Sparks Will Fly! (What Do You Think of Electric Vehicles?)

they're also really heavy. if all cars are replaced by them, would it have a negative effect on roads? (honest question from a dummy)

my son drives a Prius, and he loves it. he and his wife drove from their house in Connecticut to her parents' place in South Carolina last Thanksgiving. they rented a Tesla for the trip. took them TWO days to get to Charlotte ( less than a 12 hour drive). they stopped at my sister's, took the Tesla to the car rental company, and swapped it for a gas powered car.

EVs. maybe the wave of the future; not ready for primetime.

One of the folks I play bluegrass with has an EV, that he loves. I asked him about going on longer trips, and he just rents a IC car to do it, and leaves the EV home. To my way of thinking a "Hybrid" makes more sence in 2024 if you want to be "Progressive".

I drove to work in my 1931 Ford this morning.

Actually renewable energies have garnered a large portion....coal has shrunk to the point of bankruptcy for the industry. AND I'm a bit of a double mind about coal. Coal burning puts mercury into the environment which has a TON of unwanted side effects. From waterways to plant life the increased mercury causes some of the worst birth defects. Nuclear energy creates "Brown Sites" that will never be usable again as well as they are a frightening target for American Enemies.
There WAS a "Clean Coal" initiative....where coal was turned into diesel and then used for fuel. It can even use yellow coal for the process. (Very cheap and unusable for anything else) About 15 years ago it would cost about $70/55g per barrel of it....and burns better than that bio-diesel now being offered. So large scale production has never been attempted.

Electric automobiles are still expensive junk. A novelty transportation like a single seat aircraft or submarine. Still not practical for most people as the infrastructure just is NOT there. Not enough power grid, not enough charging stations, and tires quickly eaten up by wear. (We still have issues with used tire disposal)

The better solution in the interim is hybrid vehicles where the electricity generated is by a hydrocarbon fuel. But 30-60% increased fuel economy and no charging requirements plus a total weight DECREASE for the vehicle has logistics companies demanding a hybrid tractor for 18wheel transport. The "drive-by-wire" system is also very impressive with the increase in total overall horsepower.

However....hybrids have issues with maintenance....constant breakdowns and repairs. The money wasted by the US Government on ALL Electric vehicles when the battery tech wasn't there could have been spent on hybrids and resolved these issues. And had an extremely viable alternative people would want.

(Look for Edison Motors on YouTube for the real hybrid thing)

The whole thing is nothing but a scam on many levels....from stock market to global warming nutjobs.

And I tend to agree....petroleum usage needs to be curtailed because of the nations selling the majority of it...it finances terrorists and enemies. Petroleum products are everywhere though from fertilizer to wooden floor finishes. Your clothes and computer are filled with Petroleum products. Consumer vehicles (non commercial) only accounts for 30% of fuels used. The commercial/industrial world uses 70%.

Let's get real....trying to make the people pay for industry to have a cheaper energy cost is one of the dumbest ideas yet.

All good stuff.
Couple of thoughts...
EV's are heavy and wear out tires at an accelerated rate. This puts a significant amount of particulates into the atmosphere. Also, fossil fuels are renewable and there are engines that can obtain more than 100 mpg. And we actually have greater reserves of fossil fuels than the rest of the world. We simply aren't making use of them or being wise in geopolitical decision-making. We don't have to allow our enemies to grow wealthy while destroying wealth in our own country. We have simply chosen to.
Further, the mining for the materials for the batteries both contributes to environmental problems as well as child labor by unscrupulous governments.

My next car will be an hybrid, less fuel used, less pollution. the costs of hybrids have really come down. electric cars are too problematic, I dont want to wait in a perking lot to recharge a car when i want to do longer distances, these charging station also are hard to find and some very busy, do not need the frustration. Plus the batteries cost a premium to replace. we are not set up for this technology yet. IMO for now, Hybrids are the way to go.

Natural gas vehicles would be the way to go for me. Natural gas is virtually clean and doesn't necessitate other environmentally degrading processes.

I would love an EV. Electric motors are inherently cleaner, far more efficient, more reliable and less expensive to service. The only reason I don't have an EV is my age. I'm 73 and retired. I don't drive enough to invest in an EV. Unless my present car becomes beyond economic repair, I'll keep it until I'm not able to drive.

EV's have no spark plugs, oil filter, radiator, few moving parts, (about 20 compared to hundreds in an ICE engine) and there is little to service. It's a beef I have with most EV companies, who state that routine servicing is a must. Tesla is the exception because they do not rely on servicing cars to make a profit. Perhaps the others are worried about the blinker fluid level.

I ride an electric trike, mostly to keep fit. I detest the fumes from filthy diesels.

It is necessary to adapt to EV's, like any new tech. People complain about cold weather performance. Diesel owners know that they must change the fuel in cold weather. One of Tesla's bigger markets is Norway, which gets seriously cold. People have adapted. As more charging stations are rolled out, range will be less of an issue. Battery tech is improving all the time.

This is a very interesting point to me.

I have a relative who has a hard time hearing and refuses to get tested (because of course, it's EVERYONE ELSE who can't hear, not this person!)

There have been many times we've been walking through parking lots, and I have to pull this person out of the way because they can't hear the cars coming.

Your post definitely has me thinking of how I can keep approaching this person in love to get the healthcare they really need.

There have been some really interesting points made here, whether pro or con.

Thank you all for taking the time to share!

When my car had to get some attention from a mechanic a couple of months ago, the dealer was all smiles and sunshine and said I could get a Ford Mustang while they were repairing it.

And then they gave me a Ford Mustang Electric!!! But it was a smooth ride I have to admit lol.

so kool!

Hydrogen seems also a good source of energy but the containment is a problem, it dissipates fast and three are some losses during refilling and transportation, once they find a solution it might be a very good energy source, you can produce hydrogen by electrolysis using surplus electricity production and when it burns, it combines with atmospheric Oxygen (O2) and produces H2O ( water) it is the cleanest so far.

cheers

I agree. I believe some form of cold fusion will allow for virtually free energy in the future. They have already been able to create more energy than expended. The problem is that the heat is warping the lenses and the containment apparatus. Eventually it will be worked out and should be able to be disseminated over the current infrastructure. Imagine...virtually free energy, like the sun.

Also I know that many years ago at MIT, They developed ultra thin batteries of large capacity, they are made up of thousands of special ultra thin polymer layers and can store a huge quantity of energy, in a very short time. it was very promising but for a reason that I ignore it did not see the light of day.

It's for the same reason they shelved the patents for automobile engines that were efficient enough to get over 100 mpg...$$$.

my uncle Paul was a US army engineer and he could get 200 miles per gallon, he used to install a line heater on the gas inlet, just before it enters the cylinders and instead of vaporizing liquid gasoline in the cylinders , it was only vapour, of course it requires other adjustments for the carburator ( I am not good in mechanics so I may be a bit wrong here) he could get 200 miles per gallon, My father, his brother did not believe it but it was true, he borrowed the car one weekend and could see by himself.... in the 70's they were big cars with big motors...

Anyone doing this has few choice, keep it quiet for yourself of go public then 2 things can happen; you take the money ""they"" offer or you end up dead... no joke. yes it is all about money. Many good technology have been suppressed.

Yep...good ol' planned obsolescence. It's the same thinking that goes on in healthcare. One can make more money treating patients than they can curing patients.

Hi John, I think the hybrid technology had evolved quite well over time, they are quire reliable now, on the new models if you look for example, toyota's hybrid system has a full warranty of 10 years.

Hybrid-Related Component Coverage: Hybrid-related components, including the hybrid battery, battery control module, hybrid control module and inverter with converter, are covered for 8 years/100,000 miles. The hybrid battery may have longer coverage under the Emissions Coverage. Refer to your Owner’s Warranty Information booklet for details. Starting with the 2020 model year, every hybrid battery warranty is being increased from 8 years or 100,000 miles, to 10 years from date of first use, or 150,000 miles whichever comes first.