Posted on 01/12/2015 6:23:09 AM PST by Olog-hai
General Motors Co on Monday showed its Chevrolet Bolt concept car with an electric driving range of more than 200 miles and a $30,000 price tag, offering a view into where the U.S. automaker is pushing in development of electric vehicles (EV).
The all-electric Bolt is a concept car not currently slated for production, but Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said the company is committed to developing an affordable long-range EV, and GM said they could develop the car in as little as 18 months.
“This is a real game changer,” Barra told reporters at the media preview at the Detroit auto show. “Trust me, this is no stripped-down science experiment.” …
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“And once again the Ford F-150 is named the north American truck of the year.”
By who, and why would I give a damn what some one else has to say about a truck? I drive a Dodge Ram and Ford doesn’t touch it in quality, features, or capability. So, who is these magical people that claim Ford is “Truck of the Year”? Sounds like you believe in the Hollywierd Oscars, too: “I gotta see that movie! It has a hollywierd Oscar winner in it!”
“I think 200 miles is enough to cover 99% of most people’s driving.”
Maybe in New York City or some other liberal bastion, but not in Real-World America. About 1/3 of the country drives to family on Thanksgiving and Christmas or on summer holiday.
Naw, the average loss for transmission is 6%.
“Electric cars and batteries just add another wasteful link in the distribution of that energy.”
Electric motors have efficiencies over 90%. Granted, the main energy loss is at the power plant, whether it be coal, natural gas, or nuclear. However, these plants are more efficient that the combustion engine under your hood. For all these reasons, and a few others, electricity costs about half of what gasoline costs on a per-mile basis.
“Vehicles powered by petroleum products will be around for a while longer based on their scientific and economic merits unless outlawed by the EPA and legislation. Nevertheless, we can still produce a lot of plastics and other synthetics from our oil.”
No doubt.
“I'm not anti-electric cars but they are not a must-have for me at this time. As long as social engineering attempts to influence the laws of science and economics in their favour, there will be people who believe them to be a solution to a non-existent problem.”
From what I've read, the “social engineering” issue seems to be the biggest holdup for conservatives. However, I do think there is a valid public interest in promoting electric vehicles. After spending a trillion dollars fighting the last oil war in Iraq, I think it is an extraordinarily good use of a few billion dollars to encourage a new technology that will prevent us from ever needing to worry about energy security again.
I think it is silly how some conservatives (not you, just in general) will gripe about a couple billion but are not bothered by spending our blood and a trillion of our treasure. One of the biggest electric car advocates I know is a conservative, Obama hating, lib-bashing Chevy Volt owner with an NRA sticker on his bumper. He was a desert storm veteran so he has strong opinions regarding why he bought his Volt.
I swear, if so many republican politicians had not been deluged with the hundreds of millions of dollars of campaign contributions that the Koch oil billionaires spread around, the Volt would never have been the political football that it turned out to be. I think the oil industry in general soiled their pants at the idea of a car with which you could drive the first 40 miles every day on electricity (and which only used gasoline if you needed to go on a trip).
They market the "eco-boost" engine as environmentally friendly ... it looks to me like they're trying to answer the question: "How can we extract every possible useful Joule from gasoline in an IC engine?"
“Since we don’t make electricity from oil in this country, electric cars have the potential to reduce our consumption of Jihad Juice by 90%.
“
See, there is your fallacy: You assume the only way to reduce dependence on foreign oil is by these contraptions, when the truth is we already have enough of our own oil but the EPA keeps us from it.
Since the liberal Luddites don’t want us driving anything for any reason they will attack electric cars all the same.
They already have attacked coal so much that a few years ago coal represented 51% of electric output but is now down to 40% as they have closed more than 150 coal plants already.
If every American drove an electric car the grid could not possibly handle the load. As it is Kali suffers from black and brown outs due to electricity shortages. Colorado has brown outs. Many places already do.
This was a common myth promulgated by certain segments of the media. Here are the facts: Chevy Volt owners who have been driving the car since the first Volt hit the market have driven 60,000 to 100,000 miles and have seen virtually no reduction in their battery capacity. Most people find this hard to believe considering their experience with their smartphone or laptop. However, the Volt uses a different chemistry (not all lithium ion is created equal) and more importantly, the battery is pampered: it has a controlled state of charge window and a liquid-cooled thermal management system. GM has test mule Volts with 200,000 miles on them and the batteries are still going strong.
A strictly "gas only" stop is 5 minutes.
As inefficient as a gasmobile may be, when the gas gauge gets low, I can pull off the LIE at the next exit and fill up in less than five minutes. When the electric gauge nears empty, I'm pretty much screwed.
Efficiency is eco friendly.
The more efficiently you burn the fuel the less exhaust you produce and you’re producing the same power with less fuel.
Yes ... It's a matter of emphasis or mentality. Ford engine designers seem to me to be interested in how much useful power and torque they can wring out of a gallon of gasoline. Ford marketers seem to me to be interested in talking about greenhouse gases. To me, the engines are a triumph of engineering. They're also starting to look like the end-game of a mature technology.
If your regular driving habits would leave you feeling anxious about a pure EV’s range, then consider an extended range EV like the Chevy Volt. Your first 40 miles every day are electric and you have a 340 mile gas tank waiting for you whenever you go farther. You would only notice that you have switched from electric to gasoline by the rumble of the engine.
That, and the impact on your wallet since electricity costs about half as much as gasoline on a per-mile basis.
Hint taken. Sign me up.
“oh wait, there aren’t any.................”
I’m right here, a delighted driver of a Nissan LEAF.
Happy to take any questions.
FAQ:
- Typical range in temperate conditions is 80-100 miles.
- Just plug it into a 110v outlet every night and it will be fully charged in morning (assuming you’re not completely discharging it, just like you don’t completely drain your gas tank before filling up).
- No, it’s not good for long commutes (over 50 miles round trip), long trips (duh), or extreme temperatures (duh).
- It’s fast. Hits 85+ easier than the police might like.
- It’s comfortable (family of 4 plus decent cargo space).
- Yes, you have to think about your trips a tiny bit before you go.
- Yes, you should have an SUV parked next to it at home for long trips and heavy loads.
- No, it’s not all plastic, nor a deathtrap, etc.
- Mileage is sensitive to your driving style & conditions. I usually get close to 100 miles, have seen 114.
It does, at that. The Cricket was British, though; known as the Hillman Avenger over there originally, later Chrysler Avenger and ended its run as the Talbot Avenger (Chrysler Europe had sold itself to France’s Peugeot for $1).
Heating and AC are energy-intensive systems. I would not trust a battery more than an alternator to run an AC compressor, and heating a car’s interior from its engine is a relatively efficient way to reuse its heat energy.
They over paid...............
New 2016 Volt stats...
http://insideevs.com/next-generation-2016-chevrolet-volt-debuts-full-spec/
Put a small 5th seat in, increased battery capacity by about 11%, put a more powerful motor in, cut the weight by 250 lbs.
That's 16% not counting losses in battery charge/discharge cycle. Granted electric motors have many advantages and are more efficient than the internal combustion engines they would replace. But what you see is the product of a previous generation of social engineering by the auto industry to suppress the electric vehicle and promote the internal combustion engine. Social engineering now or then is wrong, let the consumer decide and the free market provide what they want based on the prevailing science and the economy.
...electricity costs about half of what gasoline costs on a per-mile basis.
As the price of petroleum and gasoline decline, the costs per mile favour gasoline for a while longer. As the efficiency of the ICE is maxed, then they will have to turn to other technology, perhaps unforseen today. Let us watch and see how the newest version of the electric car is accepted by consumers and whether we have reached a turning point in personal transportation.
...the “social engineering” issue seems to be the biggest holdup...
Not to the sheeple. They always find it easier to accept rather than question the science and motives (political, economic, world, etc.) behind the issues that are presented in our society today. They let the government kick the can down the road and put off rather than resolve critical issues that need immediate attention today in favour of social issues. They worry about issues that have not yet developed or may never in the future. All the social engineering has failed to meet their expectations. I don't think an electric car matters one way or another to them.
I think it is silly how some conservatives (not you, just in general) will gripe about a couple billion but are not bothered by spending our blood and a trillion of our treasure.
When it comes to down to it, it is always about money and how it is spent. If money is unlimited, then why worry about money - in the socialists liberal mindset there will always be enough to go round. Many consider our blood and treasure to be unlimited. But in the real world and the mindset of the capitalist conservative, money is limited by our economy and our ability to produce the goods and services we desire as a society of consumers. It is important to us that we spend our money wisely and not waste our blood and treasure. Yes, we are bothered...
I have spent a number of years researching alternate solutions to the energy crisis and what as an individual I can do to maintain my energy costs and independence from more government. I have found solar, wind, and other sources of energy came at a cost at which I was not willing to pay. The return on my investment was too little or long term to warrant changing to my lifestyle to adopt the newer technologies. When electric cars become more practical and cost effective for me to dump the gas guzzlers, I'll be the first in line.
What is really important is will it make liberals feel less guilty?
Motors do not replace engines. Motors are not a power source while engines are.
Granted electric motors have many advantages and are more efficient than the internal combustion engines they would replace …
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