On Tue, Nov 5, 2024 at 1:08 AM Erik Christiansen via Dng
<dng@???> wrote:
>
> On 03.11.24 12:55, Steve Litt wrote:
> > o1bigtenor said on Sun, 3 Nov 2024 06:55:25 -0600
> >
> > >Can't comment on the differences between learning Python and C but I
> > >can tell you that if you learn to drive using a manual transmission
> > >you won't have to 'learn' how to drive using an automatic.
> >
> > The preceding is a true statement. Read on.
>
> And an EV is just another kind of automatic - same pedals, just more
> torque at the bottom, and smoooooooth to the top.
>
> It may seem odd that a 70 yo assembler/Postscript nut drives an EV, but
> my 24 yo ute (USA: small/medium pickup) blew up while moving house. (I'm
> not sure that carting parts of a 3/4 ton lathe and one ton mill did it a
> lot of good.) Settled for an MG4 ... and a trailer 'cos the MG4 isn't a
> ute. (The only thing wrong with it, apart from just 300 km range - an
> issue until fast chargers proliferate here in Australia. Probably less
> of an issue in USA and Europe, I'm guessing.)
>
> With 27 kW of solar panels, and 46 kWh of LiFePO₄ house batteries, even
> off-grid I've done the first 6,000 km entirely on fossil-free photons.
> (Cost-free too. Shhh!) And they're cheap to buy now.
>
> With energy to burn, I'm trying to source a compact electric tractor.
> Several manufacturers have them coming "real soon now", but that's been
> the case for a couple of years. Getting several hours of hard work out
> of an affordable little tractor seems to depend on falling battery
> prices, and we're not there yet.
>
> After 45 years of driving manuals, I was surprised by the ease of converting to two-pedal driving.

I would never deny that its easy. Dunno if you quite get the extent of weather
conditions like I get to experience (think Karl also gets a wck load!!).

Your story of loving your EV machine - - - heard of someone who came into the
area from I think southern Ontario (so its some 2400 km (1600 miles) away) to
buy or maybe it was (wasn't stated) to just pick up an EV pickup
truck. Well in the
process of getting back to where he was from not only did it take him
about a week
(should have been less than 2 days of driving) due to problems and breakdown but
he also had already traded that pickup off on - - - a gas job - - - -
rotflmho!!!!
Last winter some 1600 km mainly west and somewhat north of me the had a cold
snap - - - -45 C on a couple mornings and then warming (!!) to about
-42 to -40 for
a few more days - - - a buddy sent me a pic of an electric car parked
in the snow on
the side of the road being charged from a welding rig on the back of a
pickup. I wonder
how many of those electric cars found new homes after that episode.

Have considered getting solar panels except it seems we have some kind
of proclivity for
getting some 20 to even 35 or more overcast days in the time period
from Nov 15 to Feb
15th - - - so a backup generator would be a serious necessity - - -
likely not going to happen
any time soon although I would love to go off grid!

Then there is the cost of those EV vehicles - - - - I just can't make
them pencil out.

If you are serious about an electric tractor - - - - reply and I will
get you some info sent.
There is a Dutch company where they even seem somewhat affordable. The
offerings
so far from the Big manufacturers are running in the upper $200k (Can)
in cost for a
moderate sized utility tractor with a 4 hour run time (largely a show
piece item imo)
which I don't think you're talking about for expense.

Interesting digressions from the programming languages!!!

Regards