Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Richard230]

Now this is an interesting development: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/10/chevrolet-readies-an-electric-crate-motor-for-homebuilt-ev-hotrods/

[TheRan]

Reading that article I was thinking to myself that would never happen, far too much liability for such a large company, until I got to the second to last paragraph and saw that they're actually going to do it. I did notice however that they're going to be certifying installers, makes me wonder if they'll be the only ones who can buy the kit and they won't be selling directly to the public.

[Crissa]

What's the liability?

-Crissa

[TheRan]

People screwing up the installation and hurting or killing themselves or others.

[Crissa]

How is that different than their other crate motors?

-Crissa

[TheRan]

Because an ICE is a lot less dangerous and they don't sell them as a complete kit, and it takes greater qualifications to work on an electric drivetrain. With an electric kit you don't even need to attempt to put it into a vehicle to kill yourself, all it takes is accidentally sticking something conductive where it shouldn't be. An engine on the other hand on its own is no more dangerous than a lump of metal of equivalent weight.

[Fran K]

Now this is an interesting development: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/10/chevrolet-readies-an-electric-crate-motor-for-homebuilt-ev-hotrods/

Quite intresting though the title seems far from the text.
That vehicle in the picture is essentially a pick up truck frame and can tow.  The chevy bolt is not close to that.  The duty rating seems going up a few times.

minute 53 for use in multiple platforms

[Crissa]

If you haven't thought about how you can kill yourself with an ICE engine, you haven't thought hard enough.   All the fluids are toxic and very flammable, it's much heavier, and you can kill yourself by fire, impact, or suffocation just by turning it over.

-Crissa

[TheRan]

The block on its own won't do anything other than crush you. Chevy don't sell you the fluids or anything else needed to get the engine to run, or blow up. It's a fair assumption that anyone with the ability to know what parts are needed to get the engine to run and to assemble it all so that it does run is also unlikely to drink the coolant or oil or wave a blowtorch about near the gas tank.

[MVetter]

Yeah it's so often I am around mechanics working on gas engines who have to say, "ok now make sure you do not touch this part. If you touch this part you will straight up die immediately and painfully"

Never hear that when working around 300+ volts. Totes safe.

[Crissa]

You guys really over-rate mechanics, from the ones I've known.

-Crissa

[MVetter]

rip the hundreds thousands of mechanics who have touched the wrong part


PLEASE SAY A PRAYER

[Crissa]

I suppose that's why electricians (managerial and no) have a lower on-job death rate than mechanics... https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/01/02/25-most-dangerous-jobs-in-america-2

*shrug*

Yes, don't touch that.

-Crissa

[MVetter]

Entirely appropriate stat since there are equal parts of gas car people and EV owners requesting maintenance. It means I can compare them as apples to apples. Jesus christ I am so smart.