The weak link in the chain of EV adoption right now is what you do with it after 3 years, especially in warmer climates.. Here's how you create a used EV industry.
(1) Read or skim this article. Do the math $200/kwh * 24kwh. Now imagine a $4800 battery replacement for your 2011 Leaf.
(2) Get a handful of electrical engineers and mechanical engineers enthusiastic about EVs to do what Nissan isn't willing to do and the existing Auto Parts/Service industry isn't ready to do. Buy and Sell batteries, and service EVs.
(3) Get some funding and buy a bunch of Old 2011 and 2012 Leafs. The re-sale value is ****, so this should be the easiest part of the equation.
(4) Figure out how to refurbish the old batteries to 100% or 12 bars.
(5) Get technical schematics on all EV models and create documentation and training to create blue collar mechanic jobs. These mechanics will be responsible for battery swaps (maybe with assistance from a machine) and general EV servicing and repair.
(6) Offer refurbished batteries for a reasonable price with the requirement that consumers trade-in their old battery, allowing you to replace the battery you just sold, and lower the price for the consumer. Then refurbish that old battery and rinse and repeat.
(7) Offer a 1 year or 10,000 mile 12 bar guarantee. Then have the option to pay for battery insurance at $20-$50 per bar per month after that.
(8) Make sure each one of your shops is solar powered and off-grid, with battery backup using old leaf batteries. This will allow you to operate in 3rd world countries and outcompete the competition cuz you'll actually have electricity to work. Also, provide charging for EV's at all your stations.
(9) Invest in R&D to create your own after-market battery system to sell to automakers and consumers.
(10) Create a Desert Package version of your designed battery for EV's in hostile climates to use.
(11) Create a charging network based off of solar panels and battery backups using repurposed EV batteries. Think Tesla's Superchargers. Make it free for anyone who buys a battery from you. Paid for everyone else.
(12) Make sure every building you erect and every parking lot is covered in solar panels. This way you can become a sort of utility company in a small way. This way you can sell back electricity to the grid if you wish, or even provide your own grid to communities in underdeveloped countries.
So think of it as a Company that:
- is off grid
- is solar powered
- Services EVs
- Repurposes and Refurbishes old EV batteries
- provides charging infrastructure at a cost to consumers
- Eventually Designs and produces new batteries to sell to various industries (think electronics and automakers)
- Provides Utility services and a smart grid
It's not that complicated. It's just a mix of math, science, and willpower. Create a demand and someone somewhere will fill that demand. Might be me, might be someone else.
I've been tossing around ideas of starting a company that is centered around solar power and battery refurbishment for use in company infrastructure, and creating services and products to sell. I've got enough on my plate for the next 2 years that I could care less whether I actually do this or someone else runs with it, but It's unrealistic for us to expect Nissan or other EV manufacturers to give us everything we want.
The used EV market is going to be huge, because EV's have fewer moving parts and will last much longer than normal ICEs (not the battery of course). There's 60,000 Leafs worldwide that will be out of warranty in 5 years, and 60,000 24 kwh battery packs people are going to want to get rid of. Not even taking into account other EV brands.
Moreover, EV's have one major consumer weakness: The technology is advancing so fast that your EV resale value will be **** after 3-4 years. I've owned my 2012 SL Leaf for 1 year 8 months and just a few days ago a dealer solicited me $21k for it (not that I actually want to sell it to them). Meanwhile I paid $44k for it with all the upgrades and 2 year extended Silver Plan from Nissan. Why buy a used 2011 or 2012 EV with 60 mile range or "about" $100 a month battery lease when you can buy a brand new 2014 or 2015 EV with 200 mile range and improved features. A battery repurposing business could turn that weakness into a strength. Buy an EV and never HAVE to buy a car again. Especially if they could upgrade the range on your old EV. Imagine 2011 Leafs with 300 mile range after-market batteries.
I'm familiar with corporate greed and I can promise you that the dream of car companies (maybe with the exception of Tesla) is for you to lease every car you buy and replace it every year like an iPhone, and the dream of utilities is for you to pay $2 or more per kwh even though today we only pay $0.05-$0.45 per kwh.
EV's will only be economical for the early adopter who invested in solar, until the Auto makers and Utilities find a way to make it all as expensive as ICE's and fossil fuels. Unless someone does something about it. Solar panels and battery repurposing are the way out of corporate greed and price gouging that I foresee.
Total tangent: I leased my fiancee a 2013 Leaf, but I like my 2012 way better. 2013 is stiff, gets less miles/kwh for some reason (might be the new tires have more friction), and is missing electronic parking brake and adjustable headlamps, etc. I plan on keeping my 2012 Leaf for a long time to get the most bang for my EV buck, and make it my little science project. I only did a 2 year lease on the 2013 so I can get her a Tesla Model X when it comes out; I trust Tesla to do EV's right. I don't trust other manufacturers so much. Elon Musk has done exactly what I would have done if I owned an EV car company, right down to the off-grid superchargers. Love that guy!
(1) Read or skim this article. Do the math $200/kwh * 24kwh. Now imagine a $4800 battery replacement for your 2011 Leaf.
(2) Get a handful of electrical engineers and mechanical engineers enthusiastic about EVs to do what Nissan isn't willing to do and the existing Auto Parts/Service industry isn't ready to do. Buy and Sell batteries, and service EVs.
(3) Get some funding and buy a bunch of Old 2011 and 2012 Leafs. The re-sale value is ****, so this should be the easiest part of the equation.
(4) Figure out how to refurbish the old batteries to 100% or 12 bars.
(5) Get technical schematics on all EV models and create documentation and training to create blue collar mechanic jobs. These mechanics will be responsible for battery swaps (maybe with assistance from a machine) and general EV servicing and repair.
(6) Offer refurbished batteries for a reasonable price with the requirement that consumers trade-in their old battery, allowing you to replace the battery you just sold, and lower the price for the consumer. Then refurbish that old battery and rinse and repeat.
(7) Offer a 1 year or 10,000 mile 12 bar guarantee. Then have the option to pay for battery insurance at $20-$50 per bar per month after that.
(8) Make sure each one of your shops is solar powered and off-grid, with battery backup using old leaf batteries. This will allow you to operate in 3rd world countries and outcompete the competition cuz you'll actually have electricity to work. Also, provide charging for EV's at all your stations.
(9) Invest in R&D to create your own after-market battery system to sell to automakers and consumers.
(10) Create a Desert Package version of your designed battery for EV's in hostile climates to use.
(11) Create a charging network based off of solar panels and battery backups using repurposed EV batteries. Think Tesla's Superchargers. Make it free for anyone who buys a battery from you. Paid for everyone else.
(12) Make sure every building you erect and every parking lot is covered in solar panels. This way you can become a sort of utility company in a small way. This way you can sell back electricity to the grid if you wish, or even provide your own grid to communities in underdeveloped countries.
So think of it as a Company that:
- is off grid
- is solar powered
- Services EVs
- Repurposes and Refurbishes old EV batteries
- provides charging infrastructure at a cost to consumers
- Eventually Designs and produces new batteries to sell to various industries (think electronics and automakers)
- Provides Utility services and a smart grid
It's not that complicated. It's just a mix of math, science, and willpower. Create a demand and someone somewhere will fill that demand. Might be me, might be someone else.
I've been tossing around ideas of starting a company that is centered around solar power and battery refurbishment for use in company infrastructure, and creating services and products to sell. I've got enough on my plate for the next 2 years that I could care less whether I actually do this or someone else runs with it, but It's unrealistic for us to expect Nissan or other EV manufacturers to give us everything we want.
The used EV market is going to be huge, because EV's have fewer moving parts and will last much longer than normal ICEs (not the battery of course). There's 60,000 Leafs worldwide that will be out of warranty in 5 years, and 60,000 24 kwh battery packs people are going to want to get rid of. Not even taking into account other EV brands.
Moreover, EV's have one major consumer weakness: The technology is advancing so fast that your EV resale value will be **** after 3-4 years. I've owned my 2012 SL Leaf for 1 year 8 months and just a few days ago a dealer solicited me $21k for it (not that I actually want to sell it to them). Meanwhile I paid $44k for it with all the upgrades and 2 year extended Silver Plan from Nissan. Why buy a used 2011 or 2012 EV with 60 mile range or "about" $100 a month battery lease when you can buy a brand new 2014 or 2015 EV with 200 mile range and improved features. A battery repurposing business could turn that weakness into a strength. Buy an EV and never HAVE to buy a car again. Especially if they could upgrade the range on your old EV. Imagine 2011 Leafs with 300 mile range after-market batteries.
I'm familiar with corporate greed and I can promise you that the dream of car companies (maybe with the exception of Tesla) is for you to lease every car you buy and replace it every year like an iPhone, and the dream of utilities is for you to pay $2 or more per kwh even though today we only pay $0.05-$0.45 per kwh.
EV's will only be economical for the early adopter who invested in solar, until the Auto makers and Utilities find a way to make it all as expensive as ICE's and fossil fuels. Unless someone does something about it. Solar panels and battery repurposing are the way out of corporate greed and price gouging that I foresee.
Total tangent: I leased my fiancee a 2013 Leaf, but I like my 2012 way better. 2013 is stiff, gets less miles/kwh for some reason (might be the new tires have more friction), and is missing electronic parking brake and adjustable headlamps, etc. I plan on keeping my 2012 Leaf for a long time to get the most bang for my EV buck, and make it my little science project. I only did a 2 year lease on the 2013 so I can get her a Tesla Model X when it comes out; I trust Tesla to do EV's right. I don't trust other manufacturers so much. Elon Musk has done exactly what I would have done if I owned an EV car company, right down to the off-grid superchargers. Love that guy!
