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Interesting taxi

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by hkmb, Aug 25, 2014.

  1. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    I was in Hangzhou yesterday for some meetings.

    Most of the taxis there are Hyundai Sonatas. Some run on petrol, some on LPG and a growing number run on CNG. The CNG ones run nicely, but they do have a fairly big tank in the boot/trunk which limits cargo capacity.

    I'd seen all of these before.

    But this time round, I saw this.

    IMG_20140825_132851.jpg

    Unfortunately, they were all full, so I didn't get to ride one.

    It was an electric Fiat Multipla, made by a Hangzhou-based company called Zotye.

    I spoke to the Zhejiang government person I was with about them. Apparently, they've been around for three years or so. One did burst into flames when some idiot in a GTR crashed into it in 2011 (idiots in GTRs are a common problem in Hangzhou, although they're not as common as idiots in Cayennes). But since then there've been no problems, and they're very popular with drivers and passengers: they're quiet and comfortable, and they take six people (including the driver) rather than the five you can get into a Sonata.

    My other car excitement was seeing my first Tesla Model S in Shanghai last night. We don't have them in Australia yet, so this was the first time I'd seen on in the flesh. It was very nice indeed.
     
    #1 hkmb, Aug 25, 2014
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  2. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Incidentally, the lady next to the taxi is on an electric scooter: they're the most common form of personal transport in urban China these days. They've solved the problem of charging in a country where people don't have garages by having removable batteries that you can take up to your apartment to charge overnight.
     
    #2 hkmb, Aug 25, 2014
  3. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Electric scooters far outnumber gasoline (petrol) versions in any city I have visited here. In smaller towns and villages it is all gas though. Range and 'refill' times.

    All of the battery chargers I have seen are old-school transformer+ rectifier, and they seem to throw a lot of heat. I wonder how much more efficient this transportation sector could be made with modern charger technology. There are multimillions of these scooters...

    Will also mention that one bus ride in Kunming was in a hybrid with a fascinating motor/engine energy flow display. No camera in hand, so you'll have to trust me.
     
    #3 tochatihu, Aug 26, 2014
  4. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    So why are these products not sold elsewhere? I imagine they'd be cheap enough. Is it a big massive conspiracy or just that they're a little rough round the edges and wouldn't comply with safety or warranty requirements?

    (the electric scooters are sold over here and are very very cheap, but I think that's part of the problem. Who'd trust a £500 Chinese non branded electric scooter with no guarantee or warranty, compared to a £2,500 Peugeot petrol version?)

    And I forgot to add. We're not doing so badly over here. The city near to me is replacing it's Park & Ride buses with electric versions.

    [​IMG]
     
    #4 GrumpyCabbie, Aug 26, 2014
  5. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    I seem to have some sort of connectivity problem and can't quote properly.

    Anyway, yes, the batteries for the electric scooters are pretty old-tech. I think BYD is working on this at the moment.

    I wish we had hybrid buses in Sydney: the buses turn around near my place, and they have very loud CNG or diesel engines, most of them badly-tuned and with loose fanbelts. It'd be great if they could do their manoeuvring on electric power (and if they could turn off their reversing alarms).
     
    #5 hkmb, Aug 26, 2014
  6. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Ah. It's working now.

    But I can't see the pictures. Which city are the electric buses in? I know Oxford's had them for a while.

    I think the rough-around-the-edges thing is the main reason.
     
    #6 hkmb, Aug 26, 2014
  7. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    internet search Chinese electric bike or Chinese electric scooter and read all about it
    Media calls them dangerous (silent) but this is so only on very smooth surfaces. They announce themselves quite well over each bump.
    Closer to topic, someone might find information of the populations of conventional fuel or alternative fuel taxis in China, etc. I think the highest proportion of alt fuel is in Bejing, but I have no hard data.
     
    #7 tochatihu, Aug 26, 2014
  8. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Cross-post from the CNG thread.


     
    #8 hkmb, Sep 2, 2014
  9. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Here are the pics in question.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #9 hkmb, Sep 2, 2014
  10. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    lol so you'd be in trouble if you had anything but the smallest suitcase?

    I'd have been pulled off the road and got a good talking to by our taxi inspector if I kept my boot as messy and dirty as that! What's the mystery stain? is it damp?
     
    #10 GrumpyCabbie, Sep 2, 2014
  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Do you really want to know?
     
    #11 Trollbait, Sep 2, 2014
  12. hkmb

    hkmb Senior Member

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    Yes, it's a massive pain in the arse. The boot was useless.

    Ummm..... what can I say? I was very excited to see a CNG taxi when we'd just been talking about them and I ... well ... I lost control.
     
    #12 hkmb, Sep 2, 2014
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