Electric cars

[Sustainability]

Am trying to know how electric cars could be more desirable to own and the public views on the future of electric cars?

 

[sitarro]

I work for an airline and almost all of our tugs and belt loaders are now electric. They don't hold charges that long, especially in cold weather, I am in Houston so the coldest it got this year was about 23 degrees F. I can't imagine how bad they would be in the North East. Obama can pretend that we are close to getting some where with alternative energy but he is as ignorant about that as he is about the economy. The system the Chevy Volt will use might work but the public is not very bright and I doubt that most will provide the upkeep to keep any system working. The same that have trash cars will have worse alternative fuel cars. They are also very expensive. BMWs Mini Cooper division has come out with a battery operated Mini, it's battery pack is 30,000 dollars. The Honda Hybrid's batteries need to be replaced around 90,000 miles...... 2,500-4,000 dollars.

Meanwhile Obama's tooling around in one of the Air Force Ones while the other is flying around as a dummy, along with a couple of C-5As, they are burning more fuel in an 10 minutes than you and your family will use in your lifetime.

 

[Ravi]

Am trying to know how electric cars could be more desirable to own and the public views on the future of electric cars?

I have a 2003 Honda Hybrid that I bought in 2002. It has 110,000 miles on it and averages 45 mpg. The battery hasn't been a problem even though the indicator light and my dealer tell me that it needs to be replaced...I think it is actually a problem with the gas cap fitting. I'm thinking of writing to Honda and asking them to extend my battery's warranty to 150,000 miles like they've done in several other states.

Either way, this car has saved me money in the long run and has polluted less...a good deal, IMO.

 

[editec]

Am trying to know how electric cars could be more desirable to own and the public views on the future of electric cars?

Electric cars will make sense when we find some way to produce the electricity tp power them that doesn't contribute to gloabl climate change.

They are obviously no solution if we're polluting to create the electicity they run on.

 

[cbi0090]

Am trying to know how electric cars could be more desirable to own and the public views on the future of electric cars?

One big problem with electric cars are the materials needed to produce them. The mining or production of the materials needed to make the batteries are highly toxic and are quite capable of producing an environmental problem of their own.

 

[manu1959]

first thing first.....

design one that looks like some first year design moron didn't design it.......

 

[MalibuMan]

first thing first.....

design one that looks like some first year design moron didn't design it.......

That and make one powerful enough to pull my boat!

 

[sitarro]

first thing first.....

design one that looks like some first year design moron didn't design it.......

No shit, the Prius looks like it was designed by a sight challenged(blind), hand held vacuum designer.

 

[Chris]

first thing first.....

design one that looks like some first year design moron didn't design it.......

That and make one powerful enough to pull my boat!

Cars should be electric, and trucks should be run on natural gas. T. Boone is right.

Screw the Arabs.

The Chinese are building electric cars that can be recharged to 75% in 10 minutes. The Israelis are developing a system of switching stations where batteries can be switched out, so the switching stations would operate like filling stations.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Cars should be electric, and trucks should be run on natural gas. T. Boone is right.

T. Boone Pickens isn't right, he's self-serving. He doesn't tell you that each wind turbine requires oil changes for the gearbox twice a year, and that's 4 barrels of oil a year for that, each. Multiply that times a million, and you got 4 million barrels of oil annually these things need. It's projected that for windfarms to make a dent in demand, there will need to be 4 million of them. That's 16 million barrels of oil needed annually for this "green" alternative.

This doesn't count the FIVE barrels of oil each one has in the transformer at its base. And also doesn't address the fact that these DO leak and sling oil. Great for the groundwater.

They try to sell you on Natural gas as "cheap" right now, or they at least make it appear so. When millions of trucks and other vehicles start using it, it won't be. And he and his buddies will be cleaning up like never before. Plus, if you think wrecks are dangerous now, wait until there's alot of compressed natural gas involved. And let's not tell the dirty little secret of both natural gas and ethanol, while they do burn "cleaner" if all you care about is CO2, they're 100 times worse at putting out the definitely poisonous and definite pollutant, CO (Carbon Monoxide) which is toxic to every living thing on the planet.

The Chinese are building electric cars that can be recharged to 75% in 10 minutes. The Israelis are developing a system of switching stations where batteries can be switched out, so the switching stations would operate like filling stations.

The current US criteria for a sustainable, practical electric car calls for it to be able to go 300 miles between charges. As battery and control technology continues to advance, I can see this happening.

 

[alan1]

first thing first.....

design one that looks like some first year design moron didn't design it.......

That and make one powerful enough to pull my boat!

Is it an electric boat?

 

[Burp]

Am trying to know how electric cars could be more desirable to own and the public views on the future of electric cars?

If:

0 - 60 in 3.2 seconds
HP - 806
Torque - 678 lb - ft

I'd buy one.

 

[Chris]

Cars should be electric, and trucks should be run on natural gas. T. Boone is right.

T. Boone Pickens isn't right, he's self-serving. He doesn't tell you that each wind turbine requires oil changes for the gearbox twice a year, and that's 4 barrels of oil a year for that, each. Multiply that times a million, and you got 4 million barrels of oil annually these things need. It's projected that for windfarms to make a dent in demand, there will need to be 4 million of them. That's 16 million barrels of oil needed annually for this "green" alternative.

This doesn't count the FIVE barrels of oil each one has in the transformer at its base. And also doesn't address the fact that these DO leak and sling oil. Great for the groundwater.

They try to sell you on Natural gas as "cheap" right now, or they at least make it appear so. When millions of trucks and other vehicles start using it, it won't be. And he and his buddies will be cleaning up like never before. Plus, if you think wrecks are dangerous now, wait until there's alot of compressed natural gas involved. And let's not tell the dirty little secret of both natural gas and ethanol, while they do burn "cleaner" if all you care about is CO2, they're 100 times worse at putting out the definitely poisonous and definite pollutant, CO (Carbon Monoxide) which is toxic to every living thing on the planet.

The Chinese are building electric cars that can be recharged to 75% in 10 minutes. The Israelis are developing a system of switching stations where batteries can be switched out, so the switching stations would operate like filling stations.

The current US criteria for a sustainable, practical electric car calls for it to be able to go 300 miles between charges. As battery and control technology continues to advance, I can see this happening.

Are you ever right about ANYTHING?

You really need to read something besides right wing blogs.

All of these technologies are available now.

All it takes is the political will.

 

[KittenKoder]

Actually ... this is one of the times Midnight was pretty accurate. Natural gas for trucks won't ever work ... ever. Electric cars are not even close to as environmentally sound as people are fooled into thinking. First, the pollution to create the electricity will always be about the same. Secondly there is a lot more pollution given off by cars than just from the exhaust, which is pretty low now compared to power plants used to make the electricity to recharge the electric cars. ALL mechanical devices need this stuff called oil to work, or they heat up and basically fuse very quickly (quicker the faster it moves). This oil is distributed by basically spraying it all over the engine and other moving parts (wheel bearings as well). This oil drips down and only about half is actually caught by the "drip pan" if cars, there is no way to stop the oil used on wheel bearings from falling straight to the ground and much of it is blown out of the engine as mist without ever being used. Then all the rubber that is used in autos, that breaks down and eventually falls onto the ground, mostly unseen. Add the plastic and paint flakes ... I hope you get the idea by now. You have been fooled by another monopolized company. Guess what, a known fact that they had working and decent electric cars in the 80's, a few of them just as good as the gas powered ones, but the rights to them were all bought out by companies who stopped them from being made.

I like electric cars because they are quieter when they pass by, I don't like the noise from traffic at all, so I wouldn't mind, but to think they are so much better than gas is just foolish.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Cars should be electric, and trucks should be run on natural gas. T. Boone is right.

T. Boone Pickens isn't right, he's self-serving. He doesn't tell you that each wind turbine requires oil changes for the gearbox twice a year, and that's 4 barrels of oil a year for that, each. Multiply that times a million, and you got 4 million barrels of oil annually these things need. It's projected that for windfarms to make a dent in demand, there will need to be 4 million of them. That's 16 million barrels of oil needed annually for this "green" alternative.

This doesn't count the FIVE barrels of oil each one has in the transformer at its base. And also doesn't address the fact that these DO leak and sling oil. Great for the groundwater.

They try to sell you on Natural gas as "cheap" right now, or they at least make it appear so. When millions of trucks and other vehicles start using it, it won't be. And he and his buddies will be cleaning up like never before. Plus, if you think wrecks are dangerous now, wait until there's alot of compressed natural gas involved. And let's not tell the dirty little secret of both natural gas and ethanol, while they do burn "cleaner" if all you care about is CO2, they're 100 times worse at putting out the definitely poisonous and definite pollutant, CO (Carbon Monoxide) which is toxic to every living thing on the planet.

The Chinese are building electric cars that can be recharged to 75% in 10 minutes. The Israelis are developing a system of switching stations where batteries can be switched out, so the switching stations would operate like filling stations.

The current US criteria for a sustainable, practical electric car calls for it to be able to go 300 miles between charges. As battery and control technology continues to advance, I can see this happening.

Are you ever right about ANYTHING?

You really need to read something besides right wing blogs.

All of these technologies are available now.

All it takes is the political will.

I didn't say they weren't. Did you even read the post you quoted?

And "political will" trumps safety, and the free market? All for something even the IPCC itself isn't even sure is true?

What is a "right wing blog?"

 

[cbi0090]

Cars should be electric, and trucks should be run on natural gas. T. Boone is right.

T. Boone Pickens isn't right, he's self-serving. He doesn't tell you that each wind turbine requires oil changes for the gearbox twice a year, and that's 4 barrels of oil a year for that, each. Multiply that times a million, and you got 4 million barrels of oil annually these things need. It's projected that for windfarms to make a dent in demand, there will need to be 4 million of them. That's 16 million barrels of oil needed annually for this "green" alternative.

This doesn't count the FIVE barrels of oil each one has in the transformer at its base. And also doesn't address the fact that these DO leak and sling oil. Great for the groundwater.

They try to sell you on Natural gas as "cheap" right now, or they at least make it appear so. When millions of trucks and other vehicles start using it, it won't be. And he and his buddies will be cleaning up like never before. Plus, if you think wrecks are dangerous now, wait until there's alot of compressed natural gas involved. And let's not tell the dirty little secret of both natural gas and ethanol, while they do burn "cleaner" if all you care about is CO2, they're 100 times worse at putting out the definitely poisonous and definite pollutant, CO (Carbon Monoxide) which is toxic to every living thing on the planet.

The Chinese are building electric cars that can be recharged to 75% in 10 minutes. The Israelis are developing a system of switching stations where batteries can be switched out, so the switching stations would operate like filling stations.

The current US criteria for a sustainable, practical electric car calls for it to be able to go 300 miles between charges. As battery and control technology continues to advance, I can see this happening.

There are, and will be more, alternative materials for lubrication, many which are natural and non-polluting. They don't have the shelf life that oil based materials, yet, have but they are an alternative, so I wouldn't discount wind power for that reason.
Electric cars are a good idea but our present battery technology uses materials that are highly toxic to mine, use, and discard. There is a zinc mine in Canada where the landscape around it is so devoid of life NASA used it as a testing ground for the Mars rover. I'm not saying that this condition can't be remedied but releasing mass quantities of this stuff out into public use (as if batteries in landfills isn't a big enough problem today) would have to be done thoughtfully and carefully.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

There are, and will be more, alternative materials for lubrication, many which are natural and non-polluting. They don't have the shelf life that oil based materials, yet, have but they are an alternative, so I wouldn't discount wind power for that reason.

I'm not "discounting" wind power, I am pointing out some of its dirty little secrets.

Synthetic lubricants are highly expensive. You really think an OIL MAN like Pickens is in this for "clean" power? Hell no, he's in it to SELL OIL. Who do you think you're kidding?

 

[cbi0090]

There are, and will be more, alternative materials for lubrication, many which are natural and non-polluting. They don't have the shelf life that oil based materials, yet, have but they are an alternative, so I wouldn't discount wind power for that reason.

I'm not "discounting" wind power, I am pointing out some of its dirty little secrets.

Synthetic lubricants are highly expensive. You really think an OIL MAN like Pickens is in this for "clean" power? Hell no, he's in it to SELL OIL. Who do you think you're kidding?

He's not the only person pushing that direction. Wind power is growing rapidly in Europe and there are many companies pushing it here in the US that have no ties to oil. I used to work for a very large engineering firm that invested heavily in pursuing an advocating wind power nearly 20 years ago. It's been a viable solution for a long time.
Synthetic lubricants are more expensive but not so much as to take them out of the picture or to be cost effective. Especially since a few of them are better and last longer than carbon based lubricants. It's just a matter of time and they'll become much more competitive.
I use snythetic oil in my cars and it costs no more than oil because I don't have to change the lubricant as often and it doesn't build up. I've had three cars over the last 12 years, since I switched, that all went over 200K miles without a wrench taken to the engines and when I sold them the engine compression was like nearly new.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

There are, and will be more, alternative materials for lubrication, many which are natural and non-polluting. They don't have the shelf life that oil based materials, yet, have but they are an alternative, so I wouldn't discount wind power for that reason.

I'm not "discounting" wind power, I am pointing out some of its dirty little secrets.

Synthetic lubricants are highly expensive. You really think an OIL MAN like Pickens is in this for "clean" power? Hell no, he's in it to SELL OIL. Who do you think you're kidding?

He's not the only person pushing that direction. Wind power is growing rapidly in Europe and there are many companies pushing it here in the US that have no ties to oil. I used to work for a very large engineering firm that invested heavily in pursuing an advocating wind power nearly 20 years ago. It's been a viable solution for a long time.
Synthetic lubricants are more expensive but not so much as to take them out of the picture or to be cost effective. Especially since a few of them are better and last longer than carbon based lubricants. It's just a matter of time and they'll become much more competitive.
I use snythetic oil in my cars and it costs no more than oil because I don't have to change the lubricant as often and it doesn't build up. I've had three cars over the last 12 years, since I switched, that all went over 200K miles without a wrench taken to the engines and when I sold them the engine compression was like nearly new.

When they come up with a cost effective synthetic gear oil that is HEAVY enough for the job and can stand extreme cold, then even the French will start using it. But they use natural oil still, because it's by far the cheapest and most effective lubricant for this job.

Comparing this gear oil to automotive application is like comparing apples to oranges.

Never anywhere did I say wind power isn't viable. I am merely pointing out some of its dirty -- and expensive little secrets.

You also should research synthetic lubricants, on the manufacturing side. LOTS of pollution and toxic chemicals are involved in this process, some outright deadly in small amounts. And some of these are present in the final product, and are MUCH worse for the environment than oil, especially regarding spills and groundwater.

There's so much they never tell... For example -- Producing solar panels involves the use of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) which is 17,000 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Even worse it stays in the atmosphere for 700 years or longer.

Essentially.... from an environmental aspect most alternative sources do more damage than use of fossil fuels. I do believe in developing alternative energy for the reason of employing renewable resources. I don't believe in forcing development or acceptance of them based on bogus global warming science fiction.

 

[neurosport]

when Porsche puts out a Carrera GT Hybrid then i will say the technology is ready for market !

count the hybrids on this list:

http://www.fastestlaps.com/track2.html