2005. Unconventional oil (shale oil, deep sea oil) peaked in March 2015.

 

http://neweconomics.net.nz/index.php/2017/01/a-letter-to-my-family-on-peak-oil-and-the-global-economy/

 

New Zealand imports 97% of its oil. The oil shocks of the 1970s reduced imports to New Zealand by about 7%-10% and lasted just a few months. Yet they plunged New Zealand into a deep recession and caused major disruption to our transport networks. -- carless days, lowered speed limits and "think big" energy projects. 

 

http://oilshockhorrorprobe.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/new-zealands-oil-security-how-dependent.html

 

Summary

 

As you can, though this question seems pretty simple, its super hard to answer. 

 

 

 

Dear GRNCAB,

Thanks for giving me a few days off! 

Wow have I been busy…seems like everyone in Wellington wants to try an electric cab.

I decided to blow off some steam and had a huge adventure holiday.

I started with a Bungy-jump out of respect for Mr A.J. Hackett who kicked the whole thing off.

 It was great and I got to do it for free because I jumped naked.

 

If you are wanting to travel long distance, you need to be confident that your vehicle can last the distance between fast chargers. To test the range, you need to run from fully charged to virtually empty. 

Here is how I do it with a 30 kW Leaf:

• Find a stretch of motorway that runs for about 18km and runs parallel to a 50-kmh road. Drive on the motorway there and back. Repeat. 
  
• Then drive in the 50 kph area until you hear a verbal warning, “Low Battery Charge”. On the dashboard, it reads “Battery Level Low”. 
  
• Just before the second alarm, the range estimator (GOM) states 13km. The accelerator power becomes noticeably weak between the first and second alarm. In turn, the speed of the car gradually decreases. 
  
• On the second alarm, the range estimator shows three dashes (---) and the voice-over says, “Find the nearest charging station”. Stop and reset your trip meter to zero. 
  
• Don't stray too far from a fast charger or your home. Circle the block for no more than another 10km and note the total distance travelled. That is your range.
  

If you are brave/stupid/desperate and keep driving... 

On the third alarm, the car goes into Turtle Mode and the voice-over says, “Limited Power Notice”. When the turtle icon appears, (see picture) you are now in a very dark place – you only have about 1 km left before the vehicle will completely shut down. The car will then go into neutral and nothing will work, - nothing.

Unless you have stopped outside a fast charger (yeah right!), you now only have three choices, - push your car to a charge point, get your vehicle towed, or plug your trickle charger into the place you stopped outside! Your vehicle will need trickle charging (8 amps) for about three hours before it comes back to life.

Important notes:
* Only use my notes as a guide – every car is different.
* On the instrument panel, there is a display which shows an ESTIMATED distance to empty – commonly called a "guessometer" - the GOM indicates estimated range based on the recent driving style or road conditions that affected energy usage.
* Travelling at 100 kph on a motorway will use a lot more power than travelling at 50 kph due to wind resistance etc.
* Travelling at both 100 and 50 kph gives a more accurate measure for travelling long distance. Obviously, if you load your car up on holiday, your range will be less.
* Using the A/C (air conditioning) burns through 3 kWs an hour – if you want to save power use the heated seats/steering wheel and/or the fan heater.
* Always drive in B mode for better regenerative braking.
* If you feel the battery power is dropping too fast, switch over to ECO mode and turn any heating off.
* Travelling up hills will burn a lot more power than flat roads.
* Carry an earth leakage detector, two long extension cords and your charging cable.
* Carry some cash in case you need to pay someone for power.
* Sunday is the best day for this range test – less traffic, more people at home!

* When you are using fast chargers, they are set by default to charge you to 80%. Factor this into your range calculations. You can set the charger to continue to 100%, but the charge time is a lot longer.

The answer is emphatically, yes. One of our technical advisers recounts his road-trip experiences on a recent trip from Auckland Airport to Lower Hutt.

From:      Electric Vehicle Division, Green Cabs Headquarters.

 To Privates:      Charlie GC024, Delta GC026, Echo GC002 and Foxtrot GC022