21-09-2024, 10:10 AM
Possibly the service & maintenance costs are higher for non-EV, except there is battery replacement on non-EV.
Tax is likely to be raised on EV in the future to replace lost non-EV vehicle revenue as people changeover.
Differences in capital cost. The EV is still more expensive, on average.
I've 12x bifacial 430W[!] PV solar panels and about 8600 Wh of batteries. There are direct EV charge adaptors for some systems. It's partially off-grid (there is grid charging option and last two weeks of December is about 1/10th of June/July) in the sense than some things are only on Solar power and no Solar power is sold / fed to grid. So even without special rates [2] the running cost per km could be low.
But I can't afford a replacement S/H EV, hybrid or IC car. I'll probably stop driving and use free buses and not-free taxis eventually. Being rural a Hybrid sound more attractive. However our mileage is very low, as the approx 20km round trip for weekly supermarket is most of it. Though the bus is free, it's not great for a weekly shop, so the high cost of the village mini-mart would be much less than a taxi.
I think even if I could afford a replacement vehicle, eventually you have to give up driving, unless you are rich enough for a chauffeur.
[!] PV Solar panel ratings allow you to compare panels. The rated power is for 1000 w per sq metre illumination, which in Midwest of Ireland rare in December / January compared to June/July. Also the hours of useful daylight are much less than hours of daylight in midwinter (due to lower sun elevation and fixed panels). The actual daylight is about 9.5 hours less in midwinter than midsummer (Limerick) [3]. The difference is greater in Scotland.
[2] There are special night-time rates here (11 pm -8 am), and super cheap rate for 2 am - 4 am, but you have to used Direct Debit (I pay cash), get a smart meter installed (those are optional here) and pay a much higher standing charge.
[3] Security of supply vs savings.
If you are older the security of supply may be more important than cost savings, which might take 5 to 10 years to recover. At least the PV panels now are good for over 30 years and the LiFePO4 batteries while about x3 cost of the cheapest lead Acid, may do over 3000 complete cycles and won't be damged by deep cycle. As each day may only be a partial cycle the LiFePO4 life might be 10 to 15 years. Only more expensive deep cycle lead acid are suitable. A €60 car battery might not last 2 years.
Decide how much stuff needs to run with no grid at all in December and estimate how many hours without PV charging. That sets your battery Wh. Then multiply the daylight charging hours by about x10 for Panel power. Even a north facing roof will do nearly as well as an ideal south roof in grey overcast sky. Panels can be as low as €120 per 430W.
Then an MPPT controller with built in mains charger and inverter. Bluetti and Victron are good. Separate MPPT (PV to charge battery) and inverter is cheapest but not flexible. About 3 kW MPPT/Inverter/Mains charger, 6000 Wh battery and about 3500 W PV (at 1000 w per sq metre illumination) seems like a minimum and if there is no Grid at all for days at the end of December, you scale back to essentials of about 300 W average (possible to run huge freezer, fridge, fibre modem, Wifi, laptop, PC, satellite and TV and some LED lights on that!). The separate Freezer & Fridge might take over 600W peak start, and 150W running but an average of only 40W, so for 14 hours, 560 Wh. A cheap 2500 Wh 25V LiFePO4 is about £450. It can be used with a 1.2 kW (2.4 kW peak) inverter. The full 1200W is nearly 50A, so don't even think about a smaller battery or 12V.
My friend Cassandra says security of supply is more important than savings. No-one ever believes her gloomy predictions but she's always right.
Tax is likely to be raised on EV in the future to replace lost non-EV vehicle revenue as people changeover.
Differences in capital cost. The EV is still more expensive, on average.
I've 12x bifacial 430W[!] PV solar panels and about 8600 Wh of batteries. There are direct EV charge adaptors for some systems. It's partially off-grid (there is grid charging option and last two weeks of December is about 1/10th of June/July) in the sense than some things are only on Solar power and no Solar power is sold / fed to grid. So even without special rates [2] the running cost per km could be low.
But I can't afford a replacement S/H EV, hybrid or IC car. I'll probably stop driving and use free buses and not-free taxis eventually. Being rural a Hybrid sound more attractive. However our mileage is very low, as the approx 20km round trip for weekly supermarket is most of it. Though the bus is free, it's not great for a weekly shop, so the high cost of the village mini-mart would be much less than a taxi.
I think even if I could afford a replacement vehicle, eventually you have to give up driving, unless you are rich enough for a chauffeur.
[!] PV Solar panel ratings allow you to compare panels. The rated power is for 1000 w per sq metre illumination, which in Midwest of Ireland rare in December / January compared to June/July. Also the hours of useful daylight are much less than hours of daylight in midwinter (due to lower sun elevation and fixed panels). The actual daylight is about 9.5 hours less in midwinter than midsummer (Limerick) [3]. The difference is greater in Scotland.
[2] There are special night-time rates here (11 pm -8 am), and super cheap rate for 2 am - 4 am, but you have to used Direct Debit (I pay cash), get a smart meter installed (those are optional here) and pay a much higher standing charge.
[3] Security of supply vs savings.
If you are older the security of supply may be more important than cost savings, which might take 5 to 10 years to recover. At least the PV panels now are good for over 30 years and the LiFePO4 batteries while about x3 cost of the cheapest lead Acid, may do over 3000 complete cycles and won't be damged by deep cycle. As each day may only be a partial cycle the LiFePO4 life might be 10 to 15 years. Only more expensive deep cycle lead acid are suitable. A €60 car battery might not last 2 years.
Decide how much stuff needs to run with no grid at all in December and estimate how many hours without PV charging. That sets your battery Wh. Then multiply the daylight charging hours by about x10 for Panel power. Even a north facing roof will do nearly as well as an ideal south roof in grey overcast sky. Panels can be as low as €120 per 430W.
Then an MPPT controller with built in mains charger and inverter. Bluetti and Victron are good. Separate MPPT (PV to charge battery) and inverter is cheapest but not flexible. About 3 kW MPPT/Inverter/Mains charger, 6000 Wh battery and about 3500 W PV (at 1000 w per sq metre illumination) seems like a minimum and if there is no Grid at all for days at the end of December, you scale back to essentials of about 300 W average (possible to run huge freezer, fridge, fibre modem, Wifi, laptop, PC, satellite and TV and some LED lights on that!). The separate Freezer & Fridge might take over 600W peak start, and 150W running but an average of only 40W, so for 14 hours, 560 Wh. A cheap 2500 Wh 25V LiFePO4 is about £450. It can be used with a 1.2 kW (2.4 kW peak) inverter. The full 1200W is nearly 50A, so don't even think about a smaller battery or 12V.
My friend Cassandra says security of supply is more important than savings. No-one ever believes her gloomy predictions but she's always right.
