Posted on 12/14/2013 3:59:04 PM PST by chiller
Engineering breakthroughs like the Tesla Model S may be burning up the electric car market (figuratively and literally), but theyre leaving drivers cold and under-powered in the face of Old Man Winter.
Cold temperatures have adverse effects on batteries, slowing down the incoming and outgoing flow of energy and inevitably losing some in the process. The 250-mile average range of an electric car in normal climate conditions can see its performance reduced by 70-miles on a single charge in average winter conditions. The colder it gets, the shorter than range.
Not only that, the average winter driver tends to turn up the heat a function that also puts a draw on the battery uncommon during other seasons.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
Any car with a combustion engine produces lots of waste heat as a byproduct. That's why cars need radiators to throw off the excess heat. So tapping into that excess heat to help heat the car interior in the Winter is simple using a heat exchanger. This is also why if you are ever in a car that's overheating in the Summer and you can't pull over, turn on the heat. It's not very pleasant for the passengers, but it will help extract the excess heat from the engine.
A battery powered car on the other hand produces virtually zero heat, since all the energy is very "efficiently" converted to motive power. Need heat? The only available energy source is the battery and using a battery to generate heat is expensive power-wise. The situation is made worse in Winter in that batteries, running essentially chemical reactions, are less efficient in cold temperatures, since many/most chemical reactions run slower when cooled.
Ya. The engine was over the rear wheels. Pretty decent handling on dry roads, too. And a simple but reliable engine.
A good little car.
“Gas powered cars do not run on natural gas or coal.”
Wrong again. Gasoline and diesel are easily made from natural gas.
1. Gasoline-burning heaters instead of electric heaters.
2. Electrically heated suits like those that were used in the old WWII unpressurized, unheated B-17s. Heat only the driver, not the whole cabin.
libs have been programming themselves for that for a while now.
I remember having to hitch a ride from a lib in a geo metro. 10 minutes in to our ride I could see the temp gauge at normal temp but it was still freezing in the car.
When asked the idiot to turn the heat on he said “wastes energy, leave it off to save gas”..
I thought about explaining to him that heat is created by the engine, even a tiny as it was, it would continue to create more and by not using the heater in the car the car will simply dump the heat out of the radiator under the hood.. but.. I figured it was pointless. I just froze my ass off the next 15 minutes of the drive.
Yes, he even scraped the ice off the INSIDE of the windshield.
Fisker Karma. Fisker is now on cruise-control to bankruptcy.
Wheels spinning on ice and snow will use up the charge. More use of the wipers and more use of the lights too.
Not even close.
Glad you like it.
I love the looks and options.
some days I go 250-300 miles in a day..
If tesla made a gas powered, or even a volt type power system, I’d likely buy one.
I’d keep yours outside in case it bursts in to flames.
Most of those are municipal buses.
Natural gas is great for heavy duty.
There are ~66k light duty natural gas cars in the USA.
Roughly the same number as full Electric but electrics are about to leave CNG cars in the dust.
Typically CNG cars get 200 miles of range.
Less than the Model S.
They typically cost $10k more than comparable car.
My Model S cost roughly the same as a comparable Panamera, 6 Series Gran Coupe, and Mercedes CLS.
You need energy to compress natural gas to get to the pressure required for CNG cars. That is why the cost per mile to run CNG and electric is roughly the same.
And natural gas cars are slow.
Honda Civic EX 0-60 9 seconds.
Honda Civic NG 0-60 10.1 seconds .
My Model S 3.9!
well not likely a 100% options, does not the electric motor it’s self create heat when in operation? I think I recall Toyota using a cooling system just for the electric motor. I would think this waste heat combined with electric heat would help with distance.
“Just wondering.”
Actually A/C would be even worse than a heater because more energy is used than the amount necessary to simply cool the cabin due to the second law of thermodynamics. The solution here of course would be for the “Progressives” to simply repeal the second law of thermodynamics at the Federal level. Besides, I’m pretty sure the second law is racist anyway. Just ask Rev Al, and see if he agrees.
Because the heat in your Jeep is a byproduct of the internal combustion engine, and the AC is driven by the engine.
There’s more: A belt attached to your internal combustion engine also turns the alternator which generates electricity that charges your battery while also providing energy for your headlights, stereo, etc...
That’s why your battery is depleted when you turn off your motor but leave your lights on.
Electric Cars don’t have alternators. What’s in the battery is all you’ve got.
You should keep your gas powered car outside since it is far more likely to burst into flames and get you paulwalkered.
Since my car will not run into a concrete wall at 100 MPH or be hit underneath with a 10 lbs metal object with 25 tons of force while in my garage I will sleep like a baby tonight.
“Liberalism is a mental disorder” was a cliche long before Savage made it popular.
I don’t know who said it first, but it has been in use a considerable time before Savage came on the scene.
The poster likely meant Inductance. Also not terribly efficient . . .
“Electric Cars dont have alternators”
I assumed they did. My error; thanks.
LOL! Best chuckle of the day; thanks!
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