What do you think about Electric Cars?

Discussion in 'Serious Discussion' started by Katzenfreund, Aug 24, 2017.

?

Will your next car be electric?

  1. My next car will be electric

  2. I’ll wait several years for prices to drop

  3. I’m not convinced by them, I’ll buy conventional

  4. I am undecided, far more info is required

Results are only viewable after voting.
  1. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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  2. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    And if all else fails a dogmatic petrol lover can always ask God for a little meteor help... :rolleyes:
     
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  3. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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  4. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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  5. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

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    #705 tonto11, Apr 13, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2018
    That will work good with about 3 ft. of Swedish snow on

    I spent a while there in the middle of winter.

    I would think it would be dangerous, like electrified subway rails.

    The French one looking more like a maglev system looks safer to me
    and the weather in France is less severe


    They had battery powered milk delivery vans in the UK 50 years ago
    I don't think anyone delivers any consumer products any more
    everyone works, nobody's home anymore

    ...T
     
  6. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    Amazon, Sainsbury's, Ocado and million others do, sadly not yet all on the back of EVs...

    Errrmmm, nope, I lived 3 years in Sweden, these guys think it through carefully, before they act...
     
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  7. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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    This is one of the better ideas, If you look closely you can see the electric grid is slightly below the road grade, which should be o.k. for plowing but I'd like to see a long term application when the pot holes show up in the spring from the frost coming out. Something on this level would make driving EV's much better, You could technically drive endlessly without having to make any re-charge stops (if the entire road system was electrified). The set up as you posted would collect too much debris and foul up that grid. The road salt would eat that stuff up just for breakfast
     
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  8. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    ...not everything, just the main roads are enough...

    ...materials improve all the time...
     
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  9. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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    yup..... and until they do, it's not very feasible today
     
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  10. Katzenfreund

    Katzenfreund MDL Expert

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  11. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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  12. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    Yeah, stoopid Swedes, what do they know...

    Yeah and imagine what we can do with the energy needed to power a nuclear submarine, a plane carrier or some such monstrosity...

    https://electriccarsreport.com/2018...cation/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

    Efficient Drivetrains Announces Industry-First Zero Emissions Agriculture Vehicle Application

    Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI announced the integration of its EDI PowerDrive 4000 into a Class-4 General Motors Low Cab Forward platform, creating an industry-first electrified work truck for agriculture applications.

    The vehicle combines the benefits of a CNG Fuel system and Plug-in Hybrid technology and is geared to help agriculture fleets switch from petroleum-based liquid fuels to domestically available, cleaner burning natural gas and electricity.

    The zero-emissions vehicle features a unique technology collaboration between Efficient Drivetrains and A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems, integrating the EDI PowerDrive Plug-in Hybrid powertrain, and the A-1 CNG Frame-Mount (FM) natural gas system into a General Motors Class-4 work truck commonly utilized by the agriculture industry.

    The truck will be operated in San Joaquin Valley, a 250-mile-long region susceptible to air pollution due to its bordering mountain ranges. The technology collaboration between EDI and A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems plays a critical role in helping California meet its long-term carbon reduction goals.

    While in operation in San Joaquin Valley, the new vehicle provides 40+ miles of all electric, zero-emissions driving, and range extension utilizing cleaner-burning compressed natural gas, resulting in a significant elimination of particulate matter that its traditional diesel counterparts expel. Vehicle operators will experience the expected full power OEM truck performance without change to driver behavior, with the added benefit of zero-emissions driving, cleaner air for their workforce and the surrounding community, and significantly reduced fuel costs.

    https://electrek.co/2018/04/16/ev-startup-mw-motors-luka-ev-retro-looking-electric-car-in-wheel-hub-motor/?t=1&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw==&refsrc=email&iid=232c9e3f121d464291c29d057e42c9d1&uid=917878446&nid=244+281088008

    EV startup unveils new retro-looking electric car with in-wheel hub motors

    Interesting innovation....

    They are using 4 motors in the wheels delivering 4 x 12,5 kW for a total output of about 50 kW (66 hp).



    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    The motors are powered by a very small 21.9 kWh battery pack, which MW Motors claims is enough for up to 300 km (186 miles) of range.

    It’s hard to believe until you hear how much the whole car weights: 815 kg (~1,800 lbs).

    https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicle...-plug-vehicle-market-share-was-more-double-us

    April 16, 2018: China’s Plug-in Vehicle Market Share was More Than Double That of the U.S. for 2017

    OKI dokey.... :D
     
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  13. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    Creating conditions for...

    https://www.sandersinstitute.com/blog/04/18/2018/achieving-100-renewable-energy

    "We have to switch off of coal, oil, and gas, and on to 100% wind, water, and sun energy sources. And though this drive for a conversion to clean energy started in northern Europe and northern California, it’s a call that’s gaining traction outside the obvious green enclaves. More and more major US cities have taken the pledge to go 100% renewable by the year 2050, while others have taken action to sever their ties with the fossil fuel industry, signifying a global shift in how we’re thinking about our energy system.

    What Medicare for All is to the health care debate, or Fight for $15 is to the battle about inequality, 100% Renewable is to the struggle for the planet’s future. It’s how progressives will think about energy going forward."
     
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  14. monkeylove

    monkeylove MDL Member

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    Oil is needed to manufacture electric cars. That's because oil is needed for mining, manufacturing, and even shipping not only raw materials and components for electric cars but the same for infrastructure to use them. And large portions of the world lack even the infrastructure for conventional vehicles, let alone electric cars.

    Second, in order to transition to electric cars and similar, we will need several decades, but we do not have that time.

    Third, what affects oil also affects the raw materials needed to make and even maintain electric cars, from various minerals to water. That's because the biosphere is limited while both human population and resource demand per capita continue to rise. In order to meet just basic needs (that means decent housing, public transport, food, clothing, and medicine), we will need at least one more earth. To meet even wants like electric cars, we will need more than that.

    Given these points, the drive to have electric cars will likely become irrelevant as limits to growth sets in, forcing more people to fight over needs. In many ways, we've been seeing the effects of such, including conventional oil production peaking in 2005, the financial crash of 2008, more news on the effects of global warming, antibiotic resistance, and the threat of war, and more.
     
  15. zen45

    zen45 MDL Addicted

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    usable energy storage collected by wind power ,solar power, water power, thermal power, is still a ways off but we are slowly improving battery's still need to be replaced and made more efficient .
    moving parts still need lubricants , perhaps in the future using magnetics moving parts wouldn't need to be lubricated they wouldn't touch each other. we just have to live long enough to develop them
     
  16. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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    Just think of it... A Magnetic Levitation crankshaft, journals and cam in a automotive combustion engine, no lubricants,friction/wear or heat build up
     
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  17. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    #717 Yen, Apr 23, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2018

    I am sorry to say, but your arguments (apocalyptic articles) are not particularly against electric vehicles. You just argue that way anyway to diminish e-vehicles (personal reasons ?!)
    And when I read headlines such like that: "It Will Take 131 Years To Replace Oil, And We've Only Got 10" then I ask myself why not 132 years? :rolleyes:.
    There is no 'replacement of oil' as fixed single event!

    Human growth on limited earth (space) sooner or later will lead to 'reverse' effects that is clear and based on pure logic BUT that's no argument against e-vehicles particularly.

    Being a depressive pessimist one could also say why should I research for means which can extend human life span and comfort at all because limits to growth would set in even sooner by that ?!?

    I'd suggest we do nothing anymore and wait until we start to kill ourselves due to resources becoming insufficient. Or...we're going back to ages where average human life span just was 30 years so limits to human growth will be farther away again... :rolleyes:
     
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  18. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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    There will be a culling of the humans. They'll call it World War III
     
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  19. Katzenfreund

    Katzenfreund MDL Expert

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    If earth resources are running out, that's one very important reason for switching over to electric cars that use them more sparingly. Provided of course that they do use them more sparingly, all things considered.
     
  20. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

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    #720 Joe C, Apr 24, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2018
    How many resources are required to build a battery for automotive use?
    https://www.theguardian.com/environ...tric-cars-battery-manufacturing-cobalt-mining

     
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