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Guy makes “dodgy e-bike” from 130 used vapes to make point about e-waste (arstechnica.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by gedaliyah@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

101 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Disposable vapes are indefensible. Many, or maybe most, of them contain rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, but manufacturers prefer to sell new ones.

To make a point about how wasteful this practice is—and to also make a pretty rad project and video—Chris Doel took 130 disposable vape batteries (the bigger "3,500 puff" types with model 20400 cells) found littered at a music festival and converted them into a 48-volt, 1,500-watt e-bike battery, one that powered an e-bike with almost no pedaling more than 20 miles. You can see the whole build and watch Doel zoom along trails on his YouTube video.

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[–] EvilBit@lemmy.world 50 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I’m not a vape user, but the model is the kind of thing that just makes me so angry.

In a world that makes sense:

small, mostly metal vape chassis
rechargeable, replaceable battery
built-in glass reservoir with charging valve
vape juice sold in medium to large recyclable cans with standard interface to the charging valve

In a world where Profit is God (the real world):

disposable chassis
disposable battery
if it’s refillable at all, it’s via non-recyclable, mixed material, mostly plastic, proprietary cartridges and you can save 5% if you subscribe online for refills, 10% if you pay yearly, $5 credit if you refer a friend on social media using hashtag #smoovape
probably gives you turbo cancer because the juice is made in a repurposed Freon plant that was inadequately converted and they just don’t answer the phone when the FDA or EPA call

[–] BowtiesAreCool@lemmy.world 25 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

We used to have a great vape market for those types of vapes. Since 2020 state and fed government has rinsed the market “for the kids” and basically created what we see now, a market of 98% disposable sold by overseas companies. Before that there were countless brands making batteries, tanks, etc. now a lot of smoke shops don’t even sell refillable vapes or liquid.

[–] Steak@lemmy.ca 14 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah it's a shame. I've been vaping for 14 Yeats now and seen the whole story unfold. It really sucks.

[–] LucidBoi@lemmy.dbzer0.com -3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

devil told me howda get rich quick numba is 666

Edit: It's a Yeat (rapper) reference, get over yourselves guys.

[–] acid_falcon@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

... What? I used to smoke a pack a day, now I just vape. I've never seen a smoke shop that doesn't sell juice

[–] hex@programming.dev 4 points 2 weeks ago

Different legislation in different places. My country banned flavours, but they still sell disposables somehow.

[–] BowtiesAreCool@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

My local shop has about 3 full 6 foot wide floor to ceiling bookcases of just disposables. Then there’s one shelf with one brand of juices and about 7 options.

[–] anamethatisnt@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I think part of it is something else - ease of use and ease of access.
The "world that makes sense" product exists already:
https://www.elementvape.com/box-mod-kits

While I was vaping I mixed my own liquids though, as the cost savings was immense and I could easily lower the nicotine mg/ml on my own until I quit it altogether.

[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Can't buy nicotine from the wholesalers anymore to do that in the US. Feds made it illegal.

[–] anamethatisnt@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, they had started limiting what you could buy in Sweden as well. My last time mixing I bought a silly amount of 18mg/ml 10ml strong menthol bottles and large 70/30 PG/VG bottles and ended up with my own 3mg/ml mixture that still tasted menthol, although not as overwhelmingly so.

[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Stingy on letting you make your own vape but happy to let you stuff your lip with snus. Typical Sweden.

[–] anamethatisnt@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

EU is behind the restrictions for vaping liquids, not Sweden. :)
https://health.ec.europa.eu/tobacco/product-regulation/electronic-cigarettes_en

[–] YarHarSuperstar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

You totally can. I don't know exactly what the laws are because it's intentionally not clear but it's the same process as before, order from a diy website, it comes in the mail, make your stuff at home. I think the difference is that it's harder for websites to get the license to sell it but there are still some sites out there.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

I don't vape nicotine, so those sorts of things are basically out of my reach. I wish I lived in a legal state and I could get liquid refill bottles.

[–] hex@programming.dev 6 points 2 weeks ago

The first thing you described is literally what we used to have. God I miss the good old days of vaping.