On 5 Oct 2002 at 8:43, mechelaere wrote:

> - garages dealers + personel make anti- publicity
>           when you ask about them .

It sounds like PSA is cooperative, but their dealers are not.

>  - nicads (100 Ah give problems after 10.000 to 30.000km.

This is not the first time I've heard about problems with the Safts in the 
PSA vehicles.  I wonder if the charging algorithm is faulty.  Axel Krause of 
Brusa has 80,000km on his Mini-Evergreen with 180 volts' worth of these 
modules, and they are still delivering full capacity.

It may also be a temperature problem.  Nicads aren't as touchy as NiMH, but 
they don't like heat.  Cycle life begins to suffer at ambient temperatures 
over 30 deg C, and IMO they really shouldn't be used at all when the temp 
hits 40 deg C.  In a relatively low-voltage application (120 volts), the 
higher current would exacerbate any heat problem. 

> when one nicad is bad they switch a part(box) of the pack (boxes)

This isn't too surprising.  As I understand it, the battery trays are 
assembled at Saft, and they probably want to carry out any repairs required. 
Saft also assembled the trays for the Pivco Citibees, and the modules were 
GLUED into the trays. 

> + doing a special equalisation charge costs 250$ 

There were similar complaints about the Think in California.  It does seem 
excessive.

> - speed in the city is enough but on the highway's around Paris
>           standard speed is 110km/h.Driving at 80KM/h is dangourous and
> shortens range ...

Same problem here.

> -nicads seemed to be banned in a few years due to environimental
> cadmium reason
>  - garages do not know what to do with old nicads and often throw
> them away  with lead batteries

This is a grave concern.  The recycling facilities are available and the law 
prohibits improper disposal.  

It sounds like the workshops doing the service have been poorly trained.  
Again, exactly the same problem has afflicted EV pilot programs in the US.

> I ended up with a total dismantled car without batteries.

Can you not rent the batteries yourself?  

Thank you for the synopsis of the European EV situation.  I wish it were a 
more positive one, but at least we know more about it now.


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David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
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