Joining the electric car club

mjheathcote

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
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9,038
Wack61 said:
Years ago one of the guys that ran the garage I had my van serviced at claimed business use, I can't remember the numbers but if you did over so many miles you paid a lot less tax

He did over the miles so claimed the lower rate, only they came in and questioned him, worked out he spent so many days in the office, travel to work doesn't count so they knocked that off and he was under

The sent him a bill for the last 7 years, can't remember what it was but it was a lot
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Yes before co2 emissions took over, would have been 20 years ago.
It was if you did 18k business miles a year, correct me if I've got the number wrong.
It was crazy really, if you were short of achieving that figure it made a big difference, so you ended up say visiting a customer with colleagues all in individual cars when you could have all used one, just to get your annual mileage.
 
Wack61

Wack61

Member
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8,799
mjheathcote said:
Yes before co2 emissions took over, would have been 20 years ago.
It was if you did 18k business miles a year, correct me if I've got the number wrong.
It was crazy really, if you were short of achieving that figure it made a big difference, so you ended up say visiting a customer with colleagues all in individual cars when you could have all used one, just to get your annual mileage.
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It would have been over 20 years ago and 18k rings a bell

The back tax bill they sent him was many thousands
 
DLax69

DLax69

Member
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4,331
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Tallman

Tallman

Member
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1,835
Gazcw said:
Another manufacturer playing with hydrogen.
View attachment 113238
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Interesting technology - so they switched from hydrogen powered ICE’s which they produced early 20 years ago (7 series 6.0L V12) to hydrogen fuel cell - effectively an electric vehicle generating its own electricity. Which makes sense, as they now have the EV tech and with hydrogen you can fill up like an ICE. Less rare metals used due to only a small battery for energy harvesting and extra acceleration. You could use the petrol station infrastructure for hydrogen too. Not much to dislike here, it would especially work in the 3rd world where there is not enough and dirty electricity and no EV infrastructure at all. I wonder what the build cost is though.

 
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Zep

Zep

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9,302
The (current) problem with hydrogen is that it is energy intensive to produce and then needs to be stored / transported. The fuel cells have limited life too. I think hydrogen will be the expensive but slightly more versatile option for the well healed.
 
RodTungsten

RodTungsten

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586
I hear that Hydrogen ICE power is fraught with issues: high burn temp and H2 dissolving in the oil which must be scavenged or else a bomb in waiting. Fuel cells fine but must have clean air sources or contamination. Anyone here with direct knowledge?
 
Phil H

Phil H

Member
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4,182
Zep said:
The (current) problem with hydrogen is that it is energy intensive to produce and then needs to be stored / transported. The fuel cells have limited life too. I think hydrogen will be the expensive but slightly more versatile option for the well healed.
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The initial cost of any technology is high, then tends to fall as more players join the party, so it's really a question of scale. The government is considering hydrogen as a replacement for domestic gas and if that came to fruition the hydrogen production cost could/should tumble. Tallman is right about the infrastructure too, and with the dire state of infrastructure for EV charging I could see EV residuals bombing if/when the hydrogen market gathers pace.

Hyundai has been running hydrogen cars for a fair while, and it's odds on that BMW are not the only ones to follow suit. Then you have JCB who's technology is well advanced and also includes hydrogen supply for site work:

Hydrogen | Building a Greener Future | JCB.com

JCB's road to zero, our Hydrogen strategy
www.jcb.com www.jcb.com

The (proven) technology is there, so it just needs a push to encourage Maserati to jump on the bandwagon and continue with ICE :)
 
Zep

Zep

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9,302
RodTungsten said:
I hear that Hydrogen ICE power is fraught with issues: high burn temp and H2 dissolving in the oil which must be scavenged or else a bomb in waiting. Fuel cells fine but must have clean air sources or contamination. Anyone here with direct knowledge?
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I’ve not read anything about burn temp et al, but I do know that given the energy density of compressed hydrogen along with the thermal efficiency of an ICE means you need a very big tank to get comparable range to a petrol ICE. One of the main reasons it could be good for JCBs, and why they do it today on busses, they are big.
 
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P R

P R

Member
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1,388
JCBs H2 combustion engine vid here courtesy of Harrys Farm.. very interesting
 
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