Ramblings of a 70-year old: electric vehicles

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

The Chinese XPeng X2 two-seater flying car completed the first public test flight in Dubai

Flying cars like the XPeng X2 could revolutionize urban transport. These would take the load away from city life transportation. Obviously, traffic on the roads would reduce and make them more friendly for pedestrians and cyclists. Electric vehicles like the XPeng X2 would also reduce carbon emissions. Flying cars are still in the infancy stage but by successfully completing the first public test flight of its two-seater flying car the Chinese XPeng X2 has sent out a message. They did this at GITEX technology expo in Dubai. The flying car lifts vertically off the ground. It does not need any runway, is therefore suitable for built-up urban areas and can carry two passengers. moreover, it is fully electric, can climb at a rate of around two meters per second and reach speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. XPeng flying car takes to the air in Dubai. The duration of the test flight was just 90 seconds. An official of XPeng Aeroht says the technology is close to being ready for public use. However, regulations related to flying cars are still developing.

The company plans to work with governments to establish a physical regulatory infrastructure for flying cars in urban areas. It is quite possible that people would be able to use this mode of transport within five years. The Chinese government plans to launch flying taxis by 2025. Incidentally, the XPeng X2 is equipped with AI automation and can be driven manually or it can be set to self-drive. Right now, there are other flying cars under development around the world, and many of them actually fly. Examples are the Canadian firm Opener's "BlackFly," SkyDrive Inc's "SD-03" and Klein Vision's prototype "AirCar." The last one made a successful 35-minute test-flight between two cities in Slovakia last year.

Friday, August 26, 2022

California to go electric by 2035 with more climate-friendly vehicles

Let us have more climate-friendly vehicles is the intention of California. It is evolving plans to give more thrust to manufacture vehicles that run on electricity or hydrogen. The state wants to wean people way from gas-powered cars. Automobile manufacturers need to explore alternatives. Of course, people can continue to operate gas-fueled vehicles and purchase used ones after 2035. The broad plan is to permit one-fifth of sales after 2035 to be plug-in hybrids that can run on batteries and gas. It would mean an end to filling up at the local gas station. Moreover, the change over from gas to electric cars will be environment friendly and reduce carbon emissions and air pollutants. Incidentally, California is the seventh-largest oil producing state. Its output is on the decline in view of its willingness to push forward its climate goals. Consequently, the transition might be painful in some parts of the state. California Poised to Phase Out Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars. As Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said - “The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution."

The Governor had announced the 2035 goal two years ago. Subsequently, regulators have worked out the details of the action that has to be taken to ensure that our planet can cater to future generations. The road is ridden with practical hurdles. One of these is the scarcity of adequate reliable power and charging stations. At present, there are about 80,000 stations in public places. This is against a requirement of about 250,000 by 2025. The challengers include the lack of infrastructure, access to materials needed to make batteries, and issues related to the supply chain. There is a need for the authorities to address these hurdles. Climate officials in California believe its new policy will be the most ambitious in the world. It has already set clear benchmarks for ramping up electric vehicle sales over the next dozen years. This is now a global target. The European Parliament, Canada and China are in the same frequency.