Bandersnatch

On 10/10/2022 at 2:37 PM, josephbloggs said:

Does anyone on here own a Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric?

I have seen a few around and they look cool, would be keen to hear of any first hand experience as I am interested.

 @josephbloggs Sorry for the late reply. I knew that we had at least one post over the last 31 pages but it took a while to find. 
 

@Ludzilla reported on a test drive of the XC40 electric back on May 31 - you find his post on page 8 of this thread

Just going to post a couple of screenshots from my blog as it saves a lot of typing.

5 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

So the video of firefighters around a burning EV is fake?

You're right, there are other threads that can accept a balanced view of EV's - the positives and the negatives. That's not bashing, it's rational thinking.

 

You think you are saving the planet? If the world converted to EV's overnight, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8%. Coal, oil and natural gas are the major contributors.

 

40 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Watch out for salt water.......

 

https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2022/10/13/tesla-exploding-hurricanes-ian/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning News - 20221014

Do at least some basic research before reposting rubbish you find on the internet!

https://cleantechnica.com/2022/10/07/florida-state-fire-marshal-tells-crazy-lie-about-evs/

Remember this discussion is about EVs in Thailand. There are plenty of other treads for EV bashers.

http://www.evat.or.th/15708256/current-status

2 hours ago, Klonko said:

Ora GoodCat 500 Ultra first impressions 

 

Last Friday we collected our Ora GoodCat Ultra 500 from the dealer. We ordered the car in March and could have it delivered in May, but waited while we spent the summer in Europe. Total cost including tinted foils, VCR, window deflectors and wall box was THB 1 Mio.

 

We purchased the car based on specs, Björn Nyland's videos, a short test ride, and in comparison with the Tesla Model 3 AWD Long Range  2020 which I drive in Europe and the Honda City 2015 which had been our car here to date. Other BEV with the same or more range are more expensive and mostly available in 2023 only.

 

The GUI is overloaded. Too many buttons and steps for my taste. Navigation is in Thai only but (1) I am more motivated to improve my Thai skills and (2) I can also use navigation apps with Apple CarPlay. Switching between Apple CarPlay and car menus requires a workaround. Voice commands are in Thai only.

 

Acceleration is good, regeneration braking acceptable. One pedal drive is harsh for parking and driving off and needs to be activated before each drive. I do not yet use it and brake to come to a complete stop. Adaptive cruise control and lane assistance work effectively, except at higher speeds when approaching  stopped cars ahead. Apart from that, I consider drive assistants overall as good as in the Tesla. Blind spot detection is good. Lights for night driving would be good but we have tinted windows. Rear window view in heavy rain is acceptable despite the missing rear wiper.

 

AC is working with less draft than in the Honda. It has a heating function for Northern Thailand. The ride is more comfortable than in the Honda. If you are looking for a sporty ride, choose another car. Sound insulation could be better, but overall noise level is lower   than the Honda. Seats are comfortable for me (185 cm). Seat memory is not usable because it requires cumbersome account change in the car menu. Not all functionalities as per manual are activated or installed (e.g. seat ventilation) for Thailand. The GWM app includes AC control, battery information, scheduled charging, charging map and booking services.

 

For our two person household without a farm, space is ample. The rear seats have more leg room than the Honda. However, luggage capacity is limited for 4-5 people traveling.

 

We have the two color white/turquoise version. Full white is more practical in hot weather but we did not like its dark interior. If looking for other colors, check with actual cars as the photos are misleading. We have good quality tinted foils and may not need and get rid of the wind deflectors.

 

After AC-charging to 90% over night the first time, the 12V-battery was dead at noon next day. Within an hour, a mechanic showed up at our house, as I did not have a jump starter. I know now that the AC-cable must be unhooked after charging to protect the 12V-battery.

 

I position the GoodCat, which costs 40% of the Tesla's European price, closer to the Tesla than the Honda. The drive feels good and is smoother than in a BMW X1 Hybrid. There are a some operating glitches which must be accustomed to and may require some enthusiasm for a BEV. I am happy with the Ora GoodCat and do not see an alternative for me for the time being.

 

Reporting on range and charging will follow.

Great report - thanks for sharing and keep us posted on any updates.

My MG has voice control and sometimes it understands me better than my Thai gf - that really pisses her off.

1 hour ago, ignis said:

https://www.ccarprice.com/th/byd-car-prices-in-thailand-171

 

This site includes a price for the BYD Han in Thai Baht - I assume just a conversion of the price in China. So it’s not an actuate price list of BYD cars in Thailand. 

BYD has categorically said that “its older vehicles, including the Han sedan and Tang SUV, won't be built in right-hand drive. Everything we're bringing in the right-hand-drive market is either on the 3.0 platform or future platforms, where the Han and the Tang are built on a different platform that is not coming to right-hand-drive markets”

https://www.drive.com.au/news/byd-han-tang-song-ruled-out-for-australia/

With all the flooding we have been having, maybe having a made in Thailand Fomm EV as a second car or instead of a motorbike might be a good idea.

2 hours ago, mistral53 said:

Paul - I already mentioned to you on another thread that the MG wall charger can be programmed to operate without the RFD card. In that mode, it is possible to use a timer or via an app to operate the charger timed to your choosing.

I believe the RFD card is for chargers installed in public places, for private properties it makes no sense. Pity the installer could not instruct how to use the charger properly. If you need help to set up the charger sans RFD card, let me know.

I charge when my solar system is producing excess power over and above what the house and home batteries need.

For safety reasons I keep the wall box powered down at it’s local breaker so this is an additional step for me before changing.

I do not need timed charging but maybe others do, so post instructions here and I’m sure others would appreciate it. 

49 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

Thanks for the concise explanation. 
 

There’s another YouTuber, petrol ped, who installed a zappi. I find the different components, evse, hub, harvi etc a bit confusing and complicated. The hypervolt unit seems more straightforward and future proof.

 

Problem is I wonder if local electricians have the necessary expertise and knowledge to install such units.

I contacted WallBox as they claim the Copper SB Socket supports solar, but when I downloaded the manual and installation manual there was no mention of CT clamps or solar. I asked them why and haven't heard back from them.

As I have an existing EVSE???? fitting a replacement will be quite straight forward, so I will do it myself. The problem comes with connecting the Harvi CT clamps. I have joined the MyEnergi forum now so can ask about Battery CT clamp placement.

28 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Isn’t the VS a HEV ?

Well spotted @Andrew Dwyer - I missed that completely ????

If it is the MG VS  - then there no plug hole to plug into. 

41 minutes ago, macahoom said:

 

Some clarification regarding wall boxes and chargers:

 

Wall boxes are very often referred to as chargers. They are not chargers. The chargers are in the cars.

 

A wall box provides power at a higher rate than a standard three-pin plug socket.

You are correct, but as WallBox is now a trade name there is some potential confusion

27 minutes ago, anyone said:

What are the scenarios for its use at home? Electric kettle?..

Solar combined with a Power Station would give you backup power in the event of a blackout. It would be nice to be able to run a fan all night if the power went down. 

You could use the solar to charge up a battery for an electric motorbike etc

17 minutes ago, ignis said:

Thai friend has the new MG VS 

but needed home Electric changed as  three-phase power is needed for charging

 

Is that true ? 

That comment does not surprise me at all. The company that MG chose to install my wall box said that 30A was a PEA requirement  - I didn't believe them and checked with PEA  -They said it isn't a requirement and also isn't necessary for a 7kW load if you don't have other high loads in the house.

There is a great deal of ignorance around EVs and Solar in Thailand as a result there are a great deal of "myths" floating about. If someone tells you something that doesn't smell right it's probably ????????

8 minutes ago, macahoom said:

I guess you deliberately didn't mention the cell balancing the MG does after reaching 100% charge.

 

No point unnecessarily complicating this thread.

 

Oops! I just did!

 

I could be wrong, but I think MG is the only EV that has to be balanced.

Just going to link to this thread on the MG EV Forum for anybody who wants to know more

https://www.mgevs.com/threads/battery-balancing.2787/

6 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

The 2 smart chargers I’ve heard of are Zappi and Hypervolt I believe.

 

There’s a very good YT channel called Artisan Electrics. They install a lot of chargers. Those guys look like they really know their stuff.

I follow Artisan electrics and have posted one of their videos in this thread.

I have contacted My Energi about the Zappi and they will ship to Thailand. It costs about £1,000. You don’t need the hub anymore as it’s built into the latest Zappi. The Harvi comes one ct clamp costs £50. I will need CT clamps for my grid connection, solar and batteries. 
 

I plan to join the My Energi forum. Also the MG EV Forum podcast has a plan to interview Jordan Brompton from My Energi so I might join that one.

22 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

Your post raised a few questions in my mind.

 

You said you’re not allowed to sell back to the grid? Is this because your local PEA can’t manage this or because you’re completely off grid? My solar power installer is currently in the process of liaising with PEA to install a TOU meter as well organise selling any excess power I produce back to the grid.

 

You also mentioned switching off your freezer at night. This can be simply done by plugging in a smart switch, controlled via an app. Does this really save a significant amount? I have a chest freezer as well as a huge double door fridge and two other normal fridges. I already have my instant hot cold water filter (drinking water) on such a plug.

5kW of PV is the maximum solar you can have on single phase, so my system is too big to be allowed to feedback. 

I have smart switches which shut off phantom loads at night. The chest freezer is loaded up with ice and we don’t open it at night. It probably doesn’t save too much but every little counts. We have an ice making machine which just runs in the middle of the day. 
 

My free mg wall box is dumb. I am looking at replacing it with a smart wall charger that matches EV charging rate to my solar production. 

2 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

It will be very interesting to see how the grid will cope when EVs become more mainstream. One thing to note is that not all owners will charge every night. I guess for an average owner with an average EV, they might be charging twice a week, maybe even less? (Existing owners can confirm).

 

 

I saw that study, currently where there are time of use electric rates they are not dynamically following the wholesale markets but are broadly fixed. “Economy 7” in the UK and TOU rate 10pm-9am in Thailand. EV owners aren’t stupid they will charge when rates are cheapest and smart chargers can be programmed to dynamically switch on an off as wholesale rates change. In the same way Solar producers like me shouldn’t be restricted by stupid rules in Thailand. I produce more power than my house and car can use, but I am not allowed to sell back to the grid at all. 
 

With solar, house batteries and an EV in Thailand I attempt to load shift to match consumption with times when I am producing the most power, so I charge my EV in the middle of the day and my freezer is on a timer to switch off at night. 
 

Teslas virtually power plant in California uses customers powerwalls to sell electricity at times of peak demand. That model can be expanded to include EVs. 
 

Thailand unfortunately seems very slow adapt to these new ideas of a distributed power grid 
 

22 minutes ago, roger101 said:

As I live in Pattaya that's a bit too far. Any suggestions.

I saw this video a couple of years ago about a Deco electric bike shop in Bang Saen  - that's a bit closer.

10 minutes ago, superal said:

I thought that the Land Rover had problems when it stopped after coming out of the water . 

You’re right it did.