Who wants an ALL electric car?

[tron3]

The manufacture of electric vehicles is a much more serious business than it was 5 to 10 years ago. While they do have their short comings and often have peculiar designs I am really lusting for the Scandanavian Th!nk O model. (Formerly the Ox.) Alas we won't see it before 2011 or 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Av-YJYVPsc

[mikejet]

Depends on how I could recharge it and how fast. I don't want to get stranded anywhere.

Theoretically, an all electric car has the possibility to be faster and have greater acceleration than a gas or hybrid. Electric motorcycles that have been tested on drag strips have proven to be amazing.

So it all really boils down to battery capacity and recharging. If the capacity was for 300 miles and the recharge was only a few hours, it might be worth it. Also the price would have to be affordable like a Civic or other economy car.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by mikejet

...
So it all really boils down to battery capacity and recharging. If the capacity was for 300 miles and the recharge was only a few hours, it might be worth it. Also the price would have to be affordable like a Civic or other economy car.

Typical consumer response, but a good one. The Tesla model S is a sedan due out by 2011 and could get 300 MPC (Miles Per Charge) depending on the battery option you get. Seats 5 adults and 2 children. (MPC is my own acronym.)

While battery technology is the primary issue, few manufacturers consider solar panels to supplement the power. Why? Still expensive and still a very under developed technology.

I see all electric cars becoming a more viable option if people knew the sun was trickle charging their car battery while they were on the job 8 hours a day. A good full roof solar panel may generate 5 live amps or more in full sunlight. That is a lot of power by days end - even in the winter.

[fatediesel]

I'd guess it will be at least 10 years before we get an affordable, reliable electric car. For some reason the big automakers have not been developing an electric car. Apparently GM had an electric car in the 1980s that would go 100 miles between charges but they discontinued it after a couple years.

[Deadset]

No thanks, I'll wait till the price / performance is optimized. right now, it doesn't make sense for me to give up my paid for car for the last 8 yrs that gets 30 mpg and go in debt for 20-30k. I'll take a gas bill, low insurance, low registration over going into debt.

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by tron3

Typical consumer response, but a good one. The Tesla model S is a sedan due out by 2011 and could get 300 MPC (Miles Per Charge) depending on the battery option you get. Seats 5 adults and 2 children. (MPC is my own acronym.)

While battery technology is the primary issue, few manufacturers consider solar panels to supplement the power. Why? Still expensive and still a very under developed technology.

I see all electric cars becoming a more viable option if people knew the sun was trickle charging their car battery while they were on the job 8 hours a day. A good full roof solar panel may generate 5 live amps or more in full sunlight. That is a lot of power by days end - even in the winter.

Yeah I noticed the new Prius has solar panels on the high end model. That plus regenerative braking to supplement the charges should extend range.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

... Apparently GM had an electric car in the 1980s that would go 100 miles between charges but they discontinued it after a couple years.

That was the EV1 and I believe it was closer to the 1990's. GM stated the car was an experiment which failed because they took a loss on the car due to battery cost and maintainence. A few EV1's were saved but most went into the grave yard and litterally shredded to bits.

Naturally, this was before the advent of Lithium cells and other newer battery technologies we see today. Fuel cells are a joke because I believe once they are exhausted they must be replaced and can not be recharged. If you know differently, please tell me. Fuel cells are more of politically correct "green" gimmick.

Personally, I think sub-atomic batteries with low level radioactive isotopes in shielded casing to be a better solution. Providing they can't be converted into a weapon of mass destruction.

[PH3AR]

Nope i happy with my big old truck that gets 12 mpg!

[tron3]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Yeah I noticed the new Prius has solar panels on the high end model. That plus regenerative braking to supplement the charges should extend range.

Extend it by how much? They can throw cheap panels on there and be mostly for show. The Th!nk O panel is supposedly only to help power the interior. I think it is a great shame that so much free energy in the form of sunlight is simply pounding on the rooftops of millions of cars and going to waste.

Some people ask the question, "Why not throw an alternator / generator" in there to boost performance. I have asked this and simple physics comes back to haunt me. You can not create more energy than it takes to operate the device. In short, it is like a battery trying to recharge itself. It just can't.

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by tron3

Extend it by how much? They can throw cheap panels on there and be mostly for show. The Th!nk O panel is supposedly only to help power the interior. I think it is a great shame that so much free energy in the form of sunlight is simply pounding on the rooftops of millions of cars and going to waste.

Some people ask the question, "Why not throw an alternator / generator" in there to boost performance. I have asked this and simple physics comes back to haunt me. You can not create more energy than it takes to operate the device. In short, it is like a battery trying to recharge itself. It just can't.

IIRC the solar panel on the Prius, in the right conditions, can power the interior and the A/C without drawing from the battery.

Of course the biggest challenge to making an electric car, and marketing it, would be to design it as an electric car from the ground up and dismiss the notion of it having to look like a gas powered vehicle.

There's tons of ways that you could keep the charge for longer. Like the ways that people hypermile their cars now. Lots of coasting and when the car goes downhill it should be recharging the batteries and taking advatage of the energy there.

But you would have to teach people how to rethink driving at the same time. Which is hard. I drive a Fit that could get 40+ but I get 33 average because of my driving habits.

If they simply reinforced the 55mph and everyone followed it, everyone would save money on gas.

[igotcabada]

Yeah I want one.

I'll take one of these:

[tron3]

Originally Posted by mikejet

...
But you would have to teach people how to rethink driving at the same time. Which is hard. I drive a Fit that could get 40+ but I get 33 average because of my driving habits.

If they simply reinforced the 55mph and everyone followed it, everyone would save money on gas.

People interested in hybrids and electric cars already tend to implement those "green" driving practices. Heck, my car gets 27MPG and is 10 years old. But I do try to coast as much as possible.

People want to enjoy their car. If it becomes a chore to drive then you may as well name it the Electric Edsel.

The newer crop of battery technology is showing great promise for a 300 MPC vehicle. But designing these things to look futuristic and not like a normal car actually turns off most consumers. The Aptera is pretty cool, but would really want to park it on the street, or in the grocery parking lot? With 3 wheels it is technically a motorcycle, and not a car. I call it a "car-cycle". The extra wide body is for balance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_JV6QUIu5s

[xtop]

i'd take any of the tesla cars they're planning. i think i'd still keep a gas car for the long trips tho.

but in everyday use..i'd probably only need to charge the car once..maybe twice a week.

[Purplegrasshopper]

These "green" arguments for electric cars always make me laugh. Where do you think electricity comes from? While some of our electricity comes from damns and wind turbines, the majority comes from coal, natural gas, and nuclear fission. There's nothing green about burning coal or dealing with nuclear waste. The decrease in vehicle emmisions would be nullified by the increase in the pollution and waste from power plants.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Purplegrasshopper

These "green" arguments for electric cars always make me laugh. Where do you think electricity comes from? While some of our electricity comes from damns and wind turbines, the majority comes from coal, natural gas, and nuclear fission. There's nothing green about burning coal or dealing with nuclear waste. The decrease in vehicle emmisions would be nullified by the increase in the pollution and waste from power plants.

get rid of the hippies and go nuclear i say

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by xtop

get rid of the hippies and go nuclear i say

Newer nuclear powerplants are so safe. I wouldn't mind living next to one. We've come a long way since Three Mile Island.

[Deadset]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Newer nuclear powerplants are so safe. I wouldn't mind living next to one. We've come a long way since Three Mile Island.

Everything has come a long way, coal & nuke plants both.

I agree with PG though, I work in the power industry and the people are salivating at the aspect of hundreds of thousands of cars being plugged in. Of course, if politicians push the cap and trade, your electric car will cost the consumer even more in the long run. I'm talking a power bill increase 40-80% depending on legislation.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Deads3t

Everything has come a long way, coal & nuke plants both.

I agree with PG though, I work in the power industry and the people are salivating at the aspect of hundreds of thousands of cars being plugged in. Of course, if politicians push the cap and trade, your electric car will cost the consumer even more in the long run. I'm talking a power bill increase 40-80% depending on legislation.

don't worry..the oil/car industry will do everything in their power to make sure plug-in's die again.

[Chevypower]

I hope it comes to the point where a car can charge in 2 minutes, drive for 500 miles, get excellent performance etc. But that day hasn't come yet. The best thing out there right now is the Fisker Karma. And that isn't pure electric, but can be driven pure electric for about 50 miles, then after the 2.0T generator kicks in, it averages out to 100mpg. Getting 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds with around 1000 lb-ft of torque in the car the size of a Jag XJ. On any given day, I would take it over a Jag XJ-R, Porsche Panamera, Maserati Quattroporte, or Cadillac CTS-V
I would love to see serial hybrids coming in to pickup trucks. They could easily get 50-70mpg and still be made to out accelerate and out tow a Hemi, or dare I say, a Cummins diesel.

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by Chevypower

I hope it comes to the point where a car can charge in 2 minutes, drive for 500 miles, get excellent performance etc. But that day hasn't come yet. The best thing out there right now is the Fisker Karma. And that isn't pure electric, but can be driven pure electric for about 50 miles, then after the 2.0T generator kicks in, it averages out to 100mpg. Getting 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds with around 1000 lb-ft of torque in the car the size of a Jag XJ. On any given day, I would take it over a Jag XJ-R, Porsche Panamera, Maserati Quattroporte, or Cadillac CTS-V
I would love to see serial hybrids coming in to pickup trucks. They could easily get 50-70mpg and still be made to out accelerate and out tow a Hemi, or dare I say, a Cummins diesel.

I'd love to see an electric drag racer. It would be interesting to see it on the 1/4 mile and what top speed it could hit.