Fully Charged Farewell iMiev episode 011

[Gallifrey103]

I appreciate you add the term 'annoying' before teenager, rather than using them synonymously.

[zlozlozlo]

@fullychargedshow I drove a Citroen C-ZERO today (which is basically an iMiEV) and I got a good look at the standard charger plug. There is a circular hole under the button on the handle. If you put a padlock through that hole, people can't press the button which means they can't unplug the charger from the car. The people from Citroen had it locked in the car this way.

[greendude96]

How it was to drive the iMiev in the snow?

[m2ger8]

News from Estonia, government made a deal with Mitsubishi.

government social workers will get 507 iMiev's, 250 fast charging stations, support system for first 500 private iMiev buyers. good?

[bored1980]

Strangely enough, EV owners' wives always seem to drive them more than the EV nuts.

[Beowolf1uk]

Robert , are you going to get a Nissan Leaf for 2011??

[WestLABoy]

Incidentally, Chris Paine is now saying a U.S. gallon of petrol takes 4-7 kWh of electricity to refine, this in an organicconnectmag (I guess Google it?) interview. Like always, I don't know what his backup data is.

[Oldsmobile69]

Yay, love your show. Keep up the good work. It'd be nice if you went back to debunking at least one complaint against electric cars in each episode. Also a news section and an upcoming section would be nice.

I already complained about the show being a bit too talky and now you've gone and made two episodes in a row that have been all about talking :)

[thinfourth]

I'm sure i saw you on countryfile following adams tractor unless there is another white icar in the area.

[toyotaprius79]

So...what are you going to drive now. That Land-Rover or are you going to buy a Leaf

[ThalassTKynn]

Hopefully your iMiev won't be crushed! So what happens now? Will you try and acquire a Leaf, perhaps?

I'm planning on buying a Tesla Model S when they come out, but until then i'm converting a motorcycle to electric power. Long live the EV!

[deejaydoubleyoo]

2:16 I thought I received a text message on my iPhone! LOL

[jacksawild]

Removable battery packs. Then people could take the batteries which need charging inside at night and also carry spare packs to increase range.Or fold up cars. Or magic.

[adric22]

I think if I lived in an apartment I would make sure that my electric car had at least double the range I really needed for a daily drive. That way if somebody took my spot or unplugged my car, I would still be able to get to work the next day. Or perhaps a plug-in hybrid would be a better choice.

[alanrbish]

Hi Rob. I have just started the ball rolling in trying to get a charging post installed in the street outside my house. I am not planning on getting an electric car until late next year so I am hoping that this will give the various local council departments enough time to decide which of them is responsible for making the required decisions. I will if you wish keep you posted (no pun intended) on the progress or lack of it.

[megamidget24]

If you miss your iMiev too much, you can drive one in Gran Turismo 5 on the PlayStation 3 :P

[toyotaprius79]

@megamidget24 Can you! I thought GT5 only introduced the Tesla Roadster.

[megamidget24]

@toyotaprius79 Both the iMiev & Roadster are in the dealerships (as indeed is the newest Toyota Prius :) )

[timaustin2000]

Okay Rob; are you getting a Leaf? Its at the very top of my Christmas list, personally!

[timaustin2000]

Okay Rob, here's the big question; will you be buying a Leaf? I would!

[deadmantyping2]

You're losing the IMiEV just in time to get a LEAF or a new IMiev

[LoriCiani]

Sorry to hear that you are losing your iMiev. Of course I'll keep watching, how else is this non tech person going to keep up with things? : ) My youngest son has recently got his driving licence and I know that if EVs were more affordable that he'd love to buy one.

[fenrirloupblanc]

Thanks for addressing the issue of those of us who live in a flat with no designated parking space. This has been a bit of an irk of mine along with the retail price current models go for, which needs addressing by the government or at least local councils if mass introduction of electric vehicles is to happen. So far it seems such vehicles are for middle class people who can afford both the car and the house with the garage (and the charging station since you have to pay for that too).

[bilstonjay]

Thank you. You made me aware and interested in electric cars and sustainable driving. Without your channels I'd probably just see the petrol/diesel option as the best. Thanks for making me think about issues that I'd otherwise never consider.

[pcdeflopes]

congratulations; next Tuesday I'm drive an electric car for the first time, the Nissan Leaf; can't wait; did some math on the numbers you refered, 120 £ for 8000 miles, and it turns out to be 1.10 euro for each 100 Km, and that is amazing!

[JohnCBriggs]

I can't believe it has been one year already. Seems like only yesterday that the trial started. I get a sick feeling in my stomach when EVs get taken back from their owners. Of course I know in this case that it was part of the plan from the beginning.

[c33r0k33]

Robert, thank you so much for sharing your experience with so many of us. It would have been neat to have had you interview both your wife and son about having the i-MiEV in the family the past year. ..teenagers!... I continue to look forward to seeing more fullycharged in the future. Best regards...

[TweetydaBird]

Actually, no you wouldn't explode if you cut the wire... You'd get a nice "pop" and that's about it... All the chargeposts are fault protected, ie you short them out, cut the wire or whatever and they are completely harmless to the dummy holding the pliers... Worst case scenario it might pop a fuse on the car, and the chargepost might or might not need a tech to come reset the protection (some reset on their own)...

[Octamed]

Any chance of a Volt review on the show? As of right this second it's the only EV I could safely recommend to my parents. Which for me is the true test of mass market acceptability :) Their smallest common journeys are between 60 and 110 miles, so if EV's came with an optional generator trailer it'd be fine, but until then an onboard one is the only option, which only Volt and plugin Prius seem to be doing oddly. The Volt looks quite nice all round I think.

[harveybirdman74]

Hi, Bob.

Surely Nissan would have to tee you up (pardon the golf buggy pun) to do a yearly review of the Leaf. You would have to be the most qualified EV media personality in the UK to do this?

BTW we call Strimmers, 'Whipper Snippers' down here in Australia.

[lawnmowerdude]

I will defiantly keep watching, I love your videos. They are very informative. I wonder what your next electric car will be?

[Vitaminous]

No, thank you. Because of you I saw some of the flaws in my arguing and I happen to be much more okay with the idea of electric cars now.

My only issue remains battery technology limitations (being a tech enthusiast, your last guest had a point about that) and those dreaded capacitors that have been promised so many times but have yet to come out.

[DanFrederiksen]

oh btw, should you tire of defending EVs on range limits then perhaps embrace the idea of a small range extender generator onboard. could be a 2 cylinder. it only need to provide the average motorway cruise power. a decently aerodynamic car, even one made with crude steel, needs no more than 15kW to move along. then you have best of both worlds. EV most of the time and ICE if you should need it.

[DanFrederiksen]

thank you

[eldictator1]

How was it in this snow and cold temps?

[DingoBabyEat]

In Australia, at least, charging infrastructure on the street wont become a reality for 20 years. On the other hand there is a large percentage of houses that could accommodate a driveway with some modification of their front yard - Not cheap but not exactly prohibitive.

[Octamed]

@DingoBabyEat one plus of Australia though is we've got 230-240 volt as standard with optional 3 phase fairly easy to install. That gives an 8 hour charge for over 160k's

Also look up 'Better place Australia' they're currently kitting out Canberra with charging infrastructure so for once we aren't the last place to do something cool ;)

[aminorjourney]

Is it really a year? That's so sad. Thanks for helping to wave the EV flag this year.

And here's hoping you'll get a new EV very soon!

[TheHolySpirit]

Great stuff! I've really enjoyed watching. Thanks.

[drtyrell969]

Simply a great show.

[DANATRINGWOOD]

so the big question after owning it for a year would you buy or recommend one?

[advandermeer]

I expect Iphone apps coming out that warn the owner whenever there is a disruption in the charging proces... Of course the car needs to be able to send out that signal, but that should a small problem to solve.

[Octamed]

@advandermeer they do that already :) They can also sms you if you don't have a smartphone. It also tells you charge level and where the nearest points are.

Look up 'chargepoint' who are one of the big players in points.

[greyareaRK1]

Strimmer? I thought all the rhyming words in The Rimmer Song were made up. So what, dare I ask, is a Zimmer? Plimmer?

[fullychargedshow]

@greyareaRK1 We do indeed refer to a brush cutter as a strimmer, a zimmer is a walking frame for the elderly or infirm, and a plimmer I believe is a slang term for a plimsole, a now outdated Brit term for a flat soled trainer.

[greyareaRK1]

@fullychargedshow Thank you.  My education is now complete. ;-)

[Boodieman72]

So what are you going to replace the iMiev with?

[teslawizardvvv3]

Sorry to see the miev go. well maybe a vw up! ev. Or a Focus EV. As have a locking and system when the car is charging. It will start in the cities and move out to country. But trollies could work with EV's. Good show.

[polpotsdog]

rubber gloves should help the cutting of wires. people love annoying other people.

[polpotsdog]

electric cars are great..i want one..but price and style need to change. im 27 and my new golf gti looks and goes better. im sure the future is electric but im not going to pay more to look like a knob. (i know im already a knob. but a green knob cant be better).

[ultimazer1]

@polpotsdog: There are heaps of "normal" size e-cars coming out now...from small vehicles right up to electric SUVs from Nissan...and an electric golf will come out in 2013 as well ;)

[fullychargedshow]

@polpotsdog There will be some very normal looking electric cars coming out in 2011, so you'll get a wider choice very soon.

[eldictator1]

@polpotsdog There'll probably be an electric golf in 2012/13 or the Eup VW in 2012-13 amongst a handfull of others, like volvo, honda jazz etc

[giantquesadilla]

I wish SAE included a lock in the J1772 connector. When you hook it into the car, it locks in so no one can unplug it until the car is unlocked.

[Octamed]

@giantquesadilla would be pretty easy for car manufactures to add that without breaking the standard

[thomasjam]

Great Job as always! Keep the videos coming...Always looking forward to the next one.

[zlozlozlo]

Finally someone addressed the issue of pranksters messing with street chargers. It's been my main concern with getting an electric car (other than I can't afford one and they won't be selling any in my country for about 2 more years) There is kind of an obvious solution to this, but it would get a bit pricy.

I'm sorry for your loss. I love the show, I'll keep watching as long as you keep making it. Keep up the good work.

[Octamed]

@zlozlozlo well people could also slash your tyres so there's some minimal faith in human nature going on :) Plus charging points can sms/smart phone app/email you when unplugged prematurely so the little bastards won't get too much satisfaction ;)

[9876z9876]

I'm dying to have an electic car all because of you keep up the good work :D