lol-lol

After a fruitless search last night for diesel and 5 Worcester garages good to see local Tesco garage open and whilst busy I managed to get £48 in the diesel Fabia so that should be good for 600 miles driving. Daughters coming back from London last night had to fuel up at Chiverly motorway service who were rationing to £45, thankfully that is not far short of a 3/4 a tankful in a Fabia and she could drop off one daughter in Bristol and return to London to start at 0600. Mad times. Some were cheating taking £45 at one pump whilst the passenger filled to 20 litre Jerry cans at the other pump and paid for them separately. Zoe did Worcester to Bristol and back with no carbon molecules being harmed in the process.

I cannot see these attached images for some reason. There is (was?) apparently about a billion litres of space in cars fuel tanks, wonder how much there is in vans, trucks etc even motorcycles. I will try and get some diesel tonight when the super market closes but their fuel station stays open. Will charge the Zoe tonight at home on the cheap electricity and may have to use it more than I anticipated if fuel shortages continue. Excise Tax on a billion litres would be £580 million pounds plus the VAT of around £225 million. Be interesting to see if the refineries step up to replace their on hand stock.

Hi George, what have you raised your tyres pressures too, and that is on your 17" wheels. Is your current range shown after charging 160 to 170 miles looking at your phone app ? I have been slow to install the Renault app as it so badly thought off, mainly the English version of the software which the French do not seems put much effort in to the UK language version. I chickened out of my 200 mile run down to Reading and back as I wanted to do it at 75 mph indicated average and with 3 people in the cars and I did not think the Zoe would do it. So may tricks and optimising techniques to learn, such a good community though both the EV and Zoe ones, so glad I took the plunge.

Getting my Pod Charger fitted next Friday. Octopus say their Go tariff is only a Beta product so can change at any time, we will see. Zoe charged up on granny cable and now showing 100% and 241 miles range. Will try and do a 205 miles to Reading services and back without mid journey charge. Got all my 12v bike, car, scooter batteries to charge up and got a 1000w 12v to 220v ac invertor on hand to keep the lights one. Queue. Apparently there are only a few thousand place where you can get this liquid that internal combustion engine cars use compared to millions of electricity outlets, off choice of motive power. https://news.sky.com/video/motorists-queue-at-petrol-station-after-delivery-issues-caused-some-closures-12416523

First medium distance trip, Worcester to Oxford Airport and then back to Worcester a few hours later. Round trip distance 106 miles. 100% charged when started and 56% charged when got back to Worcester. This would give the range as 241 miles. Mostly driven in ECO mode which was fine. Display showed 4.4 miles per KWh which would work out as 229 miles for all 52 kWh. Chickened out and took the diesel Fabia to Heathrow today. Figured out why the chargers at Heathrow office say 16 Amps but also say 11 kWs. They are 3 phase chargers ! So should be good to get a good charge in only 3 or 4 hours if I was only down there for a morning or afternoon. Trip planned from Worcester to Reading service and back which is nearly exactly 200 miles so see how it goes.

I think I need to check what my voltage is to the charge box, I was just thinking that plugging one extension in to another, one a couple of meters and then another 15 metres and then plugging in the meaty wired 3 pin charger with its much thicker wiring. It cannot be good to attach 13A and even 10A extension leads and then plug in the car charging 5 metre lead. I would hate to think I am only getting 220 volts https://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/voltage_changes.aspx Manufacturers usually allow a further margin of safety and, if the voltage does occasionally fall outside these limits, there should be no adverse effect on your appliances. In the UK, the declared voltage and tolerance for an electricity supply is 230 volts -6%, +10%. This gives an allowed voltage range of 216.2 volts to 253.0 volts. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have learnt something new today !!!!! https://www.leadsdirect.co.uk/knowledge-base/what-is-the-difference-between-uk-voltage-and-european-voltage/ What is the difference between UK voltage and European voltage The voltage used throughout Europe (including the UK) has been harmonised since January 2003 at a nominal 230v 50 Hz (formerly 240V in UK, 220V in the rest of Europe) but this does not mean there has been a real change in the supply. Instead, the new “harmonised voltage limits” in most of Europe (the former 220V nominal countries) are now: 230V -10% +6% (i.e. 207.0 V-243.8 V) In the UK (former 240V nominal) they are: 230V -6% +10% (i.e. 216.2 V – 253.0 V) This effectively means there is no real change of supply voltage, only a change in the “label”, with no incentive for electricity supply companies to actually change the supply voltage. To cope with both sets of limits all modern equipment will therefore be able to accept 230V +/-10% i.e. 207-253V.

Just tried to charge with my 3 pin charger from 95% but it did not a want to know with the charger box saying car was already full. Just keen to check lead is working. Have to go do some more miles and try again. Should find a public charger and try to charge there, Asda maybe.

16 inch Alpine or 15 inch? I was getting near 4 miles per kWh but then decided to do my first full power test up a dual.carriageway hill and 84 mph came up quickly, not as quick as the 150 hp octy but quicker than the 90 up Clio or Davis despite it's 1600 kg running weight. I see the cash still saying full regen is not available as battery full, battery says 95 % full after 18 miles. I am suspecting one can charge the battery to about 102 % of nominal but it shows 100% for six miles rather than dropping 1% per two miles as I expect.

Not "EV" marked tyres on the Zoe I picked up yesterday. The Usual Primacy 4s in Heavy Duty/Load spec. All 4 tyres set to 36 PSI by the dealer so I corrected those fronts to 38 PSI to help prevent torque ripping and outer edge wear that is associated with the lower tyre pressures. Left the rears at 36 rather than drop to 33 psi as the sticker states. No advised tyre pressure for when one is carrying several people plus luggage, again a bit odd, hence 36 seems OK or maybe even 38 in the back tyres too if the ride is not too firm. Some more miles today and continue to think about some winters maybe in the 15" size 185 width, not sure whether they will be All Seasons or full winters, probably All Seasons, keep those nice Diamond cut OE rims in pristine condition.

Well picked up new Zoe Riviera this morning. Car computer showed 236 miles range with 100% charge. Drove 5 miles to home, range dropped to 231 miles but battery meter still shows 100%. Will do the 15 miles I normally do on the motor bike and then see where we are on battery charge and then test my new granny cable ie the 10A 2.4 kWh cable.

We do there has been little wind in August and September so far. Wind usually pick up closer to the equinoxes, Vernal or Autumnal. All areas of Green agenda need to keep moving forward, more wind turbines and more battery power storage as well as a big exercise to insulate people's homes. Some perfect storm elements at the moment, low wind but also the fire at the 2 GWh France-UK Interconnector is bad news as we currently rely in the French nuclear base load stations for up to 7% of our electrical consumption. Diversity in supply, weighing up all the changing parameters, whether that is the type of power for out transport or the power for out homes.

Indeed as it is up to 10% ethanol but one would expect if ethanol is a cheaper ingredient then the oil refineries will use as much ethanol they can up to the 10 % allowed. As I said I think it will be interesting if some fuel companies bring in some of the worse quality America, North or South, fuel and use the bio-ethanol to bring the fuel up in octane. I pick up the Zoe R135 tomorrow morning, it will good to know that electricity is electricity is electricity. I have got Octopus Energy to change me over to Octopus Go tariff from tonight, 5p per kWh I think from 0000 to 0430, and I will probably order my Pod Point 7.2 kWh home charger over the weekend. I pickup one of my daughter cars, a Mk 4 Zoe with the 0.9 TCE engine in it, this engine was one that one of the car mags reported a 9% or so increase in fuel consumption so I will see how that goes on the E10 as I use to get 55 mpg or so out of that engine on E5 or even mid 60 mpg when set in Eco mode and sticking to 55-60 mph, but that is painful. With the world going crazy on resources, prices get unstable, diversifying the types of fuels one can use seems wise and keeping fairly full tanks and batteries. Next stop static battery store.

The Ethanol can boost the octane rating and if one was running a bit too rich it makes the mixture a bit leaner by having more oxygen in the air/fuel mix. Cars with lambda sensors should self adjust but there is always a bit of sensor/fuel mapping guessing there so it could go the right way or go the wrong way. Less calorific value is a fact though. It could tempt so fuel companies to buy even poorer quality fuel that might knock but mix it with the 10% Ethanol and it ups the octane rating up to 95 so one starts to see poorer quality fuel than we would normally see in the UK. E10 is just another one of a hundred nails being put in the ICE coffin ie make diesel/petrol cars worse and worse to own so EVs increasingly become the logical choice.

So E10 is costing the retailers about 1.5 pence a litre less than E5 according to the AA article. https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/cars/1492381/e10-fuel-changes-petrol-cost-price-aa Is this being passed on ??? Considering the fuel could well be giving 2 or 3 % less mpg due to its lower calorific value ? Anybody on a regular commute done back to back comparisons yet in their cars ??

Interesting. also that 40 PSI si the stated recommended pressure for the tyres, do think I have ever run fronts that high. Be interesting to see what the Renault garage set it to when I pick it p. The salesman runs a R135 hp Zoe to and travels from Birmingham to Worcester each day so will ask him what he runs on tyre pressures. Never use Primacy as did not like the write ups. The tearing in the first video looks so bad I would have stopped using those tyres and that is on an old Zoe with less Torque etc it would be. Time moves on and maybe they have got a bit better since the video, I will do some research on the specialist forums.

https://www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk/car-tyres/michelin/energy-e-v/195-55-r16-91-q-xl-demo.html Due to the implementation of BREXIT, all our products are temporarily unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience. See you soon on https://www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk Looks like the Michelin Energy EV are the ones for the Zoe unless one opts for the 17 inch rims which loss the car a few miles in range according to Renault's old range calculator... Sounds like a good idea to hold some personal stock of these tyres as well as maybe a set of 15 inch winter tyres.

One must presume the volumes are low and they use what they can and is readily available when they do the PDI which is done sometimes partially at the docks where the come in and at the dealers when a clients might spec larger wheels. One would hope and EV driver spec smaller more efficient winter wheels and even narrower ones again for winter to help get as many miles as possible. I change my tyres at 2 to 3 mm not 1.6 mm as do the cops. Where is a good source of EV tyres as Tyreleader do not look like they specialise in EV tyres or they are difficult to find on the site as there is no filter for EV tyres ?

Well I have gone and done it. Deposit down in a Zoe Riviera. R135 hp motor. In addition to the extensive standard specification of GT Line, Riviera is further enhanced with Easy Park Assist, a semi-autonomous driver aid which makes parking a breeze.

3 grid place penalty for Max next race. Are they saying he should have completely yielded, his front axle was in front of Lewis's rear axle and Lewis did not give him any room, should Max have taken the obvious escape road and re-joined behind and probably not been able to overtake ? With the penalty only 3 places and Russia being the next race then Valteri could be very important to Lewis's chances of regaining points. Well done McLaren, as a Renault/Alpine fan it hurst to say they made the right choice going with the Mercedes engine. Well done Alonso, still a class act at a difficult track for Alpine.

It looks like a rehash and rename of the Lodgy which is/was available and popular in mainland Europe https://www.dacia.fr/gamme-vehicules/lodgy-monospace.html I see Dacia scored fantastically well in the WhatCar reliability coming second overall behind Lexus and Skoda, SEAT, VW and Audi were mid table. https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey/n23397 Rank Make and model 1.Dacia Sandero 2013-2020 100% 2.Hyundai i10 2014-2020 99.6% 3.Suzuki Swift 2017-present 99.3% 4.Hyundai i20 2015-2020 99.0% 5.Honda Jazz 2015-2020 98.1% 6.Mini Hatchback petrol 2014-present96.9% 7.Ford Fiesta petrol 2008-201795.0% 8.Volkswagen Up 2012-present94.8% 9.Renault Clio 2013-201994.3% 10.Kia Rio petrol 2017-present94.0% 11.Kia Picanto 2017-present93.9% 12.Audi A1 petrol 2018-present92.2% 13.Skoda Fabia 2015-present91.7% 14.Vauxhall Corsa 2014-201990.6% 15.Seat Ibiza 2017-present90.5% 16.Volkswagen Polo 2018-present80.6% 17.Ford Fiesta 2017-present74.9%

Less than 3 miles per kWh for the dual motor versions, ouch.

After watching the race i thought there was a good deal of overtakes and mainly round the outside of the corners. Huge credit to the circuit redesigners with all 3 tyres ie C1 to C3 being of good use during the GP. Alonso passing one of the Ferraris on the last lap was a highlight for me. All I would say is that it needs another mile or so of track so there is not so much blue flag usage.

Sorry "O" level, I am so old it was GCEs nearly half a century ago.

Indeed, ethanol, the OH link replacing one of the six Hydrogen bonds. Petrol nominally C8H18 but in reality a soup of other hydrocarbon molecules. Only got a C in chemistry at I level but always found it interesting and useful when going on to do Mech Eng and thermodynamics. Good knows what the formula was of residual fuel were burnt in the massive two. Stroke diesel engines.

Looking at the tax situation this liquid fuel is taxed at 58 pence per litre plus a VAT rate of 20%. Have to factor this in to the fact that carrying a fully charged car does not add to the weight and the VAT charge of the fuel loaded at home is only at 5%. Apparently this petrol fuel is just about to change in the UK to double the amount of oxygen in it, ie C2H5-OH, and as well as charging for a fuel that contains Oxygen, which is a freely available gas in the air, this new version of fuel, to the UK, gives less miles per litre which in combination with the every decreasing fuel tank size means even less range in the car leading to both range and cost anxiety.