{"id":2417,"date":"2015-08-10T15:25:24","date_gmt":"2015-08-10T15:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=2417"},"modified":"2015-08-10T15:25:24","modified_gmt":"2015-08-10T15:25:24","slug":"free-motoring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=2417","title":{"rendered":"Free motoring…"},"content":{"rendered":"

…we’ll almost, at least very cheap motoring is the plan!<\/p>\n

On the 7th August 2015 I took delivery of the (almost) final part of the puzzle that when put together will result in big savings – I hope. I still need to get the proper charging point together with gadgets to monitor energy use etc., but I am nearly there. Here is my new Golf GTE (from Inchcape in Chelmsford<\/a>) taking its first charge on my drive:<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>
Golf GTE – one of the first in my region<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Golf GTE 1.4 TSI produces 204PS (Pferdest\u00e4rke<\/em><\/a>, abbreviation of the German term for metric horsepower).\u00a0\u00a0It is a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle<\/a>)\u00a05dr DSG boasting 0\u201362mph in 7.6 seconds. and\u00a0up to 166.0 mpg. The electric range is 31 miles and when electric and petrol combine, the total range is 580 miles. The previous data are laboratory figures of course, I will report back on\u00a0what happens in\u00a0the real world in due course. However, its performance\u00a0is very impressive so far.\u00a0Because the car is a plug-in hybrid it attracted the \u00a35000 government grant. More on overall prices later though because cheap mileage is all very well but initial and running costs still\u00a0have to be considered.<\/p>\n

The other part of my cunning plan involves solar panels (actually photo-voltaic or PV panels) and these will be used to charge the 8.8 kWh lithium-ion battery in 3.75 hours from a domestic mains outlet, or 2.25 hours from a domestic wallbox.<\/p>\n

\"PV<\/a>
PV panels (a 4kW array) fitted in February (the snow being the clue)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My PV array has saved me buying a lot of electricity and has further resulted in an income. So far this year I have received about \u00a3400,\u00a0by selling the excess energy back to the grid (using what is known as\u00a0a feed-in tariff). In addition, my electricity bill has reduced as shown in the following chart:<\/p>\n

\"Comparison<\/a>
Comparison of grid power used with solar generated and last year’s average use (09\/08\/2015).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As you would expect, we pay much more for the electricity we use than the price we get when selling it (something like 14p per unit when buying and 3p per unit when selling). The way the feed-in tariff works is that the electricity generation company pays us for 50% of the amount generated by the PV panels. So the more we generate the more we get but of course the other advantage is gained because the more of the PV energy we use, the less electricity we purchase. This is where the new car comes in. The plan is that whenever we return home, we will make sure all the available charge in the car’s lithium-iron (Li-on) traction batteries has been used up. This will simply be done by switching the car to full e-mode when 35 miles from home. The car will now only be charged when enough solar energy is available (emergencies excepted of course).\u00a0I am doing\u00a0this manually at the moment but it will be automated in due course.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0have just completed a journey, by pure coincidence, to the UK VW headquarters where they have a charge point (well they should have shouldn’t they)! This was about a 170 mile round trip for me. I set off with a fully charged battery and managed to add 20 miles worth of charge while I was there. The car trip computer showed an overall average mpg of\u00a068 – so just under 2.5 gallons. for the journey.\u00a0My previous car (a modern Golf GTD 2.0ltr) would have done the same at an average of about 48 mpg (about 3.5 gallons). This journey was a good combination of country roads and motorway so probably indicates a good average. I did not try to save fuel or equally I didn’t accelerate\/brake rapidly so the figures are probably quite a good start for real-world use. When used in hybrid mode only, the average was about 50 mpg .<\/p>\n

I am expecting to win much more on the shorter journeys we do, which will use no petrol or very little. My journey to the office at the IMI<\/a> for example, is about 42 miles each way. We have a free charging point! My hope therefore is to only use about half a gallon of fuel for the return trip (60 miles on full electric and 25 miles at 50 mpg).<\/p>\n

Watch this space, more details to come…<\/p>\n

Tom<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

…we’ll almost, at least very cheap motoring is the plan! On the 7th August 2015 I took delivery of the (almost) final part of the puzzle that when put together will result in big savings – I hope. I still need to get the proper charging point together with gadgets to monitor energy use etc., […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[26,3,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ev-and-hybrid","category-research","category-solar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p79TdE-CZ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1667,"url":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=1667","url_meta":{"origin":2417,"position":0},"title":"Bosch collision warning system in use in racing at Le Mans","author":"Tom Denton","date":"June 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Bosch technology on board the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Ferrari 458 Italia, GT2 Corvette C6.R, Porsche 911 RSR and Porsche 911 GT3 RSR as well as SRT Viper GTS-R Radar-based collision warning system being used by Corvette Racing Every Le Mans winner since 2000 has used Bosch injection technology This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Automotive"","block_context":{"text":"Automotive","link":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?cat=15"},"img":{"alt_text":"1-BEG-19222","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/1-BEG-19222-300x2161.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2432,"url":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=2432","url_meta":{"origin":2417,"position":1},"title":"ICE, PHEV or Pure-EV","author":"Tom Denton","date":"August 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"(Internal Combustion Engine, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (like my GTE!) or a pure Electric only Vehicle) I have been playing around with a few figures relating to the overall costs of running these three\u00a0different vehicles and trying to compare them - it is a difficult task! Here is what\u00a0I have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EV and Hybrid"","block_context":{"text":"EV and Hybrid","link":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?cat=26"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2568,"url":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=2568","url_meta":{"origin":2417,"position":2},"title":"Vehicle Technology and Aviation Bill","author":"Tom Denton","date":"March 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A license to practice in general in the automotive service and repair industry\u00a0is essential in my opinion. However, we are more likely to have success with this in connection with Electric Vehicles (includes all hybrids and variants). I fully support the IMI and the work they are doing to achieve\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EV and Hybrid"","block_context":{"text":"EV and Hybrid","link":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?cat=26"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/IMG_0165-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1070,"url":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=1070","url_meta":{"origin":2417,"position":3},"title":"Cost of running a car jumps 20% in one year","author":"Tom Denton","date":"June 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Drivers are paying at least 20 per cent more to run their cars than they were a year ago, a survey reveals. Rises in insurance premiums and petrol prices account for the bulk of the increase. The average running cost is now \u00a33,090 - 21.1 per cent more than the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2443,"url":"http:\/\/tomdenton.org\/blog\/?p=2443","url_meta":{"origin":2417,"position":4},"title":"Death by EV","author":"Tom Denton","date":"October 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Some automotive technicians are going to be killed by the high voltages on electric vehicles. I have written many textbooks about automotive technology where I have highlighted safe working practices, but the one I have just completed the script for will save lives. 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