The weird electric car that I love MORE than any other

We cover a lot of EVs on this channel, but there's one in particular that we feel deserves a little more airtime. Rich is back to talk about one of his favourite electric cars of the year - if not ever - the XBUS.
#EV #XBUS #electriccar
0:00 Intro
1:00 Stats and Facts
2:10 Solar Technology
3:54 Modularity
5:32 Batteries
7:30 The downside
8:09 Charging
8:42 Conclusion
---
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[@ravenfeeder1892]

If the only reason you do 300 mile visits is to go to the in-laws then surely that's a good reason to only have a 100 mile range vehicle? :)

[@TFB-chris]

"Yahhh, Wilhelm, you're killing it"

[@TheYarisu]

did you watch the video though

[@ravenfeeder1892]

@@TheYarisu The fact that I mentioned the 300 mile drive to the in-laws should answer that question.

[@damianmoscetti9999]

Dose anyone know the difference between in-laws and outlaws

[@gkid64]

@@damianmoscetti9999 one is a useful member to society the other is in an in law

[@evil1259]

This EV is beyond decent…I would hope it will become available in the US

[@poplaurentiu4148]

Some things though the iD-Buzz as he suggest that it wont be cool just like the concept he is totally wrong because reservations, orders+deposits can be put and first iD-Buzz'es will be delivered by the end of this year, (if not) there is still another production full electric van also in production Canoe with same thing, they are taking orders & deposits as well.. So yeah..

[@blardymunggas6884]

The X Bus looks like a direct copy of the old school japanese minivan

[@TimGallant]

There is no US market for a vehicle that doesn't go over 60 MPH, in my opinion.

[@samurguybriyongtan146]

@@TimGallant It’s cheap enough to use as a runaround town car, even if it’s bad on the freeway.

[@EricCorbeza]

@@blardymunggas6884 Yup, it looks like a Suzuki Every van with bigger wheels. :))

[@bumstead1383]

This is the only Evehicle I’ve seen that I want to own. Love the concept of multifunctional platforms and adding more battery when needed. I’m going to check this one out.

[@AtanasPaunoff]

I think I have kinda similar feeling right after I watched this video :)

[@timeastman8319]

Me too. Just checked it out, really like the box & bus configurations and the camper looks cool too (but I don't camp). Unfortunately, the configurator doesn't cover the US yet :(

[@Ucceah]

at least have a look at the aptera too. it's another end of the spectrum, and a different sort of awesome. not as utilitarian, but it's gonna be perhaps the most energy efficient road vehicles ever (to this point). especially when compared to the xbus looking to have the aerodynamics of a barn door.

[@SergeiMosin]

Honestly, the modularity has me more interested than anything else on the vehicle. Especially if the conversions can be done at home with minimal need for specialized tools. It would be quite excellent to be able to swap it from a pickup truck for hauling whatever to a van when the kids need to go to soccer practice, and then a camper for... yeah I have no idea what to do with the camper, but the rest of it is a tempting offer.

[@lhtyeehaw1319]

A camper is used for, as the name implies, camping. Try it, it's fun for the whole family!

[@YerluvinunclePete]

I think that these adaptable platforms will significantly increase the adoption of electric vehicles. Being able to customize and upgrade is a big driver of involvement in a technology.

[@deshawnwashington3798]

@@lhtyeehaw1319 Base model is 10kWh and 29 mile range. Camping is 10 miles away?

[@BankruptGreek]

@@deshawnwashington3798 there are plenty of camping spots near where I live in a 29 mile range if not with one/two charges along the way I could travel my entire country. And since a camper is a livable space that's hardly an issue is it? it's said in the video the batteries are expandable and 10 miles are more than enough for the majority of people in my country and many/most countries.

[@deshawnwashington3798]

@@BankruptGreek Sure camp grounds every 29 miles. If people start using those camp grounds charge them $25-$80 per day. Put in a charging station, charge people twice the going grate for electricity. You'll be a great source of revenue. Also, multiple vehicles would be a good idea since 29 miles is 1/10th the normal gas car can travel.

[@danduntz9112]

As an actual licensed therapist, I can field any questions that you have. As for the xbus, this is right up my alley. I don’t like flashy or what every one else has. Function over style, which in this case has both on-hand. I cannot wait to hear more about this vehicle!

[@public.public]

except power failure = no steering = style over function.

[@hugbearsx4]

@@public.public What about braking? I don't remember him addressing this issue but if the brakes are also "electric only", then these two problems virtually combine into an imminent disaster. Braking and steering should always have mechanical failsafe backups, no matter what.

[@kathe.o.]

Dan, Not a licensed therapist, but 💯% with what you said.

[@oceans123]

Great update! Holding an Aptera reservation and whenever the XBus (which has been on our radar for a while) comes to the USA, we'll be @ the head of the line. For less than the cost & weight of a single Model 3, we get 2 solar EVs w/100 times the versatility. Happy New Year...

[@user-td3yi1mq7p]

Nice video, but I feel the need to point out that the lack of "solar powered" EVs is not due to some grand conspiracy but to the limited and rather unreliable energy output of solar cells. On an average car roof you will hardly get more than 1 kW of solar power on a sunny day. Combine that with the cost of solar panels and in the very price competitive EV market most manufacturers come to the conclusion that it's not worth the additional cost.

[@playerroku4412]

Your not suppose to point that out. Don't even think about bringing up where the materials for the batteries are sourced from!

[@Cookiesantos777]

Every couple years solar technology and lithium ion batteries get better, airplanes are about to get revolutionized by batteries, and every year the boo hoos keep 😢.

[@user-td3yi1mq7p]

@@Cookiesantos777 Solar technology can't be so good that it creates more enrgy than the sun delivers. At just over a kW per square meter ther just isn't enough energy coming in to power a car properly. And I don't know where you heard that airplane thing, but there's still a long way to go before they get 'revolutionized' by batteries. This has nothing to do with boohoos, just basic physics, which marketing people like to pretend doesn't exist. Unfortunately lazy tech journalism all too often just repeats press releases from companies without so much as providing proper context for the numbers, leading people to believe there is this grand conspiracy holding back all the good technology

[@playerroku4412]

@TheHighRishMan that's not the issue lol

[@robertoleal8214]

@@Cookiesantos777 There's good scientific research into that. I'll give you the summary. You are 25 to 50 years away of groundbreaking battery related discoveries that will make them competitive vs. h2 for planes and trucks. That said, battery powered cars are a good idea for cities, but for long distance (think your food, goods and other services) not so much.

[@nycbearff]

For me, the deal breaker would be the speed. It needs to be powerful enough to climb hills and to cruise at 80 mph for hours. In the USA, distances between places are often vast, significant inclines can be fifty or a hundred miles long, and if you're going 60mph on most highways, cars going 80 or 90 mph will be whizzing by you. So the speed is necessary even for local driving (a 20 mile drive to work on motorways is not unusual). I'm not too happy with the wireless steering, either - it would have to have enough redundancy built into it to be pretty much error-proof - able to work with both wifi and bluetooth, with a mechanical switch between the two, backup power for both into the drive system, and redundant circuits for both, would make me more comfortable with it. And multiple charging cables to charge different parts of the battery pack, so you can use more than one charging station at a time.

[@deshawnwashington3798]

Fifty to a hundred miles long? The base model of this is 10kWh that's 29 miles and 3hr of 3000w outlet to recharge. Even when upgraded to 30kWh, that's only 87 miles max range.

[@BankruptGreek]

it should be able to handle hills, as torque isn't an issue, as for the steering wheel I assume it's wired, it's just not mechanically linked to the wheels.

[@paulbaker3144]

Drives slower to educate the tailgaters and speeders in anger management. Perfect vehicle. I like the ground clearance.

[@hans8201]

I love the concept of modularity EV platforms! It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I definitely agree this is the future

[@rogergibbs2937]

Should be the future, there are far too many big manufactures that will kill this great idea. Concept fantastic. This is coming from an anti ev stance.

[@deshawnwashington3798]

Why pay for one vehicle, when you pay for the expense of a modular one. Weird no one every pays for modularity in high ticket items, maybe things have changed since forever.

[@RidleyS79]

Great content! Can't wait to see the X-bus on the market.

[@aartkoeman6907]

Super! Did not see you before but I ma glad you are back

[@-rhys]

Fantastic concept. Thanks for making this video.

[@BMWHP2]

I already was totally sold on the Xbus. BTW, 1 batterypack of 8 = 10kWh weighs 72kg. Total capacity is 3 x 10kWh = 216kg. NOT 500kg. The law makers should have changed some 50+ year old laws around cars. Laws that allow 2 or 3 metric ton EV's with 700Hp and 150 mph that propel . . . 1 person to go to work on in countries with a 100kmh speed limit. The Xbus is lightweight, eco friendly, but is prohibited to use more than a 15kW motor on each wheel. Laws should be changed today, to make it possible to use more lightweight EV's. probably the large legacy automakers, like VW, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo etc prevent that from happening.

[@garethbaus5471]

A well built lightweight EV would probably sell like hotcakes if it was reasonably priced.

[@deshawnwashington3798]

Vehicles with $300 tires that weight 2 to 3 times what normal vehicles do, wear out roads 12x faster. Car registration would change to weight based.

[@Xymbl]

It's really DECENT to see Rich back in action. I like his style.

[@walkinmn]

The renting solution part is great, I've always thought the battery should be for rent since it diminished its capacity and value relatively fast for a car and it's the part that adds most of the price and weight. So, if you could add rented batteries at will depending on your requirements that could help a lot in every way

[@abrisvegas]

I love the little video clips spliced into Electroheads videos!

[@Jamessansome]

DECENT! Looking forward to seeing another EV channel grow and produce lots of positive content!

[@pollitt11]

This looks excellent. Great to see companies actually thinking about what they are creating.

[@TeDoGBi]

It looks ugly but it's a good car

[@deshawnwashington3798]

@@TeDoGBi Paint it to look like a solar panel, ppl will buy it for looks. Especially since 29 miles max range is useless to practicality.

[@globalist1990]

@@deshawnwashington3798 it’s 29 miles extra range. It can have up to over 300 miles range total.

[@remembered7517]

Love the care, and the modularity idea behind it. I also think your videos are awesome, so you got a new SUB. :) Stay legendary!

[@brokkrep]

One minute of your content and I'm already hooked. You earned another subsriber.

[@UleeDeway537]

Very interesting. Great video too. Here in Japan we have the kei car class, which sounds very similar in size, weight and performance other than the top speed seeming to be a bit lower. This class of vehicle is the most popular segment here in Japan, so it can definitely work. I would be very interested in one, when and if they are ever available here.

[@DonaldChapman]

Great video, this got me thinking of several things I had not thought about before. Battery rental only when needed and purchasing a vehicle that only does 95% of my need is brilliant!

[@alastairbarker1840]

Great video. The right blend of genuinely useful info and quirky-ness. Based on what FullyCharged are producing ATM, I reckon your mate will be asking to come back soon :)

[@jaex9617]

Welcome back, and thank you.

[@lelandcarlson1668]

Intriguing and clever design. I really like the modularity of the chassis. One nit pick is the lack of a crush zone in the front. A head-on collision at any significant speed over 50 kph would likely be fatal or life altering at the least.

[@deshawnwashington3798]

I like the marketing hype of putting solar panels on a van that are useless in the charging of the vehicle. That marketing will stop ppl from noticing the electric car needs fossil fuels to charge it. I think painting the van to look like a solar panel will sell more of these. Solar advocates are a easy mark to profit off of.

[@Emetsys]

​@@deshawnwashington3798 It is still way more efficient than a gas motor. A problem is the current battery technology. People are blinding themselves saying thing like "If you don't produce your own energy, it is useless to own an electric car" and then buy a big SUV. Like if you can't do perfect, don't even try to do better.

[@globalist1990]

@@deshawnwashington3798 it extends range. Just like regenerative breaking. It all adds up. It doesn’t drain the car battery if using small electric peripherals during the day.

[@someguy9520]

@@deshawnwashington3798 okay Why are they useless again? At this size its gonna charge at like 500-600w? 5hrs/day and thats 2.5kwh. not a lot, but its gonna add up big over time

[@deshawnwashington3798]

@@Emetsys You're going to need to show what you mean by a electric car being more efficient. Electric cars are more expensive to manufacture and use, while a gallon of gas is 33.7kWh which is 3.7 more kWh than this entire van stores. Putting solar panels on a car is pure marketing hype, there's not practical function to the idea other than pretending about unicorns.

[@rainerbuergin]

Great video! I'm keeping a close eye on the XBUS myself, but there are a few drawbacks, such as passive safety and the three-passenger limitation.

[@globalist1990]

Yup, that passenger limitation threw me away. Being modular and everything I was thinking one of the modules was actually being able to carry 6 passengers….

[@DoggyU]

Wow - great video! Looks like a great option for when my Prius dies. Thanks for the video!

[@JackScarlett1]

Thank you for the cameo, miss y'all very much. *Dabs sombrely*

[@minero1775]

I love the modular concept think its a brilliant way to keep overheads down + Utilitarian is my fave style (I miss my Dacia). It also gives me VW Bus vibes and looks adorable

[@flyingspirit3549]

Fascinating video! Just went onto my list of viable next vehicles (I've never owned an EV, but anticipate that my next car might well be one)

[@oceanwavesES]

from Canada 🇨🇦 I'm sold! I'm buying it when it comes out, the whole concept is great. great video!

[@ladyselenafelicitywhite1596]

Thank you for sharing this with us 🙋🏼‍♀️

[@MrHemlock51]

With most EV brands looking for the ultimate in aerodynamic efficiency, the X Bus's shape and to top speed mark it out as an urban runaround rather than a serious long distance vehicle.

[@rossbagley9015]

What is 99% of your driving? I get groceries, tote kids around, and occasionally commute to the office. Rarely, I head all the way to the airport.

[@Dahrenhorst]

Well, up to 600 km range - what do you need more as a long distance vehicle?

[@DonHavjuan]

Also it doesn't have the range. It needs double this.

[@badbusdriver7160]

@@DonHavjuan Why does it need a 1200km range?

[@badbusdriver7160]

Most trucks in the UK are limited to 56mph and are not that aerodynamic. Does that make them urban runarounds too?.

[@theunknownunknowns5168]

Yes take my money XBus! Camper with solar version would be my daily driver and last car I'd ever want or need. Why hasn't a established ev maker already made this!!!

[@noodle3768]

Because it's impossible. Any legit ev maker won't be able to make it. Only company that never plan to deliver can toult this kind of dream. You money will flush down to the toilet.

[@jarred267]

@@noodle3768 Small vans with around 250km range already exist.

[@r3n5h0r3]

Subbed. I really like your presentation style and your humor

[@Harrister96]

Just found this channel and I will say, it's bloody fantastic 10/10 👍

[@johnwest7993]

Over all, (and having owned 3 EV's and an E-scooter over the years,) but having spent my 50 year career fixing broken electronics device and autonomous army tanks, I am more than a bit concerned about the wireless steering wheel. I feel like it was designed by a very young engineer who thought it was a brilliant idea. It's not.

[@PathosBedlam]

Agreed. It's not like they are even going for Full Self Driving, so just put a decent steering rack in there with power steering. The body in white can just have the required holes for it to go on either side, and the unused side can be covered up by the dash.

[@AJPemberton]

4:58 'electronic" is not necessarily wireless. A nice simple wire could be less prone to failure than a mechanical linkage. We do have passenger planes on a fly by wire, so they are easily up to passenger car safety margins.

[@johnwest7993]

@@AJPemberton, that's why I don't fly anymore, and I drive a 27 year-old car. I think the 2 737 MAX crashes due to software bugs should have been a wake-up call, but apparently not.

[@gregf1299]

Agree. The concern has to be of failure at speed. If a system like steering fails, it has to sound an alarm, turn on hazard lights and gradually apply brakes...or something like that. And you need to be able to activate it at will, so you get familiar with the process. BTW, you could address the left/right issue with a physical/dual electrical connection. Don't see the point of a wireless connection in such a small space.

[@AJPemberton]

@@johnwest7993 I wonder what the rate of mechanical failure is relative to electronic? Both system have failures, the choice is then which one is more robust? Why the shift toward electronic controls if the system is more likely to fail?

[@Quickeasyguitarlessons]

I love your sense of humor 😄👍 Awesome preview

[@inomad1313]

New, one video, sub. Had me rolling with the blips. Welcome back. We missed you. Glad you’re ok. Also. Cool car. I’ll be looking more into it. :D

[@TFB-chris]

To be fair. I like that you push that little bus as much as needed, but...to get 600 km out of it you need the 30 kWh battery option, like you said, which alone will cost something like 6200€ for the additional 20 kWh. And those 30 kWh in total weigh in at about 220 kg. And the max stated ranges is only achieveable in the city, assuming an average speed of 35 kph. Then, the solar....you can get, depending on your version of the bus (aka module), about 5.000 to 15.000 km per year. Most of them, ofcourse, in the summer months. But it is a leap. It cannot do more than 100 kph for longer periods of time because of the 15 kW power limit. It needs about 27 kW to drive it at 72 MPH. Max power will be around 56 kW but noone knows how long yet. I love it, so I created an complete channel for it. I will make a video about all things X-Bus. Last....the steering, on all prototypes, is still a coloumn with electric power steering. ;) Don´t know if that will be changed in the production model. But WHATEVER.....I love it.

[@1963TOMB]

12.5 miles per kWh @ 22mph? I wish my e golf could do that!!! That would be DECENT!

[@peterjohnson724]

Decent, decent, decent (I really want that e-scooter). I can see the XBUS becoming the electric equivalent of the old LandRover Defender 90; a utilitarian vehicle that will get you and your cargo from A to B and through a bit of mud or snow if needed.

[@DonHavjuan]

Except it has terrible range, like 1/4 of a defender

[@pawelabrams]

@@DonHavjuan sure, for you it won't work. When I haul things, it's 99% from the three nearest depots, which are all in the 10 km range from me. This thing would be perfect, it might even charge up half of what I used jusy sitting in the sun on the store's parking lot. And then, the delivery from the next few ones is less than 25$ where I live, so... Reaaaally looking forward to things like these going more mainstream.

[@TreasureMann]

It’s not only that your way of presenting this car is in line with its character, you actually pick out some points I really think are steps in a great direction: solar panels on the roof (especially for Southern Europe) and an ajustable battery pack. And then there’s this cute retro look of the XBus! I’d love to go for a test drive with one of those …

[@philiplubduck6107]

The issue with solar panels is they do virtually nothing for a car. I watched a research video on electric panels on cars and the best panels at the time could only make about 1-3% charge in a day. so you might charge your car once a month or once a season. Sounds off but look at how tiny an area the panels use compared to a home. its a few square feet of panels, enough to charge some lights or such or maybe maintain a full charge.

[@dtl]

I need this car/van/truck/campers. Great video!

[@rogertalien]

Decent! Very excited for this, it looks adorable and I love the modularity, definitely going to keep an eye out for its launch

[@goosegog]

I absolutely love the look of this thing but I also love silly vehicles. It looks decent enough for my requirements though!

[@shippingcontainercabins2751]

Really interesting and great video.

[@rexrodecolt]

Where yah been??! Good stuff!

[@jimgarrett5644]

This is a very interesting vehicle, and it represents the practical perspective we need more of. I'd like to see an option for DC fast charging. And l hope the battery is LFP.

[@martingill6996]

Decent video, this is definitely what is needed for the city environment for delivering goods etc. and 100% agree with changing the landscape of over sized (suv)vehicles on our crowded roads .

[@chevyx7947]

I want one . Thanks for the info. 👍👍

[@We1Charity]

Well done Sir! Thank you :)

[@evolv.e]

Decent range. Decent price. Love the configurability!

[@dougowt]

I’ve been interested in these for a while and it’s great to see we are getting closer to customer deliveries. If they are looking for volunteers for pre production trials, I carry up to 4 carers to patients in hilly Devon. So need space for 4 passengers and PPE, to be able to charge phones and tablets. And if there’s a module that would allow a small table, that would be perfect. I’ve been using a Zoe, which can be a bit cozy with 5 😁

[@toyotaprius79]

😳👀

[@howard922]

As a L7e heavy quad it would be limited to three people including driver with a 500kg load limit

[@MrGiannibuttarazzi]

that car legally can carry only 3 people . is a total fraud ..funny enough as well do not have crash test or safety regulation .. unless you want to be liable for the people you carry as your work better buy a product that is legal to carry people and is safe to do the job

[@petercape9137]

This has been top of my list since I first saw the concept, as a rural driver range is more important than speed and the 4x4 version would cover all my bases

[@hughking66]

Great product, and I like your style!

[@janbissinger2978]

The Xbus looks like it delivers everything at a really DECENT price, thanks for this.

[@ZBott]

I like the swappable batteries. With new lithium chemistries on the horizon we have some pretty interesting options to drop massive weight while still keeping the same range (as long as they work close to advertised of course). A car that you can actually replace the cells in is some amazing future proofing that makes Teslas seem like model Ts.

[@jaythompson5102]

Swappable batteries was actually Tesla's original plan it's just that it proved too expensive.

[@czaja995]

@@jaythompson5102 swappable batteries are great solution but they creates many problems: 1. logistical nightmer for charging commpanies to supply enought batteries in places where they are needed 2. every car manufacturer would need to agree to use one standard of batteries and mounting system, so no proprietary battery charging system, it would need to be open, free for all solution. 3. cost for charging comapnies, batteries would have to be owned and maintained by charging companies, not by customers and car owners

[@spacedandy7555]

Nio already has battery swapping.

[@donbrooks8479]

Great video!

[@Cold_Cactus]

This is the only electric vehicle I've ever seen that I'd like to have , looks like a military version of the old vw buss , great video btw very well laid out. Much love from the USA 🇺🇸

[@lucasroper46]

Decent! I really love the XBus, simple yet awesome and affordable!!

[@peterpowers4851]

Can't wait for Rich Rebuilds to put a V8 into it.

[@sunriseshell]

I thought I'd seen this before then I remembered Canoo. I do love the modular concept.

[@kathe.o.]

Paid 6K for my current used car. In March, 2022 had to pay 5K for a new motor. At 72 I'm pushing it to do 500 miles in a month. Drive to fast food places, the grocery store, pharmacy, etc. Living on Social Security & would have to have my 1st EV to be in the 6K USD range.

[@chargeheadsuk]

The dealer selling these in the UK is a Honda dealer in London. I recieved great customer services when i spoke to them. Looking forward to having a drive and sit in one. Great vid 🤟⚡🕺

[@MaliYojez]

I believe these will be available from Honda dealerships throughout the UK, although Crown have been putting out some excellent information.

[@sparkesman1980]

Your correct, however they are indicating a much higher price than is mentioned on here

[@lucsteffens]

I love the concepts, I agree with the fact that we need to start to be more functional and I love if we would be able to extend (rent) when we require to. 2 concerns, 1 is the stability. It looks like kt nit balanced and would tilt easily. 2 is the renting of extra battery. Must be a fast service (

[@timonix2]

I would expect it to be stable even though it looks pretty tall. The battery is by far the heaviest part and its all the way down in the bottom.

[@davearmstrong2296]

Very good points made.

[@Marginal391]

I love it so far. Thank you 🙂

[@UltramaticOrange]

I've been keeping my eyes out for an EV that can hit 45mph and haul a full sheet of plywood, and this is the closest thing I've seen so far. With that tiny bed, I'd have to be super careful to strap down any lumber, though.

[@davidsamways]

I would seriously consider one of these even with a 60mph top speed. I really regret selling my little Skoda pick-up a few years ago and this would be an excellent replacement.

[@ericortega1745]

It's made by vw correct are skoda reliable cars?

[@TheGreatOldOak]

@@ericortega1745 Wow designed by VW the company that realized they needed a curved front for aerodynamics a feature lost in this latest offering. It's sad how their design has fallen.

[@stevenamoah9849]

Keep up the good work

[@smith2229]

I love it. We own a model 3 LR and have a diesel ute for picking up garden stuff and doing tip runs. This would be a wonderful second vehicle.

[@mrgreatauk]

Love the idea behind this! I'd ll be surprised if it is ever actually available for the quoted price though. Have doubts about its crashworthiness too. Also the solar cells seem like a gimmick for all but the sunniest summer days in the UK.

[@globalist1990]

Have you ever sit in a dark painted car in a cloudy summer day in the UK? It’s still very hot.

[@mrgreatauk]

@@globalist1990 it can be, but that doesn't mean solar panels will be operating particularly efficiently. Remember how much of the time it isn't that sunny in the UK, that the panels won't be pointing in the optimum direction, and a lot of the time places where cars are parked are in shade for at least some of the day. Including panels in the roof will add expense for comparatively little benefit.

[@globalist1990]

@@mrgreatauk it won’t be at 100% efficiency, but it will still be a net positive. Latitude and season affects more than clouds. They claim it’s enough for the ac system: the hotter it is, the sunnier it is, the colder the AC can get. Just that is brilliant. Every bit counts. It’s like regenerative breaking, that doesn’t produce much, but it’s worth having. Car average use is 15kwh. I think they say the solar panels are up to 260wh per m2 (so output depends on the modules that you choose). So on the full cabin you might end up with 4m2? That’s 1.04kwh in optimal conditions. Not too bad.

[@mrgreatauk]

@@globalist1990 well there we go - UK is not at an ideal latitude and unfortunately we have seasons... If they do manage to put 4 square metres of solar panel on the roof then maybe it would be useful for that scenario, but honestly I'd rather it was just a bit cheaper than have the benefit of being able to sit in the car all day with air con on for some reason. I just think the vast majority of the time charging up marginally more at a charging point would be an unnoticeable inconvenience. The tiny number of times when it would be useful (leaving it in an airport car park for three weeks to come back and it be fully charged? Sitting in it all day with the air con on waiting for... Something) wouldn't be worth the expense (surely at least £1k?). If I was spending money on solar panels I'd rather have them installed on my house where they'll be more efficient, and more useful,and can still be used to charge the car most of the time.

[@globalist1990]

@@mrgreatauk in summer it’s great, in winter it’s not. Well, I still think it’s great to have “free ac” with no impact on miles. Why wouldn’t they fit 4m2? It was just a rough estimate from me. Would you also prefer a car with no regenerative braking if it meant it was cheaper? Solar panels should be installed in every “free real estate”. You’re not thinking very well about this. If you have hypothetically 10 hours of sun at 100% efficiency, you fully charge the smaller 10kwh battery. Not everyone uses their car full range everyday. Some days they might not even use it. Everyone needs to look at their use case and choose accordingly.

[@jbc2cbj147]

This seems like a really fun and functional vehicle. The one thing that makes me rethink an electric vehicle is how well they can last in temperatures below 0. I know batteries do not like subzero weather and for at least a couple months where I live it is not very tolerable as far as weather goes.

[@jonniiinferno9098]

aye - here in Denver we have been having sub-freezing temps - down around 7 degrees a few days ago... so yeah - there is that problem with batteries...

[@Rohan4711]

Some parts of this car makes it really interesting, both technically and from a price point of view However there are a few points that I am sceptical about: Top speed. Making the top legal speed of 120kph is almost a must. I can probably live with 110kph, but 100 would be so slow that you will annoy other people on the highway. Also it needs to be able to keep at least 100 in a normal uphill on the highway. Acceleration must be decent at least up to 90 kph. From this video it suggest that acceleration is really bad. Crash safety is a must for any new car. The shape of this car with very little in front of the front seat makes me sceptical until I have seen how it performs in crash tests. The very flat front should generate lots of air resistance. So the range in higher speed may be drastically lower than range in lower speeds. Defenately needs to see some real test of the range. Handling of cold winter weather with reasonable range reduction down to -20C need to be show under real conditions. This is by no means any huge demands. 90%+ of new cars make this with no problems. This is what most normal people demand from a new car.

[@piman2boek364]

@@jonniiinferno9098 it is my understanding that the batteries have heaters. This obviously uses some of the battery power though.

[@jonniiinferno9098]

@@piman2boek364 good to know - thanks !!

[@travelandtech2185]

Would be nice to see car manufacturers add additional cells dedicated to warming the battery's. Not a difficult job to warm a battery.

[@MegaSnail1]

Wow you do look great...Welcome back. Do these come in all wheel drive?

[@funkyduckproductions.8844]

I currently run a Ford focus that I only use for about 3 or 4 months of the year and a transit sized van I use the rest of the year for my small business. Having one vehicle that can perform both rolls would be excellent! Can't wait to find out more info

[@AllenSparks]

honestly, I think that this would be the perfect run-around for wifey and I. We are moving to live in a class A motor home and this would be the perfect pull around behind it, capable of doing everything it needs when we need it and it's my favorite form of car, such an ugly van it's cute!

[@paulusthegrey]

If they made a body that was wheelchair friendly, I would be very tempted.

[@2handsomeforlaw]

Me too!!

[@mysticalbtch]

What kind of wheelchair

[@paulusthegrey]

@@mysticalbtch Manual… at the moment.

[@bushydarwin1605]

Great job with this Video. This is the car for me! I love you too and where have you been for the last three months?!

[@stevebiron3036]

I thought this was a comedy show and then it turned into a carfomercial ! Brilliant production mate excellent video, new subscriber here.

[@deshannon6402]

Brilliant car. I really want one. Before I do, it needs Vehicle to Grid (V2G) capability and reasonably quick charging. Efficiency is the name of the game for the whole electric ecosystem. V2G makes EVs an asset for balancing the grid. Millions of EVs with two way connection can replace coal, gas and nuclear for baseload.

[@TFB-chris]

It will have bidirectional charging and 230V sockets, as far as I know. It is not "that" efficient because of its form (like a brick). I did a video on possible ranges on my channel. I have english subtitles, too. If you like, take a look.

[@stevecade857]

So you would like to utilise the expensive batteries in your EV to put power back into the national grid and leave it at lower charge level and not ready to go? You'd be better off buying a car with the smaller battery/range you need and spend the money saved on home storage batteries instead.

[@TFB-chris]

@@stevecade857 it is a question of pricing. If the provider pays me a good amount of cash to put my car into the their "seconds reserve" and one can easily limit the amount of battery, I would do it. Let´s say I let them have and controll 5 kWh out of my 30 kWh because most of the time I just need 20, and they pay me for that. Why not!? With the X-Bus I hope to be able to use the additional battery packs in my house to store the energy of the sun during the day. And next day, put them into my X-Bus to drive to work with MY SOLAR POWER.

[@stevecade857]

@@TFB-chris You never get something for nothing. It's how business works. You're still better off getting a 5 kWh bigger battery for the house. The EV has its purpose and making it the Swiss Army knife of power supplies isn't its best utility. Power to load (regular plug socket) and the ability to charge another EV I can see as useful but using your car battery as a top up for the grid is not a great, cost efficient feature.

[@TFB-chris]

​@@stevecade857 I agree. I am not that convinced that feeding the grid from a car will be a business case at some point. But it could be. I also would rather have more battery in my home. But I cannot rule out that there might be a case where this can be a cost effective feature. It just needs a bit software and the the already built in hardware of a V2G capable car. But it won´t the main purpose of a car.

[@norbertleimeiszter2047]

This bus looks promising but it'll be interesting to find out the suspension system of if (because it sits quite high), charging capabilities (plug and solar) , max speed and how comfortable it is.

[@TFB-chris]

The plug on the car will be a Type 2 connector in the nose of the bus. Where the little "B" is, as far as I know yet. Charging will be up to 11 kW, but the latter will be an option, so some extra coins for that. The suspension is pretty likely to be somewhat simliar to that of an UTV. A JD Gator for example. Pretty hard, because of the maximum allowed weight.

[@norbertleimeiszter2047]

@@TFB-chris thank you, Chris. Sounds all good. Can't wait to see the X-Bus here in the UK.

[@Albeare]

Great info video, you made many valid points and society needing to change its idea about what an ideal car is for their lifestyle.

[@Onealmightypod]

Love the steering wheel innovation 😊👍

[@markmasi5219]

I really love this thing. All that pure function and adaptability. Nothing about says “ I have a small penis, but look those 0 to 60 stats!” (Terrific presentation)

[@Electroheads]

Thank you!

[@dereinzigwahreRichi]

"Efficiency and utility over everything else" - this should be a LAW, man! SUVs would be forbidden then, that'd be great for road safety and the enviroment. If you need space for transportation, get a Van. Another trend that thankfully gets countered by the x-bus as well, is building cars where you can't look out through the windows properly. The x-bus has nice, big, rectangular windows that don't cut out the car or cyclist next to you just barely see in the corner of your vision when looking over your shoulder.

[@rogerwales1244]

I'd buy one in a heartbeat I live on a small farm, 47 hectares, and totally off-grid. It makes perfect sense to me and the idea that I can run it completely from solar power would release me from the from the grips of the fossil fuel industry Thanks for another great video

[@MrApache64AH]

I never knew about this car until i saw your video, wow this will be my next car, its everything in one package, perfect..!

[@badbusdriver7160]

I've been aware of the XBUS for about 6 months now and absolutely love it!. Not just because of the modular aspect, but the thinking behind it, the light weight, compact dimensions (I have a real dislike of 'too big' vehicles), the price and the looks. I am a self employed window cleaner and I just can't get across how much I'd like an XBUS (possibly pickup, but probably the box van would be better for the extra solar panels) for my work!. A couple of points though. First, large electric SUV's are way more than two tonnes. Second, regarding (lack of) performance, look at the proportions of the XBUS and think about the laws of physics. It is a very tall but narrow vehicle which, due to its 'cabover' design, has a very short wheelbase relative to its length. These factors will combine to make it unstable if you try and drive enthusiastically on a twisty road or have to make an emergency avoidance manoeuvre like the infamous 'Elk test', and this is only going to be worse on the even taller off road version. In short, for a vehicle with those proportions, having a top speed of 62mph is going to be much safer than a top speed of 80+mph. If you want a better demonstration of what could happen, look up Richard Hammond doing a 'Scandinavian flick' in a Bedford Rascal (a vehicle with very similar proportions to the XBUS) some years ago on Top Gear. Yes, the XBUS will have better weight distribution than the Rascal due to a relatively light body up top and the heavy batteries right at the bottom, but even so, drivers unused to something with those proportions would need to drive very carefully till they get used to how it handles. Even ignoring my stability/safety concerns, the speed limits for an LCV (light commercial vehicle) in the UK is 50mph on single carriageway, 60mph on dual carriageway and 70mph on the motorway. Given this is not the kind of vehicle to be pounding the motorways, I really don't se a 62mph top speed as being much of a handicap.

[@G-ra-ha-m]

Yes, at last a sensible design, I could even consider buying one!

[@ricky4673]

You are forgetting the batteries are down low and change the handeling characteristics. I believe they are limiting the speed of engine for 2 reasons. Less weight, less durable parts needed for it and also to lower people's speed because an electric motor is more efficient at lower speeds.

[@badbusdriver7160]

@@ricky4673 I'm not forgetting where the batteries are, I stated quite clearly "heavy batteries right at the bottom". Having them down there will help, but it won't overcome the vehicles proportions re stability. Also, as far as I can tell from pictures and video clips, the batteries are mounted right at the back. As anyone who drives a commercial vehicle will tell you, mounting a load of weight that far back (especially on what's otherwise a very light vehicle) will also adversely affect the handling. Regarding the maximum speed, allow me to go back to 'the laws of physics'. The combined power from the motors produces a maximum of 56kW, which is equivalent to around 75hp. This fairly small amount of power combined with the aerodynamics of a barn door means that getting much past 100km/h is going to be very difficult. XBUS claim (vague) a top speed of ">100km/h", whereas if it was actually limited, they would simply state that speed.

[@thomaslomax737]

Great video, thank you very much. I agree with your closing comments about needing to change our priorities when choosing vehicles, making efficiency a priority. A vehicle which could be used as a light urban runaround for 90% of the time but could then be enhanced for range for an occasional long trip with the temporary addition of removable batteries would work well for a lot of people I think. Wonder if it (or anything similar) will end up on the market in Japan (where I live)? Not hearing much about newer disruptive designs from big auto here.

[@Electroheads]

Thanks Thomas! Yeah Japan is a strange case at the moment. There seems to be a focus on city EVs, rather than longer range EVs. I hope that turns around soon, as I'd love to see more designs like the Honda E - but with useable range.

[@gvance3176]

DECENT!! Been following the Xbus updates for a few months and while I'm excited to see it come to market and could have been tempted to get one myself, I do have a couple of reservations. Due to the class of vehicle the Xbus is my understanding is that it won't have to go through crash testing and won't have to meet the usual passenger car safety measures. Also, again due to the restrictions placed on vehicles in this class I've read that it will only seat a maximum of 4 people including the driver, which begs the question what is the point in the bus module? I'm still really excited about the Xbus coming to the UK, however if the points I've raised are correct, then unfortunately this will put me off getting one which is a real shame.

[@scarcesense6449]

I drive next to nowhere and always park outside (in Australia). A 50km battery and rooftop solar would do me just fine. The idea of plugging in a few extra batteries when needed is a great solution for the very rare use case outside of the daily commute or trip to the shops.

[@mawloudhamdokh4492]

Can’t wait to get my hands on one

[@TheoDaJunk]

People that actually care for the environment: "public transport" People who pretend to care : "tesla" People that care but need a car I their daily lives : "this car"

[@ArtAntiDe]

Awwww, the green one looks like a postapocalyptic Suzuki Carry 🤩 Exactly what I've always wanted!💚🖤

[@kathyfann]

Thank you for the entertaining video I would like to keep us up on solar powered vehicles. I did subscribe

[@solid311975]

It's a cool funky looking thing. I also really like the fact that it's so practical.

[@logofthelex2668]

Where the heck have you been!? - first time viewer.

[@eugeneg1455]

Really cool concept and I'd consider buying. Main question will it turn from concept to mass production/ when/ at what price.

[@Sizaization]

It's awesome .. thanks

[@martinbecklen6486]

I love it. Modularity and 'renting' extra batteries when needed is a superb idea. When/where will it be available in USA?