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Reality is setting in on Electric Cars

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11 years 5 months ago #26829 by OleCowboy
Reality is setting in on Electric Cars was created by OleCowboy
Anyone surprised, I am not!


Unclean at Any Speed

Electric cars don’t solve the automobile’s environmental problems


"Some states offer additional tax incentives. California brings the total credit up to $10 000, and Colorado to $13 500—more than the base price of a brand new Ford Fiesta. West Virginia offers the sweetest deal. The state’s mining interests are salivating at the possibility of shifting automotive transportation from petroleum over to coal. Residents can receive a total credit of up to $15 000 for an electric-car purchase and up to $10 000 toward the cost of a personal charging station."

"Twenty years ago, I myself built a hybrid electric car that could be plugged in or run on natural gas. It wasn’t very fast, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t safe. But I was convinced that cars like mine would help reduce both pollution and fossil-fuel dependence.
I was wrong."

I’ve come to this conclusion after many years of studying environmental issues more deeply and taking note of some important questions we need to ask ourselves as concerned citizens. "

The author of the book Green Illusions, Ozzie Zehner was working for GM when it “killed” its EV1 electric car. A plug-in advocate at the time, he later realized that electrifying cars just trades one set of environmental problems for another. Zehner is now a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.

spectrum.ieee.org/energy/renewables/unclean-at-any-speed

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11 years 5 months ago #26830 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars
:thumbs: I couldn't agree more. It makes no sense at all. What does make sense are the European smart diesel cars. When in Ireland I rented an Alahambra van made in Spain by a Volkswagon subsidiary.
I am not a fan of vans, but this one had a turbo diesel that gave acceleration, economy, even with five large people and luggage in it, And no diesel smell. And it handled better than any US van, as well or better than most US cars.
If the US didn't tax diesel fuel to death, it would be an excellent option.

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11 years 5 months ago #26845 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars

Siscowet wrote: :thumbs: I couldn't agree more. It makes no sense at all. What does make sense are the European smart diesel cars. When in Ireland I rented an Alahambra van made in Spain by a Volkswagon subsidiary.
I am not a fan of vans, but this one had a turbo diesel that gave acceleration, economy, even with five large people and luggage in it, And no diesel smell. And it handled better than any US van, as well or better than most US cars.
If the US didn't tax diesel fuel to death, it would be an excellent option.


How did they keep the pump station clean?
My biggest issue with diesel is getting on my hands and feet when filling up and then dragging the god-awful smell into the vehicle were it never goes away.

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11 years 5 months ago #26857 by 10-76
Replied by 10-76 on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars

Siscowet wrote: :thumbs: I couldn't agree more. It makes no sense at all. What does make sense are the European smart diesel cars. When in Ireland I rented an Alahambra van made in Spain by a Volkswagon subsidiary.
I am not a fan of vans, but this one had a turbo diesel that gave acceleration, economy, even with five large people and luggage in it, And no diesel smell. And it handled better than any US van, as well or better than most US cars.
If the US didn't tax diesel fuel to death, it would be an excellent option.



Yup. We've got 3 diesels, 2 of em are the old school VWs.

If people are interested in 45-60 mpg go with the pre 2001 models, which still have the mechanically driven injection pumps.

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11 years 5 months ago #26858 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars

jtallen83 wrote:

Siscowet wrote: :thumbs: I couldn't agree more. It makes no sense at all. What does make sense are the European smart diesel cars. When in Ireland I rented an Alahambra van made in Spain by a Volkswagon subsidiary.
I am not a fan of vans, but this one had a turbo diesel that gave acceleration, economy, even with five large people and luggage in it, And no diesel smell. And it handled better than any US van, as well or better than most US cars.
If the US didn't tax diesel fuel to death, it would be an excellent option.


How did they keep the pump station clean?
My biggest issue with diesel is getting on my hands and feet when filling up and then dragging the god-awful smell into the vehicle were it never goes away.

I can't say, but they were all clean throughout Ireland and Scotland. I salvaged a sailboat once whose inside was coated with diesel when the fuel hose broke in a gale. Never again,

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11 years 5 months ago #26859 by mlotziii
Replied by mlotziii on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars
I'm with you! I've never gotten the concept of an electric car. Hybrids I can see as beneficial but not 100% electric until we build new power plants that are not burning fossil fuels.

I just read where the EPA estimates that the cost of driving 500 miles per week to be $1800 for electric vs $6000 for gasoline.

Since so much of the gasoline and diesel fuel cost is taxes... what is going to happen when that revenue dries up? States are just going to start taxing electricity.

:thumbs down:

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11 years 5 months ago #26861 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars
They don't like to talk about all the fossil fuel electric generating plants that will be needed to charge a country full of them. Kind of like shooting yourself in the foot to see if your weapon functions :dry:

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11 years 5 months ago #26862 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars
Another problem is the battery pack. Like most rechargeable batteries, it has a lifespan. For the Chevy Volt it's 5 years or so and other EVs have similar lifespans. How do you dispose of the depleted battery packs once they've been used up?

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11 years 5 months ago #26863 by Dabu
Replied by Dabu on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars
I still want a ultralight helicopter :(

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11 years 5 months ago #26864 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Reality is setting in on Electric Cars

LebbenB wrote: Another problem is the battery pack. Like most rechargeable batteries, it has a lifespan. For the Chevy Volt it's 5 years or so and other EVs have similar lifespans. How do you dispose of the depleted battery packs once they've been used up?

They will get you on both ends. They will charge you a hefty recycling fee to take them back, reuse some of the materials, and sell you a new one. Will it be an environmentally friendly and energy efficient process? No. Hydrogen makes more sense, once you build the infrastructure.

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