The truth about Electric Vehicles

[x10]

I hate Electric Vehicles and Hybrids, They are a lie that Americans are eating up by the spoonfull,

We can debate forever but I think the focus needs to be on getting rid of the EPA and stop wasting fuel on making emissions that DON't mean anything, I'm not saying we should do anything stupid I'm saying politics needs to be out of exhaust emissions

Here's an article that I found interesting, It's about electrics but much of the same is true for Hybrids

The Disconnect With Electric Cars | Road Ahead

 

[KLB]

Why would you hate a type of vehicle?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I don't hate electric vehicles. I hate the damage their cheerleaders are doing to our economy by forcing automakers to build them, subsidizing their sale, and duping people into believing they're really doing any good.

If somebody can come up with a battery that can power a good sized car for 400 miles, with 2 kids, 2 adults, at night, with the A/C on, with a weeks worth of vacation supplies, can be refueled in 10 minutes or less (or whatever the average family potty break is plus buying a Coke and candy bar for the kids is), and purchase costs/life cycle costs are about the same as a gas-powered car of today----I'm all for it. But they ain't there yet and probably won't be in my life time.

If it makes you feel good as a consumer to possess one, God-bless---just don't ask me to subsidize you in a demonstrated failure to help ween us from "middle-east crude" or saving us from global warming.

 

[PistolBob]

They have a name for electric cars.....golf carts.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

They have a name for electric cars.....golf carts.

And, who could hate a golf cart? They're a blast to race each other.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I don't hate electric vehicles. I hate the damage their cheerleaders are doing to our economy by forcing automakers to build them, subsidizing their sale, and duping people into believing they're really doing any good.

If somebody can come up with a battery that can power a good sized car for 400 miles, with 2 kids, 2 adults, at night, with the A/C on, with a weeks worth of vacation supplies, can be refueled in 10 minutes or less (or whatever the average family potty break is plus buying a Coke and candy bar for the kids is), and purchase costs/life cycle costs are about the same as a gas-powered car of today----I'm all for it. But they ain't there yet and probably won't be in my life time.

If it makes you feel good as a consumer to possess one, God-bless---just don't ask me to subsidize you in a demonstrated failure to help ween us from "middle-east crude" or saving us from global warming.

Yep. Last time I checked, with the added upfront cost, and perioding battery replacement, its a wash at best and possibly negative overall. Well, negative unless gas goes over $5/gal all the time. Then I think you see some benefits.

Imaging being told that you needed to spend an extra $5,000 for this super efficient gas powered car, but then had to replace the transmission every 100k or so because it got less efficient over time. Thats pretty much how these hybrids work. They cost more and require a "tuneup" every 100k or so to refresh the batteries that wear out. No thanks. I'll leave it to the suckers.

Now dont get me wrong. Full electrics for running short distances within a city where there are charging stations everywhere? SURE! But for the average motorist its not cost effective.

And slightly OT, many people dont by hybrids to be green. They do it to LOOK green. I cant find the article, but there was a story out a while back that shows the less obvious a hybrid vehicle LOOKS like a hybrid, the less they sell. They compared the distinctive Prius to other designs based on traditional cars across all makes. The ones that look like hybrids outsell the less obvious models by leaps and bounds. The theory is that people that invest in the tech want to make sure everyone knows they are, and the less obvious it is, the less they are interested in it.

 

[HoughMade]

I would love to have an electric vehicle to drive back and forth to work every day. Range isn't that much of an issue in such a circumstance, but here's the thing.

I drive a Silverado pickup and my wife drives Town and Country minivan. The electric car would not replace either of these. I need my truck for certain things and believe it or not, even as a white collar "office worker" I still use the truck for "truck only" stuff at least once a week, sometimes several times a week. Electric car can't replace that. As for the T & C, we have 4 kids. We need a vehicle that seats 6 people (we actually like spending time together). No electric vehicle will do that.

I cannot really afford to have a vehicle that just sits around most of the time waiting to be used. An electric car would be an "extra" car and to me, that's a waste. Whatever $$$ in energy I save will be eaten up maintaining and insuring the "extra" vehicle.

That's a problem with electric vehicles right now- they don't work well as "only" vehicles. Most days, I just drive to the office or local court or someone else's office- fine on those days. A few days a month I have to go long distances (Chicago, Indy....Lawrenceburg [for gosh sake]), the electric vehicle can't do that. It just doesn't make sense for me and how a lot of people live- again, it can't be an "only" car.

This brings us to hybrids....well, a Prius can get close to the mileage of a Jetta or Golf TDi, but is still more expensive than it should be for what it is. The Volt? Great execution, but it costs more than either my Silverado or my wife's leather-lined Town and Country. I'm supposed to pay top dollar for an econo box....TO SAVE MONEY?

...Yes, the government is trying to force technology by manipulating the market. When electric vehicles make dollars and cents...sense, they will sell. Until then, they will turn people off, just hopefully not as effectively as the early '80s GM 5.7L diesel turned Americans off from a real energy solution.

 

[Hop]

I've seen a LOT of Tesla S around Indy lately. Tesla is building more and more free high Amp charging stations. People should be able to get all the way across the country soon on free charges. You can check the Supercharger map here: Supercharger | Tesla Motors

 

[HoughMade]

It's nice to hear that people who have bought a car with a base price of around $50,000 (when federal incentives are deducted) will be able to travel free across the country.

 

[SERparacord]

Every turn of an electric motor creates ozone. Cool.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I hate the subsidy and tax crap the vehicles are given. Let the market dictate sales volume.

tesla vehicles are freaking awesome. And yet the .gov tries to block them selling direct to consumers.

 

[KLB]

It's nice to hear that people who have bought a car with a base price of around $50,000 (when federal incentives are deducted) will be able to travel free across the country.

More like $70,000 and they go up over $100,000.

Here is the EV for you.
Model X | Tesla Motors

 

[HoughMade]

More like $70,000 and they go up over $100,000.

Here is the EV for you.
Model X | Tesla Motors

I was referring to the "S"....the "cheap" one.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

The first consideration is absolute environmental devastation from the mining for materials used in the motors and batteries. Second, the lighter weight vehicles use more energy and create greater pollution than equivalent gas powered vehicles, and there are in fact several of those that run as efficiently or moreso than the hybrids. Third, how is the electricity being generated? Are you actually driving a coal powered car? How much of that energy is lost between the generator and the outlet? The electricity for a Tesla is not "free". You're using quite a bit of it, and they don't hand that out for nothing. It's either buried in the price so you paid for it, or buried in the subsidy so we all do.

 

[x10]

Most of you get it, Why do so many NOT get it,

Also ask the people where the Electric for the Electric Vehicle comes from,

uuuuuhhhhh majic place in wall it's clean, I never see it smokin uuuuuuhhhhhhh

 

[SmileDocHill]

Yeah, I love mentioning to hybrid (specifically Prius) owners that their car gets 100% of its energy from gas. They get energetic really quick.
them: um, no, it is a hybrid, has an electrical motor.
me: where does the electricity come from?
them: when you break it charges the battery
me: that kinetic energy comes from....?
them: The car moving.
me: and the car got moving from the gas engine. Unless you can plug it in or charge it with solar panels the typical hybrid gets all of its energy from the gas engine. It uses the batteries and electrical motors to attempt to make the entire system more efficient. So, you don't have an electrical car, you have a gas car that also has to lug around a second system of batteries and el- motors to try to make it more fuel efficient. Personally I would argue that you can get all gas system cars that are better but then you don't get that false sense of saving the planet.

The same fallacy holds for people that argue that the hybrid cars (that don't plug in) get their electricity from coal burning. That only holds true if the car plugs in to charge, so I would recommend not using that argument for the typical Prius driver.

 

[Hop]

If I ever get a Tesla I'm adding a trailer hitch and towing a diesel powered Generac behind it.

 

[9mmfan]

I would never have an all electric car after the winter we had. Can't begin to remember how many cars in my neighborhood didn't start during the -15 degree days.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I would never have an all electric car after the winter we had. Can't begin to remember how many cars in my neighborhood didn't start during the -15 degree days.

Not to worry. An all electric car would still start and run. You'd just go VERRRRRY slowly for about a block and a half before the batteries went kaput.

 

[ModernGunner]

Drove a rental Prius for about a week. Handles about like a 3-legged water buffalo, and it's quite a bit slower than one.

The 'all electric' mode ONLY worked under 19 mph. The cruise control doesn't work at that speed, and good luck trying to drive anywhere staying <19 mph.

That piece o'junk got no better mileage than the Cruze, and often worse. Plus, ya look like a dork driving it, 'cause everyone already knows they're a joke. ALL Prius owners should be mandated by law to wear a multi-color beanie with a propeller, so regular folks know who to stay away from!

There's half a dozen+ Telsa's I've seen around NWI now, 'S' model. Not a 'bad' looking car, but they're expensive, the 'claim' is 'up to' 265 miles in range, but the couple owners said it's more like 100 - 150 miles. Further, it costs about a bazillion dollars to replace the batteries, and it's NOT "eco-friendly" to dispose of the old ones. Add in an (approximately) 30 minutes HALF charge time, and that's gonna lengthen the time to cross the country (WHEN the charging stations are available) to somewhere around covered wagon days, LOL.

We'd be much better off to pursue hydrogen power. JMO. For the foreseeable future, any 'electric' car relying on batteries simply doesn't cut it other than as a 'toy'. And that's a pretty expensive toy. A Lotus or Jaguar F-type can be had for less, and be a LOT more fun.

But, I guess if you're a lefty-loon 'poser' that insists people THINK you're doing something 'to save the planet', the Tesla is just your loony-bird ticket!