The truth about Electric Vehicles

[Bowman78]

You cannot beat internal combustion engines and fossil fuels now or any time in the next 20 + years given current technology and sustainability.. Factor in pre-production emissions and the gap widens more... The only attraction to hybrids and plug-in/electric hybrids are gimmicks paid for by tax dollars.. What do you do when your a high earning middle class folk that don't get a tax break?? You buy one!!! Anytime an energy is transformed or transferred you lose energy in some way via heat or friction.. Cannot beat Newtonian physics... Hydrogen power?? Dream on!! No way to make it happen reliably or efficiently in an auto.. The technology to pour distilled water in a tank and produce hydrogen that will propel a car down the road is a fallacy.. Hydrogen sucks also as far as stored energy goes...

 

[churchmouse]

Why would you hate a type of vehicle?

Because the very premise is a lie.

Just like global warming.....oh wait....they are a direct result of that very issue and it is a lie as well.

 

[eric001]

Watch the South Park episode on "smug"--I think that about covers it.

 

[Suprtek]

Because the very premise is a lie.

Just like global warming.....oh wait....they are a direct result of that very issue and it is a lie as well.

Using their own rules as a template, a Prius has a much larger "carbon footprint" than a first generation hummer. Especially if you consider manufacturing to disposal. The entire premise is a joke.

 

[churchmouse]

Using their own rules as a template, a Prius has a much larger "carbon footprint" than a first generation hummer. Especially if you consider manufacturing to disposal. The entire premise is a joke.

My point exactly.
I see these things as tripping over a $5.00 bill to pick up a quarter.

 

[rob63]

There is an episode of Top Gear in which they compare the gas mileage of a Prius to that of BMW M3 and show that driving style has a much greater impact than what you drive.

[video]http://www.bbcamerica.com/top-gear/videos/thirsty-prius/[/video]

 

[KLB]

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

The price I listed was for the S. They originally said they would start around $50-$60K. Once they started producing them, the price went up.

I would love to have a Tesla S. At 50-60K, I seriously thought about it. At 70-110K, I cannot justify it.

 

[KLB]

Because the very premise is a lie.

Just like global warming.....oh wait....they are a direct result of that very issue and it is a lie as well.

Still not worth hating. Life is too short to spend time hating a type of vehicle.

 

[Denny347]

I have no hate for electric cars but there are issues. First, they are so damned expensive. Indy leased a bunch of Chevy Volts (after years of driving Toyota and Ford Hybrids, both did VERY well for us in admin and detective positions) and have this silly "Freedom Fleet" decals on them (obvious PR). At 34k dollars a piece, they are kinda expensive for admin cars. A comparable Dodge Charger Pursuit runs 30K and the Ford Interceptor runs 29K (actually we jump on the ISP bid for Chargers so I think we get them for quite a bit less and we just got a Ford fleet quote so that price is lower as well) and those can be equipped with lights and sirens if needed, not so with the Volt, Toyota Camry, and Ford Fusion. According to the garage, ALL of the Volts IFD/IMPD will be marked as is in the picture...hahaha

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Life is too short to spend time hating a type of vehicle.

True. A guy who drove a '69 Fairlane once stole my girlfriend. After that, I hated Fairlanes, people who drove them, people whose neighbors or friends drove them, and the pets of the people whose neighbors drove them. Really hated them.

But, I'm over it now..........mostly.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I had to chuckle a little last week MSN had an article on the most fuel efficient cars available. The went on and on about hybrids getting 40mpg thereabouts. Nowhere, and I mean nowhere, did they even broach the subject of diesel. The volkswagen Jetta TDI - two people have them here in the office - 50mpg average. Not bad for a midsize with no expensive 5-7 year dispose-and-replace batteries. Diesel isn't pc.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

By the way, better check with your home owners policy on charging an EV in your garage. When they burn, it's most likely during charge.

 

[HoughMade]

The price I listed was for the S. They originally said they would start around $50-$60K. Once they started producing them, the price went up.

I would love to have a Tesla S. At 50-60K, I seriously thought about it. At 70-110K, I cannot justify it.

List- about $57,000
With government bribes- just under $50,000

That being said, electric vehicles are cheaper to operate from a fueling perspective, ignoring the initial outlay (which would, of course, give a false impression of economic advantage).

I hope electric vehicles do continue to improve. Some day they may be a viable alternative. Today is not that day. Yes, most of the electricity comes from coal...which is burned in a highly regulated and quite clean plant where only one source of carbon emissions (if you care about that sort of thing) has to be maintained rather than millions of smaller carbon burners being maintained. Politics keeps us from having even less expensive and cleaner electricity, but there is no reason that has to be the case forever.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I have no hate for electric cars but there are issues. First, they are so damned expensive. Indy leased a bunch of Chevy Volts (after years of driving Toyota and Ford Hybrids, both did VERY well for us in admin and detective positions) and have this silly "Freedom Fleet" decals on them (obvious PR). At 34k dollars a piece, they are kinda expensive for admin cars. A comparable Dodge Charger Pursuit runs 30K and the Ford Interceptor runs 29K (actually we jump on the ISP bid for Chargers so I think we get them for quite a bit less and we just got a Ford fleet quote so that price is lower as well) and those can be equipped with lights and sirens if needed, not so with the Volt, Toyota Camry, and Ford Fusion. According to the garage, ALL of the Volts IFD/IMPD will be marked as is in the picture...hahaha

And the smug greenies cant park either.

 

[roadrunner681]

i deal with fork trucks batteries every day and i can tell you this there is no way electric will replace IC anytime soon, dont get me wrong there awesome trucks but the weak link is still the power source and lets not forget motors need precious metals and a lot of it. i don't understand why diesels haven't took over when i used to drive a semi truck i got 6-7 mpg full loaded with a 12 liter detroit series 60 jettas can 50 mpg and more sometimes and there's plenty of diesels cars around the world that get good fuel mileage brazil has diesel ford rangers, Canada has toyota diesel pickups which we can't get here, Mercedes has had diesel available for a long time and actively promotes them in other places. and i think the two stroke Detroit were the ones that cause people to dislike diesels

 

[Lectric102002]

I was recently at a Chevy dealer here in Plainfield buying my bride a new crossover (Enclave). While we were waiting for the finance guy to do his thing, I was looking at a new Chevy Volt on the showroom floor. I asked my sales guy how they were selling. He said he can't give them away. He sells way more Tahoes than Volts. Nobody wants a 2 seater with a 40 mile range and you have to pay an electrician (like me) thousands to run a new circuit for your charging station.

 

[roadrunner681]

I was recently at a Chevy dealer here in Plainfield buying my bride a new crossover (Enclave). While we were waiting for the finance guy to do his thing, I was looking at a new Chevy Volt on the showroom floor. I asked my sales guy how they were selling. He said he can't give them away. He sells way more Tahoes than Volts. Nobody wants a 2 seater with a 40 mile range and you have to pay an electrician (like me) thousands to run a new circuit for your charging station.

that does not surprise me, ive drove one it was boring and small and kinda hard to get in out of. i thought it was kinda stupid, why buy a car that cost that much to save money i would rather have something fun for 50k.

 

[Hoosier8]

A couple of things to think about.

One, auto companies making electric cars may overall reduce their expenditures due to Corporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE) regulations (54.5mpg by 2025) because there are incentives (your tax dollars).

Two, if battery technology improves, they will become more viable (right now I don't think they are).

Three, electric motors have tremendous torque.

 

[Cygnus]

As you might imagine electrics and hybrids are quite trendy In New England. Hybrids I don't mind so much. There is logic there and you can go anywhere.

Now the electrics are limited by power source and distance. There are several charging stations in Boston and nearby trendy towns. My favorite thing to do when people comment on the them is to ask if they think that particular charging station is powered by electricity from coal or the Pilgrim nuclear plant.

 

[roadrunner681]

A couple of things to think about.

One, auto companies making electric cars may overall reduce their expenditures due to Corporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE) regulations (54.5mpg by 2025) because there are incentives (your tax dollars).

Two, if battery technology improves, they will become more viable (right now I don't think they are).

Three, electric motors have tremendous torque.

ac motors are badass they spin fork truck tires at least crowns motors can.