More on electric cars - PhillyBlog

quakersteve · #1 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 09:15 AM

Here's another EC just about to be put on the market in (where else) CA.
Check out the Triac, Moose and Microwatt at www.greenvehicles.com
and
http://www.physorg.com/news129475030.html .
They're just barely cars. The neat thing is that the service guy comes to your house which I guess makes sense since they're probably less complicated your frig. These would solve the parking issue too because you can probably drive them into your kitchen for recharge.

These kind of things drive me crazy because if some startup in CA can do this why can't/won't GM etc with their hugh resources do it? No, don't answer that.

packers2 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 09:41 AM

It still needs to be determined where we would get the electricity grid if everyone powered their car this way. ulitimately we would need more coal which is not making our life too well here as it is unless they refine clean coal

Colin P. Varga · #3 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 09:53 AM

Electric cars are more efficient than gas cars which lose energy in so many moving parts. But electric cars which need to be plugged in to recharged need to receive the energy from somewhere. So we would need more power plants. Hopefully some would be wind and solar, but oil, coal, & nuclear are more likely.

Malloy · #4 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 10:05 AM

This junk is manufactured in China...the land of black skies and slave labor. These guys are charging insane markups selling crap products that wont last 5 years. They are cashing in...

Quote:

Originally Posted by quakersteve

Here's another EC just about to be put on the market in (where else) CA.
Check out the Triac, Moose and Microwatt at www.greenvehicles.com
and
http://www.physorg.com/news129475030.html .
They're just barely cars. The neat thing is that the service guy comes to your house which I guess makes sense since they're probably less complicated your frig. These would solve the parking issue too because you can probably drive them into your kitchen for recharge.

These kind of things drive me crazy because if some startup in CA can do this why can't/won't GM etc with their hugh resources do it? No, don't answer that.

packers2 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin P. Varga

Electric cars are more efficient than gas cars which lose energy in so many moving parts. But electric cars which need to be plugged in to recharged need to receive the energy from somewhere. So we would need more power plants. Hopefully some would be wind and solar, but oil, coal, & nuclear are more likely.

Our dependency on power plants would necessitate the need and often dependency on those industries especially coal and nuclear. the price of electric can easily be just as high as gas in the future but I think thats ok if its cleaner. We probably would lose way more jobs then we gained though from gas station employees and mechanics losing jobs, If what I understand about electric cars and maintenence to be correct. Still by the time this hits Philly every resident will have been poisoned by so many days not having good air its going to be too late for many people here This is hopefully for our kids.

TheTalkingMule · #6 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packers2

It still needs to be determined where we would get the electricity grid if everyone powered their car this way. ulitimately we would need more coal which is not making our life too well here as it is unless they refine clean coal

Why it'll come from solar panels installed on consumers roofs using the $400B subsidies approved in 2010.

packers2 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 10:51 AM

Maybe < i don't know the real potential of solar. We will need many new ways to fuel our energy needs. I think ethanol is good although I don't know if food need outpaces the need for food for fuel. I think big oil has done a good job of bashing ethanol probably unfairly. So many experts on both sides says opposite things

raider.adam · #8 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin P. Varga

Electric cars are more efficient than gas cars which lose energy in so many moving parts. But electric cars which need to be plugged in to recharged need to receive the energy from somewhere. So we would need more power plants. Hopefully some would be wind and solar, but oil, coal, & nuclear are more likely.

I don't see wind ever being a significant answer to energy issues. The biggest reason is NIMBYism. Everyone wants the clean energy, they just don't want to see it.

Solar is still needs significant technological advancement to generate even a partial amount the necessary power.

And this is with cars on a gas based usage. If you calculate the power needed when you throw autos on the grid ... mind blowing.

Tim K · #9 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin P. Varga

Electric cars are more efficient than gas cars which lose energy in so many moving parts.

Yes and no. There are HUGE losses in transmission of electricity as well as in conversion (AC to DC for storage in batteries)....plus batteries lose charge over time. So, even though the internal combustion engine is far from 100% efficient, so is the process of getting electricity from our power plants, to our houses, into our car batteries and back out again.

Colin P. Varga · #10 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim K

Yes and no. There are HUGE losses in transmission of electricity as well as in conversion (AC to DC for storage in batteries)....plus batteries lose charge over time. So, even though the internal combustion engine is far from 100% efficient, so is the process of getting electricity from our power plants, to our houses, into our car batteries and back out again.

However, I believe that more energy in an electric car goes to the drive section of the vehicle than the gas counterpart. Indeed if there was a good DC source to charge a car that would add to the efficiency.