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Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

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Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#131

Post by jdblair »

newaccount74 wrote: post #55

On the one hand, I think that ICE cars should be banned from cities, the air would be much better, and these curbside chargers look like it could help with that. On the other hand, a city filled with parked EV cars is not very different from a city filled with ICE cars. Curbside parking should be abolished or at least significantly reduced. People should just park in underground garages and walk the remaining 200m, t…

If I've learned anything living in central Amsterdam, it's that a healthy city has a mix of all transit options almost everywhere. Cars, bikes, motorcycles, scooters (the vespa kind), mopeds, buses and trams all mix with pedestrians at street level.

Sure, some areas are closed to cars and trucks, but it is just as common that non-cars and pedestrians are simply overwhelming cars on a street by sheer numbers. This means that most places are still accessible to a car or truck, it's just not the most convenient option for most use cases.

I get that not everywhere is going to be like Amsterdam, with high density, narrow streets and a consensus that bicycles are first class vehicles, but the notion that cars have to be eradicated to make a city livable is ridiculous.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#132

Post by lmm »

kaveh_h wrote: post #129
lmm wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Cologne is a city with roots that reach back to the Roman empire. It has grown and developed over hundreds of years. Where would all these underground parking lots come from? If car parking is a worthwhile use of space, the market will provide it (and whether below or above ground is beside the point). If it's not, it won't. > Why not go a step further and demand that all streets should be put underground, too, so…

In < 10 years or so we’ll have fully self driving cars. After some time there will smaller versions that can run on smaller roads even. By that time robo taxis won’t have to park in the central parts of cities but can simply park in cheaper parking spots further out or automatic garages.

I'll believe it when I see it. But if you're right, all the more reason to eliminate street parking and reclaim that space for more human uses.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#133

Post by azinman2 »

amenghra wrote: post #81

It's nicer to add plugs to lamp posts. If you can retrofit existing posts, there's less electrical/digging work involved. If not, you are adding lighting at the same time. E.g. https://ubitricity.com/en/charging-solutions/ac-lamppost/

Lamps use a specific voltage and amperage useful for lighting, not charging cars. You’d have to completely overhaul electricity to lamps, while also having a transformer for the lights, and at that point you might as well do something purpose built. Lamps are also not built next to each spot you’d park a car.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#134

Post by Robotbeat »

wilg wrote: post #125
KennyBlanken wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's nothing better about Supercharger connectors. CCS is now twice the voltage and supports 25% more current; the common max CCS charger power is 350KW, whereas most superchargers are at best 250KW, and often that power is shared among several stalls. Teslas use CCS2 in Europe where (ahem) they were required to, so by opening up their network, millions of cars there are out there able to use the stations since it…

> There's nothing better about Supercharger connectors. The size, usability, and industrial design is clearly better. > CCS is now twice the voltage and supports 25% more current The max NACS/Tesla current is 1MW. > The entire mass-production auto industry save Tesla has standardized on CCS1/2. China has a different (and way crazier) plug.

Right. And CCS1 sucks, mostly just used in America where there are more NACS plugs anyway.

Adapters aren't a huge issue, but the base plug should be the most compact and simple one. NACS.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#135

Post by Robotbeat »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #99
Robotbeat wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, most US electric cars are Teslas and they use the better NACS port. Which is an open standard now. Ford will use it in the future.

There's nothing better about Supercharger connectors. CCS is now twice the voltage and supports 25% more current; the common max CCS charger power is 350KW, whereas most superchargers are at best 250KW, and often that power is shared among several stalls. Teslas use CCS2 in Europe where (ahem) they were required to, so by opening up their network, millions of cars there are out there able to use the stations since it…

The CCS2 plug is fine, although not as good as NACS. CCS1 sucks and should just be abandoned in favor of NACS. There are huge downsides to using CCS1 especially. It costs more.

Also, Superchargers are not massively oversubscribed. Tesla is really good at installing enough stations. It's true that superchargers are actually used while many others tend to rot or sit broken, but overall the Tesla experience is far better.

Additionally, there isn't a problem with slower charge speeds. There are still a lot of 50kW CCS chargers where I live, all slower than even old Supercharging stations.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#136

Post by franga2000 »

amenghra wrote: post #88
bad_alloc wrote: post #77

We don't need difficult to fix, hard to clean chargers in every curb. We need maintainable chargers which are gauranteed to work in some convenient location. Ideally 11kW to 22kW chargers at work and shopping places and proper fast chargers at every highway stop. This will cover most drivers needs, as daily charging is not needed. What is important is to have every location always have free charging spots, since arri…

I slow charge at home, which covers my need for ~340 days per year. The remaining couple days, instead of dealing with broken chargers, I pick hotels with chargers and/or pick a reliable charging network to fast charge along the way (such as Tesla or Ionity). My experience so far is: - some hotels require you to unplug once you are done -- which can be annoying if you arrive in the evening and your car will be done c…

> some hotels require you to unplug once you are done -- which can be annoying if you arrive in the evening and your car will be done charging at 4am

Doesn't the connector unlock when the car is full? I don't charge very often since I only use car sharing now, but I've peeked through a charging car's window, seen it's at 100% and unplugged their cable a couple of times now and it always worked.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#137

Post by franga2000 »

r00fus wrote: post #93
m4rtink wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Likey really ? They just have an engine running, not even an external generator ? Around here in the Czech Republic they hook up to the grid (they often have regular spots they visit, so often arrange a connection to be available) or cook on gas from gas bombs anyway, so don't really need electricity when cooking.

> cook on gas from gas bombs anyway Ok… either this was a typo or I don’t understand what a gas bomb is.

In a couple of languages, things like portable propane tanks are commonly, although not officially, referred to as "gas bombs" (literal translation)

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#138

Post by amenghra »

franga2000 wrote: post #136
amenghra wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I slow charge at home, which covers my need for ~340 days per year. The remaining couple days, instead of dealing with broken chargers, I pick hotels with chargers and/or pick a reliable charging network to fast charge along the way (such as Tesla or Ionity). My experience so far is: - some hotels require you to unplug once you are done -- which can be annoying if you arrive in the evening and your car will be done c…

> some hotels require you to unplug once you are done -- which can be annoying if you arrive in the evening and your car will be done charging at 4am Doesn't the connector unlock when the car is full? I don't charge very often since I only use car sharing now, but I've peeked through a charging car's window, seen it's at 100% and unplugged their cable a couple of times now and it always worked.

These spots either have a “cars not charging will be towed” sign or charge $/min once you are full. I doubt anyone would call a tow truck in the middle of the night. I haven’t bothered testing what happens if the car unlocks the cable, the thing will probably still charge the overages. I end up finding a time to charge during the day.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#139

Post by Doxin »

jdblair wrote: post #131
newaccount74 wrote: post #55

On the one hand, I think that ICE cars should be banned from cities, the air would be much better, and these curbside chargers look like it could help with that. On the other hand, a city filled with parked EV cars is not very different from a city filled with ICE cars. Curbside parking should be abolished or at least significantly reduced. People should just park in underground garages and walk the remaining 200m, t…

If I've learned anything living in central Amsterdam, it's that a healthy city has a mix of all transit options almost everywhere. Cars, bikes, motorcycles, scooters (the vespa kind), mopeds, buses and trams all mix with pedestrians at street level. Sure, some areas are closed to cars and trucks, but it is just as common that non-cars and pedestrians are simply overwhelming cars on a street by sheer numbers. This mea…

Do note that Amsterdam is working slowly but surely to get rid of street parking.

Re: Rheinmetall pilot project for curb stone chargers for EVs

#140

Post by kmmlng »

bad_alloc wrote: post #77

We don't need difficult to fix, hard to clean chargers in every curb. We need maintainable chargers which are gauranteed to work in some convenient location. Ideally 11kW to 22kW chargers at work and shopping places and proper fast chargers at every highway stop. This will cover most drivers needs, as daily charging is not needed. What is important is to have every location always have free charging spots, since arri…

I would argue a common scenario in a German city is the following: You live in an appartment building without a garage and your workplace is closeby, i.e. you do not take your car to work. You use the car to visit family on the weekend, appointments out of town, etc.

You can get by without curbside charging in this scenario, but it sounds like a huge annoyance.

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