Remembering the Electric Commodore

[Sprintey]

With GM being ahead of electric, then cancelling that, and much later going all-in so hard they bypassed hybrid, and now eating their hat and going back to hybrid, I thought it was time to go back to some of their pioneering electrification:

The electric VE Commodore:

https://thedriven.io/2021/11/01/the-...-ve-commodore/

https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...-record-31483/

swappable batteries, imagine that!

And long before that, a hybrid VT:

https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/2...ric-commodore/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFs8cZOQSvA

way cooler looking than equivalent Prius.

They were so far ahead of the game they are behind.

[Franco Cozzo]

Technically their first EV was a VN Commodore:

As told by China Car History, an engineer by the name of Yuan Jia Zhen working at Beijing Second Auto Works judged the BJ6490 a great basis for an EV because the wagon body allowed so many golf cart batteries to be stuffed inside.

The result was a car named the BJ6940D that had a range of about 100km and a top speed of 92km/h.

It was this vehicle Yuan convinced Wang to buy for 140,000 RMB (about $A30,000 today) when he heard he was considering importing an EV to research the technology.

As the China Car History story relates: “According to Mr Yuan this was therefore the first public sale of an electric vehicle in China”.

If that’s true, then there’s some added piquancy to it all considering China is now a key driver of global EV take-up, and BYD is amongst the foremost manufacturers of EVs and is considering building them in Australia.

But the story doesn’t end there as BYD acquired a second BJ6490D that was later converted to hybrid power. More modern batteries delivered this car a range of 200km, which is pretty respectable.

Yuan spotted it being used as unregistered transport within BYD’s Shenzen factory premises when he visited in 2002.

https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...modore-124410/

BYD's EV program was inspired by a VN Commodore, thats hilarious.

[Sprintey]

Great find. They also had a ship and exported to Thailand back in the 1960s...

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

BYD's EV program was inspired by a VN Commodore, thats hilarious.

In 1942, during WW2, the British had the idea for a basic cheap "Light Fleet Carrier" that could be rushed into production. And most importantly, by forgoing speed and advanced construction, could be built by 2nd-tier civilian ship yards, using existing surplus materials and parts.

One of these was only just finished basic construction in time for the end of the war, and was left sitting. It was eventually finished off, and sold to Australia, where after many delays she entered service as HMAS Melbourne.

The Melbourne was so small that towards the end of her life, she could only carry 4 small jets, and by the end of the 70's she was unfit to operate modern aircraft. She was paid off in 1982.

The Melbourne, tiny, 40 years old, and beyond obsolete, was sold for scrap. But in a secret deal, she was purchased by the Chinese Government, who use the Melbourne to learn how to design their own aircraft carriers, and to train their pilots.

[Bill M]

Some of the development engineers of the Electric VT based Commode are real petrol heads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liQgFjmApAU

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

In 1942, during WW2, the British had the idea for a basic cheap "Light Fleet Carrier" that could be rushed into production. And most importantly, by forgoing speed and advanced construction, could be built by 2nd-tier civilian ship yards, using existing surplus materials and parts.

One of these was only just finished basic construction in time for the end of the war, and was left sitting. It was eventually finished off, and sold to Australia, where after many delays she entered service as HMAS Melbourne.

The Melbourne was so small that towards the end of her life, she could only carry 4 small jets, and by the end of the 70's she was unfit to operate modern aircraft. She was paid off in 1982.

The Melbourne, tiny, 40 years old, and beyond obsolete, was sold for scrap. But in a secret deal, she was purchased by the Chinese Government, who use the Melbourne to learn how to design their own aircraft carriers, and to train their pilots.

Awesome bit of history there Dazz, the light fleets ended up being used by many navies. You might like this Aussie fella's site, some real historical excellence here:

https://www.armouredcarriers.com/

Out of interest & more recently HMS Ocean - helicopter carrier - was built to commercial standards (Invincible class hull, but without the military extra survivability) and was a resounding success. Now in Brazilian service.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Bill M

Some of the development engineers of the Electric VT based Commode are real petrol heads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liQgFjmApAU

That was really good, if only!

[Franco Cozzo]

If you were the engineers on those projects you'd be pretty upset in this day and age given how Tesla and Toyota got the jump on everyone when you did it decades prior.

Makes me wonder what else the engineers did over the decades that we never saw.

[Sprintey]

If you were the engineers you'd hope to be retired now! What path is for them these days, defence?

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

If you were the engineers you'd hope to be retired now! What path is for them these days, defence?

The ones I know of are in defense, aerospace and bio medical instrument R&D.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

If you were the engineers you'd hope to be retired now! What path is for them these days, defence?

Drive Uber or work for couriers please like the 500,000 'mechanical engineers' we pull into the country every year because of the 'skills shortage'.

There's a few roles in defence and public transport manufacturing but it's not much, we don't really 'make' anything anymore we're a 'service' economy (see NDIS rorts)

[whynot]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

If you were the engineers you'd hope to be retired now! What path is for them these days, defence?

RantMode = true

There is a massive shortage of engineering talent in Australia at present. Across all levels; professional registered engineers, engineering technologist, advanced trade engineering, and engineering based trades.

The electricity grid is going gangbusters building new network for the ALP / Greens / Teal "Powering Australian" policy. Not only does that require electrical engineers, it requires a lot of civil engineering for building transmission lines and substations. There is a crippling shortage of control systems engineers (i.e. those who design and maintain the cyber-physical interface and the Operational Technology Environments), and there is a mountain of work to integrate domestic renewable resources (solar PV and batteries) into the grid via Dynamic Operating Envelopes.

So to is all of the large infrastructure projects; dams, inland rail, road tunnels, high rise buildings. This absorbs a lot of engineering capability, to the point that it is removing engineering capacity for bread 'n butter projects (like simple housing estates).

Then along comes Defence as tail-end-Charlie. In an country that effectively has full employment (if you can correctly spell "engineer" you have a job), Defence is trying to start up the highest demanding of all engineering streams - nuclear drivetrains in subs. To make life harder for Defence, the public servants who run the renumeration (mainly Arts Degree graduates) in the Australian Public Service insist that a highly qualified engineer within Defence can only be paid APS6 (they can earn 3-4 times that outside).

Adding to the problem is the present woke based schooling (nicely captured by the left) that focus on "the important things" and places teaching skills like advanced maths and physics in the too hard basket. For example, how many Grade 11 and Grade 12 students these days have even been exposed to vector maths? Yet, vector maths is one of the foundation tools for electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering.

Any engineering graduate who exits University in 2024 has survived a run through the most incredible gauntlet via passion, hard work, and the ability to pick up a text book to autodidact (teach themselves).

Australia has some of the best and brightest engineering talent in the world (across the gamut from registered engineer to engineering trades).

And what do we do with them once they are in gainful employment? Why, we burn up their productive time in useless meetings, listening to non-engineering managers (and their lackies) lecture them on how to be more productive.

RantMode = false

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by whynot

RantMode = true

There is a massive shortage of engineering talent in Australia at present. Across all levels; professional registered engineers, engineering technologist, advanced trade engineering, and engineering based trades.

The electricity grid is going gangbusters building new network for the ALP / Greens / Teal "Powering Australian" policy. Not only does that require electrical engineers, it requires a lot of civil engineering for building transmission lines and substations. There is a crippling shortage of control systems engineers (i.e. those who design and maintain the cyber-physical interface and the Operational Technology Environments), and there is a mountain of work to integrate domestic renewable resources (solar PV and batteries) into the grid via Dynamic Operating Envelopes.

So to is all of the large infrastructure projects; dams, inland rail, road tunnels, high rise buildings. This absorbs a lot of engineering capability, to the point that it is removing engineering capacity for bread 'n butter projects (like simple housing estates).

Then along comes Defence as tail-end-Charlie. In an country that effectively has full employment (if you can correctly spell "engineer" you have a job), Defence is trying to start up the highest demanding of all engineering streams - nuclear drivetrains in subs. To make life harder for Defence, the public servants who run the renumeration (mainly Arts Degree graduates) in the Australian Public Service insist that a highly qualified engineer within Defence can only be paid APS6 (they can earn 3-4 times that outside).

Adding to the problem is the present woke based schooling (nicely captured by the left) that focus on "the important things" and places teaching skills like advanced maths and physics in the too hard basket. For example, how many Grade 11 and Grade 12 students these days have even been exposed to vector maths? Yet, vector maths is one of the foundation tools for electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering.

Any engineering graduate who exits University in 2024 has survived a run through the most incredible gauntlet via passion, hard work, and the ability to pick up a text book to autodidact (teach themselves).

Australia has some of the best and brightest engineering talent in the world (across the gamut from registered engineer to engineering trades).

And what do we do with them once they are in gainful employment? Why, we burn up their productive time in useless meetings, listening to non-engineering managers (and their lackies) lecture them on how to be more productive.

RantMode = false

Oh man so much truth. I had a short spell with FoA then got frustrated and chased mining money. No regrets there other than it not really being my passion but I just like fixing stuff and working with people.

[None-ya]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Technically their first EV was a VN Commodore:



https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...modore-124410/

BYD's EV program was inspired by a VN Commodore, thats hilarious.

That fricking article was the first time I had heard a motor being referred to as ICE - middle finger up at car sales - lol. I'll admit I was a ICE freak before that, first car was a XD Fairmount ( go on youtou and look up ' ford xd commercial)

Seeing that article brought up memory's, didn't mean to intrude

[Sprintey]

So masses of infrastructure build out for the renewable economy - checks out having driven through parts of SA where it is very visible. Yeah we all got caught up in the mining pay whirlwind too. Thanks for the insightful post.

With the nuclear sub driving, Navy officers are going to US nuclear sub school, and in the UK Rolls is spooling up its reactor building ops, taking on many engineers and trades - for they will be the ones building the powerplants for the SSN Aukus subs.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

If you were the engineers you'd hope to be retired now! What path is for them these days, defence?

Tricked up wheelchairs for NDIS.