Electric Vehicles

[deerslayer]

8 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

Talking with a few Tesla owners, the mileage seems to be pretty close.

As for the power being out, that's also a problem for gas pumps. Except with an EV, I'd always be starting with a full charge after having it plugged in when the power went out, as opposed to an ICE where my gas level could be anywhere from full to fumes. Some EVs can function as a big battery for your house (F-150 lightning can do it) but of course that depletes the range on the car. In time, though, I think the costs of batteries and solar will continue to fall and make buying a solar roof + power wall economical enough that I can install both and I won't care when grid power is down, no matter what kind of motors are in my car at the time.

True but you may be able to drive your gas burner to a gas station five miles away where the power didn’t go out.  
I guess the EV owner could drive to a buddy who didn’t lose power and bum an outlet or fire up the old fossil fuel burning generator and charge up the Tesla.  But then he wouldn’t be saving the planet any more.  

[leroy]

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

I’m not opposed to driving an electric vehicle once it proves to be economical and convenient for me. They should be low maintenance, quiet, and have fewer moving parts to break.

I do not believe they help the environment. I also do not believe we have the capacity at this point to produce enough electricity to charge millions of electric vehicles each night. This is a problem that needs to be addressed now, as I believe electric cars are the future.

What Mista Greg said.. There ain't no " Rainbow Stew "...

Since we've believed in our " heart of hearts " that fossil fuels are bad, the answer is nuclear; not solar nor wind... That presents a great " ethical conundrum " for the average " environmentally conscious " child:

" Do I embrace a technology ( . the electric vehicle .  ) that runs on the power source that has the potential to incinerate the planet and pollute for millions of years; or do I continue with these ghastly carbon emissions ?"...

It is, as the great " Dr Teeth " of Muppet Movie fame quipped: ".. a very heavy narrative of epic proportions "...  HEHEHE. 

laughin leroy, the amateur philosopher.  

 

[Johnny Rotten]

12 hours ago, Grunt67 said:

That kind of speed/ performance is nice on a drag strip, or the desert. Not very useful on the highway. I know that kind of stuff sells, bragging rights I suppose.

Buicks and minivans are not for everyone

[E4 No More]

An electric vehicle for me? Only when I have no other choice.

I especially do not like the pitiful range that they have before you have to spend 10 hours recharging. I heard yesterday that Ford has come out with some new cables that'll charge you in 5 minutes, but it sounds like a very expensive cable.

[FUJIMO]

4 minutes ago, E4 No More said:

An electric vehicle for me? Only when I have no other choice.

I especially do not like the pitiful range that they have before you have to spend 10 hours recharging. I heard yesterday that Ford has come out with some new cables that'll charge you in 5 minutes, but it sounds like a very expensive cable.

I heard this about Ford as well but I just don't see how it's possible. We all remember the hover board and S8 incidents that turn your fun day at the park or your PD into a tiny napalm disaster. As stated by another poster heat buildup is a major issue and 1 of several reasons it takes hours to recharge in a lot of cases. And much like cell phone tech I understand it that your battery's overall life is shortened if "hot charged" too often.

[Darrell]

I'm intrigued by EV's, and even considered buying a used Leaf some time ago. But on the balance, I decided it wouldn't work for me. The used Leaf I looked at was pretty inexpensive, considering what nice condition the car was in. But a little research showed me why. The battery was reaching its age limit, and replacing the battery would cost about what the car was worth. Not such a bargain after all.

I tend to keep my vehicles. My pickup is a 2002 and I have two 2000 cars and one from 1972 (a 240Z).  I don't expect to ever replace my pickup unless I wreck it, and both the cars are well-maintained with low mileage. Electric vehicles with limited battery life mean that you're pretty much stuck trading it in after five or so years. I've also noticed that most of the repairs I make on my oil-burners are electrical-related. Things like failed o2 sensors or switches. Electronics has become more and more reliable, but the more bells and whistles on a car, the greater the likelihood of failure.

I'm a motorcycle nut, too, and can't imagine using an electric bike for anything more than commuting. The range is just too limited to suit me.

[OldIronFan]

I am sure I will have another one once the cost becomes "right" for me. 
I have long been interested in electric vehicles and built an electric motorcycle conversion years ago. It was a blast and outstanding for my short commute. I did not need it to run over 50ish mph and only needed a 20ish mile range so I was able to get away with a fairly light and small battery pack. I was able to achieve 62mph in the final iteration and pushed the range to about 45miles. Since my ride was 9 miles each way that was perfect. 

Now my commute is 24 miles and primarily interstate so an EV like that would no longer be viable. Something in the ~300 mile range capable of interstate speeds would be perfect though. I would be seriously interested in the F150 Lightning if the cost of a new truck (gas or alternatives) was not so astronomical. I just can't justify a $60k vehicle no matter what is under the hood. I could easily replace my gas car (2012) and my gas truck (2006) with the Lightning and serve 95% of my driving needs. 

I generally have to laugh at people who complain and resist technological advances. EVs are not being developed in a bubble where nothing else in the world is changing. Power generation will shift, probably slowly, but it will transition to cleaner options. Power distribution (grid) will expand, improve, and be replaced as it "ages" out. Charging centers/station options will increase. Do you honestly think the network of service stations pumping gasoline sprang up overnight when people were saying horseless carriages were a bad idea? There are still places in this country where it is a good idea carry spare fuel if you have less than ~350 mile range on a full tank well over 100 years after gas vehicles became viable. Battery technology has and will continue to improve. There are already efforts to reduce our independence on China/Asia for the elements and compounds needed for battery production. The further development of EVs helps drive all those improvements and changes it does not hinder them. 

I have raced cars and motorcycles most of my adult life. I love every aspect of speed, power, and the smell of 110 Sonoco in the morning. EVs take nothing away from my love of all things petrol and only add to my interest in vehicle design and development. I will have another EV one day, just not sure how long it will be. 

 

[peejman]

14 hours ago, Johnny Rotten said:

The new 2022 Hummer EV has 1000HP and 11,000 FT/ LBS of torque, not sure what nut head engineer came up with those numbers, but I know GM was testing in MOAB and they came up on several H1 and declined to wheel with them.

That's not too much of a stretch.  Between the transmission and differential you get 15-20:1 torque multiplication in a normal truck. So 11,000 ftlbs at the tires equates to 550ftlbs at the crank. 

[Sleep profit]

Give me a Dodge charger or Cuda with a 440 mag or Hemi  keep your Prius to old to change

[Johnny Rotten]

Just now, peejman said:

That's not too much of a stretch.  Between the transmission and differential you get 15-20:1 torque multiplication in a normal truck. So 11,000 ftlbs at the tires equates to 550ftlbs at the crank. 

H1 crowd has been having a field day with those #, my 03 has 195hp and 450 ft/lbs of torque, front/rear e lockers and probably no match with this EV (sarcasm meter pegged)  

[Grunt67]

4 hours ago, Johnny Rotten said:

Buicks and minivans are not for everyone

True, I own neither, but I have no need for a vehicle the can run 200 with a max speed of 70.

[Quavodus]

17 hours ago, Grunt67 said:

That kind of speed/ performance is nice on a drag strip, or the desert. Not very useful on the highway. I know that kind of stuff sells, bragging rights I suppose.

Yeah, they're fast. I saw a youtube video of a kid about 18 years old blowing everythings doors at a dragstrip in his Tesla 100D sedan. But, for all around driving..... I'll pass.

[OLDNEWBIE]

I've always had at least one "Economy" car going. At the moment an Elantra. Have considered something small and all electric like a Nissan Leaf for local commute and grocery getter but haven't researched yet. The Elantra has alot of miles to go.

In my heart I'm against the big subsidized push for them and feel they are no way better for the climate, air etc. because of the poisonous battery production and disposal and the power generation used to charge them. Plus the deliberate squeeze on oil production to force electric ticks me off.

Saying that...the cat is out of the bag and if it pencils out to save me money then I'll eventually go electric. We all may have no choice eventually.

[TennesseeCamper]

I look at the electric vehicles as just another option for transport. There is some practicality  to having one especially when the next pipeline breaks cutting off our supplies or the lunatic’s shut down the Persian gulf again. 
 If you are a multiple vehicle family wouldn’t hurt to have one in the mix.

I don’t think they are going to save the world, because every lithium power pack is made with Chinese coal. 
 

I currently have a gas burning Ford truck and my wife drives a Honda CR-V. When her car gets worn out, I could see an electric car replacement. 
Now if they ever get hydrogen motors going, that’s going to save the planet! 

Edited November 17, 2021 by TennesseeCamper

[pop pop]

My grandson purchased an electric car. Cost him every time he charged it. Would only run 1 trip to his work and not enough juice to get him all the way thee the following day. He sold it. Got tired of constantly charging it. Tried to get a fast charge hookup at his house, and found out it coast a fortune to do that. He lives in Florida.  

[jpx2rk]

Ask some GM VOLT owners how they feel about all electric cars.  Earlier this year, GM advised Volt owners NOT to park their "car"  inside, only outside and away from buildings/structures.  Also, don't charge it up while unattended.  

[bobsguns]

11 hours ago, Erik88 said:

How is this any different than a gas powered vehicle having trouble?  You're SOL either way. 

 

It would take hours to list the differences.

One can take a gas can to a gas station if they run out of gas. Can you do that with electric? No.

One can use jumper cables on a gas car. Can you do that with electric? No.

Very rare is the time a modern car will break down in BFE w/o having given some sign of it beforehand, IMO. Yes, there's always going to be exceptions. But I'd bet 99% of the time, there's going to be a miss, a stutter, a shimmy, a something to warn a car owner that something is amiss before it chits the bed.

Electric? No thank you. 

[bobsguns]

4 hours ago, TennesseeCamper said:

Now if they ever get hydrogen motors going, that’s going to save the planet! 

Those are indeed worth making, IMO. 

[OH UNCLE PAUL]

EVs are going to be the CFLs of the light bulb world.

Too many issues.

Too few recharging stations for long mileage trips.  

The future will be hydrogen vehicles. Toyota just managed to get 845 miles from a single fueling of a car. Granted it was under a perfect set of circumstances, but, still way further than an EV could do. 

Toyota Mirai Sets Guinness World Record: 845 Miles On Hydrogen (insideevs.com)

[superduty]

10 hours ago, Darrell said:

I'm intrigued by EV's, and even considered buying a used Leaf some time ago. But on the balance, I decided it wouldn't work for me. The used Leaf I looked at was pretty inexpensive, considering what nice condition the car was in. But a little research showed me why. The battery was reaching its age limit, and replacing the battery would cost about what the car was worth. Not such a bargain after all.

I tend to keep my vehicles. My pickup is a 2002 and I have two 2000 cars and one from 1972 (a 240Z).  I don't expect to ever replace my pickup unless I wreck it, and both the cars are well-maintained with low mileage. Electric vehicles with limited battery life mean that you're pretty much stuck trading it in after five or so years. I've also noticed that most of the repairs I make on my oil-burners are electrical-related. Things like failed o2 sensors or switches. Electronics has become more and more reliable, but the more bells and whistles on a car, the greater the likelihood of failure.

I'm a motorcycle nut, too, and can't imagine using an electric bike for anything more than commuting. The range is just too limited to suit me.

I looked into a used Leaf recently as well. Not to go 'green', but to keep from beating the snot out of my car doing the daily work commute on I-65. Your findings on the used battery are exactly what I found. Fully charged, the thing's range wouldn't get me to Nashville and back home again.  Guess I'll keep using gas and diesel.

[Jeb48]

I'm almost convinced that a hybrid might be a good idea but full electric needs a lot more range, faster chargers and more of them.

Heard a story on a local car radio program last week about two women that decided to take a new Tesla that one of them had instead of the gas model the other one had to take a trip. They had made the trip several times before and it took about 12 hours. It took them 24 hours in the Tesla with an overnight stay, between the 40 minute charges and having to wait in lines with 2 cars ahead of them at 40 minutes each. They finished the last 100 miles on a flat bed truck when they ran low on power with no charging station close by and called AAA.

[monkeylizard]

14 hours ago, deerslayer said:

True but you may be able to drive your gas burner to a gas station five miles away where the power didn’t go out.  
I guess the EV owner could drive to a buddy who didn’t lose power and bum an outlet or fire up the old fossil fuel burning generator and charge up the Tesla.  But then he wouldn’t be saving the planet any more.  

If you can drive an ICE to a station where the power didn't go out, you can drive an EV to a charger where the power didn't go out.

I know, we have more gas stations than EV chargers, but that's changing . . . quickly

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by monkeylizard

[Grayfox54]

here's an idea I can get behind. In Taiwan lots of people drive scooters. They have a set up where you can simply swap out your drained battery for a freshly charged one.  Now if this concept could be passed over to cars you might have something workable.

 

 

[Grayfox54]

For those who think we can just stop using fossil fuels. 

[10-Ring]

I have no plans of buying an EV anytime soon.  That said, I recently rode in a Tesla and it was an absolute mind blowing experience.  I'm a recovering car/motorcycle/speed junkie.  The only thing that I can compare that I've driven/ridden to the acceleration of the Tesla was my old GSXR1000.  I was in the front passenger seat and had my sunglasses on top of my head, the driver hit the "gas" my sunglasses were on the back dash.  The auto driving feature was really cool too, but it's unsettling to see the driver throw their hands up in the air while going around a curve.  The computer interface is pretty amazing as well.  It allows you to see everything going on with the car.  It was one of the coolest car moments that I've experienced.