OT: Tired of Winning?

Right. I don't understand why anybody would buy an electric car now. The gas cars work so well.

More idiocy from an alternate source. If we could turn this sort of wasted energy into useful energy we could close down all the power plants in the US!

I have no idea why this guy thinks a 300 mile range is insufficient. Tesla Superchargers are located around 150 miles apart on major thoroughfares. There are more around cities. Then there is an even larger network of inde pendent charging stations all over the country. Even in little Charles Tow n WV you can get a charge while you eat at several restaurants within a cou ple city blocks.

Rick C.

I can't work out whether you're a fool or a knave so rather than waste any more valuable time....

is required and whoever comes up with it will have more money coming his wa y than all the oil barons in Texas and Saudi Arabia put together. "

There have been a few and the cruising range has really increased, and perf ormance. Recently they ran a truck across country for something like $ 5 in battery charges. Most electric cars don't need a transmission, by I think a tractor pulling a trailer would.

And the oil companies are working on the new technology, they would be fool s not to. when a source becomes really viable, they want to be the ones to sell it. They just don't publish their research much, for obvious reasons. This limits the advancement, but at least they're doing it. If they had to share the technology with every Achmed, Hugo and Apu they would say f*ck yo u, we are in business to make money. Actually I predict a few patent wars.

way than all the oil barons in Texas and Saudi Arabia put together. "

rformance. Recently they ran a truck across country for something like $ 5 in battery charges. Most electric cars don't need a transmission, by I thin k a tractor pulling a trailer would.

Based on what? Did you do any back of the envelope calculations? Or just a gut feel?

ols not to. when a source becomes really viable, they want to be the ones t o sell it. They just don't publish their research much, for obvious reasons . This limits the advancement, but at least they're doing it. If they had t o share the technology with every Achmed, Hugo and Apu they would say f*ck you, we are in business to make money. Actually I predict a few patent wars .

They can't control something they didn't invent. There are too many compan ies competing in the battery market for any one to "own" the technology. W hen all is said and done the battery of 2030 will be a combination of paten ts owned by many companies just like happened in cell phones and many other industries.

Besides, batteries are the source of energy. They are the electrical equiv alent of the gas tank. That electricity still needs to be made.

Rick C.

Well the hypothetical under discussion was "normal" large purchases e.g. cars, boat, real estate, firearms, computers, and so forth. I'm not including objectively stupid purchases like spending $100,000 at the strip club or possibly leg table lamps.

The women I've dated would probably be amused if I brought one of those home in any case, probably would object to keeping it in the front window _too_ long but that's a home decoration dispute not a purchasing/financial dispute, really.

It helps if she has a sense of humor.

I don't know how the Tesla does it exactly, I believe they have a patent on motor/power electronics coolant loop assisted heating. Both generations of Volt just use resistive heating.

The heater can put a drain on the battery, at full blast it draws 6 kW. You don't need to run it full blast in anything but sub-zero F weather though. The AC doesn't put much of a strain on the battery once the cabin has been cooled on a hot day to maintain say 75 degrees, maybe

I just use the "The Soviets Used Pencils" solution which is the "comfort" package that adds a heated steering wheel and heated seats, the heated leather seats are really good at pumping heat right into your body, feels great like a massage chair! That combo draws 500 watts or so.

I don't see many Teslas at all at charging stations. I imagine most owners who can swing a 80k car install at least a level 2 charger in their car, the reason it's not used much is that drivers don't have to with a 200-something mile range. Or they're just charging at home when they sleep.

when people start talking about the AC or heater being a "problem" with an EV I immediately know they don't know what they're talking about it's a total non-issue in practice.

They're not used because the car has so much range the owner drove from wherever they live to Truckee and back on a single charge.

Yeah, you are right. I apologize for that.

I can't stand driving a "regular" gas 4-banger car anymore, like say a rental compact car. I mean a sports car sure but something like an Accord just feels like going back to the buggy whip. You get used to the near instant huge torque, acceleration, and handling performance and how pleasantly quiet the ride is, at night in the summer with the window down and just the noise of the wind and tires and peepers chirping in the forest.

No standing around freezing your ass off on cold winter nights filling up the tank at the gas station. Just plug in in your warm garage and go to bed and it's ready the next day.

I don't wanna go back.

The quantum leap in battery technology has already occurred. The EV-1's NiMH battery pack design couldn't be sold for a profit the car probably cost 100k to make even in quantity.

Lithium-ion battery costs have been driven into the ground via economy of scale over the past two decades so the battery pack that powers the Bolt provides 50% more range than the NiMH EV1 at 70% less weight and probably 1/10th the cost. It's like damn how much more do ya want?

Sorry, more like 25% less weight. 70% less weight would definitely be too good to be true.

"The US State Department advises to reconsider travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens."

"The Venezuelan State Department advises to reconsider travel to the United States due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, and arbitrary arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens."

Some Leaf-driving douchebag nearly killed me the other day when I abruptly strode across the road without looking (as I have *always* done). I rely on my unusually (for my age) good hearing and this damn piece of junk makes hardly any noise at all. Just like with motorbikes they say 'loud pipes save lives' and it's true. These electric jalopies are lethal and should be banned. Or at least forced to emit an ear- piercing shriek when moving.

????

Sounds like you almost killed yourself

No, it was his fault for creeping up on me so silently and he duly gestured an apology FWIW. I'm a libertarian and I believe everyone should be able to do what the hell they like so long as it doesn't impinge on me in any way, so if I have to break the habit of a lifetime and start looking before I cross the road because of these eco-virtue-signallers, then THAT is an infringement on my personal freedom of movement and consequently unacceptable. There will be road deaths as a result of the lack of noise these toys make and the situation can only get worse as the proportion of electric jalopies increases (as no doubt it will, sadly).

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I don't get your argument. Currently battery technology is the limiting fa ctor in electric vehicles. The size, weight and cost completely dominate t he design and function of electric vehicles. If we would be able to reduce the size and weight of batteries again it would be a very large improvemen t and if cost were also reduced 25% from today's price point I think the el ectric car would become much more common virtually overnight.

Electric cars are finally good enough to use, but have a price premium. Wi th large scale production the price may get closer to parity, but certainly that is a goal, not a promise. Improvements in battery technology (which are in the works) will allow the all electric car to become the dominant mo de of personal transportation.

The real game changer though, is the self driving car. Regardless of fuel type, a self driving car will allow us to be independent of car ownership and allow much more efficient utilization of both the automobiles and the f ixed infrastructure lowering the cost and making it more available and more flexible for everyone.

Rick C.

Uh, don't they also say, "look both ways before crossing the street"? This is just another manifestation of the Darwin principle.

I met a car collector once who had an electric car from the early 1900's. Because it was so quiet it had a large bell mounted on the flat sloping hood. He would pull up right behind people and ring the bell making them jump. lol

Maybe we should put the same requirement on you?

Rick C.