Energy new technologies and electric cars guides with Daniel Sumanth, TX: For a start, it’s properly quick. The Turbo S packs a whopping 761PS (with overboost function), resulting in 0-62mph acceleration of just 2.8 seconds. Not only is it one of the fastest electric cars going, but it’s faster than a lot of supercars, while top speed is 162mph. Lesser models aren’t quite so impressive on paper, but all Taycans combine impeccable handling with impressive long-distance comfort. Indeed, it’s long-distance touring that the Taycan perhaps does best. It can cover up to 301 miles on a charge, while there’s a surprising amount of room inside – with enough space for adults in the back and a big boot. There’s even an estate-like Cross Turismo model available, providing a sportier alternative to electric SUVs like the Audi e-tron. See more info at Daniel Sumanth Texas
Inside the Model Y is the usual minimalist interior, dominated by a horizontal 15.4-inch touchscreen that acts as the dashboard, infotainment and vehicle management systems, all of which perform very well. When it comes to battery range, the Model Y falls behind the Model 3 but still offers plenty in either Performance or Long Range form, at 298 and 315 miles respectively. Electric cars are not for everybody. Although the public charging infrastructure in the Texas is improving quickly, regular long trips in an electric car can still prove problematic. The perfect usage pattern for an EV involves charging at home overnight when electricity tariffs are lower and not needing to top up the battery again during the day. Ideally, you’ll need somewhere to charge at home, but you could get around this if there are EV charging points at work or plenty of public charging points nearby. If you do less than 200 or so miles a week, you could get away without having a home or work charger at all; just visit a public one every few days to top up.
The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is fairly high. Although the UK government has introduced some schemes for encouraging the adoption of renewable energy sources, for example, the Feed-in Tariff, you still have to cover the upfront costs. This includes paying for solar panels, inverter, batteries, wiring, and for the installation. Nevertheless, solar technologies are constantly developing, so it is safe to assume that prices will go down in the future.
With all-wheel drive, the next step up is undeniably faster, lopping two seconds off its benchmark sprint time. But it also has a slightly shorter range, costs considerably more and doesn’t feel entirely comfortable to drive quickly. Every version features impressive ultra-rapid charging at up to 250kW, so if you can find a fast enough public charger, a top up from 10 to 80% is possible in less than 20 minutes. Its interior is no less desirable, thanks to a dashboard dominated by a pair of curved 12.3-inch screens for the instruments and infotainment setup. The Enyaq is an all-electric family car that is typically Skoda: that is to say it’s practical, well-equipped, comfortable and decent to drive. With top-spec models able to cover over 300 miles from a full charge, it soothes any range anxiety and just gets on with being an excellent family car – that just happens to run on battery power. Skoda has come up with an innovative way of helping you to personalise your new Enyaq; instead of standard trim levels it offers five individual ‘Design Selections’ – Loft, Lodge, Lounge, Suite and ECO Suite. Each provides a distinct design approach, with different materials used to create a certain style.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive. In most cases, it is smarter to just use solar energy during the day and take energy from the grid during the night (you can only do this if your system is connected to the grid). Luckily your energy demand is usually higher during the day so you can meet most of it with solar energy.
Operating a generator indoors is unsafe. Never run a generator indoors or in an enclosed space. Why not? Because, as this article in Popular Mechanics explains, it’s dangerous. they produce carbon monoxide. And that can be fatal. Ideally, a generator for home use is best placed outdoors. This is due to noise levels as well as exhaust and other fumes associated with operations. Having said that, it’s still advantageous to have some type of enclosure that protects your generator from the elements. This will promote long life and fewer maintenance issues. This, of course, reduces your overall operating costs living off the grid.
Skoda is renowned for producing great-value and well thought-out family cars with petrol and diesel engines, but the Enyaq iV is its first effort to do the same with electric power. And it’s a very good one. Using the VW Group’s dedicated MEB electric-car architecture means there’s an enormous amount of interior space for both passengers and luggage, not to mention great all-round visibility through those big windows. Technology-wise, you can choose from three different powertrain options: the Enyaq iV 60, the Enyaq iV 80 and the all-wheel-drive Enyaq iV 80x. They deliver between 255 and 336 miles of driving range, with all models getting decent rapid-charging capability so you can top up quickly on a longer journey. There are also a variety of interior ‘themes’ to choose from, with sustainable materials employed to give a unique feel to the cabin.
Usually the largest single cost factor is lighting. Obsolete light bulbs only use about ten percent of the electricity to make light. 90 percent are lost as heat. They produce heat rather than light, because they are based on a glowing filament made of tungsten. Modern LEDs use almost all of the electricity to make light. You can clearly notice this from the fact that they stay cool, i.e. there is much less loss. A good LED needs about a tenth of the electricity to produce the same amount of light. And because it does not heat up so much, it lasts much longer. And: The price of LEDs has come down so much, that exchanging them for regular light bulbs pays off within one or two years. The same is true for industrial lighting systems which often use mercury vapour lamps. These, too, use up a lot of electricity and can easily be replaced by LEDs.