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Electric Vehicles on the horizon? Do your homework
- Thread starter Janderso
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- Nov 14, 2016
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There were some cars in the 1890s, but mostly seen as a novelty, or play thing for the rich so 1900 is a fair starting point as 1900-1905 is where the automobile started to be taken seriously. It still took about 40 years for the automobile to relegate the horse to a mostly recreational form of transport. Horse drawn carts were still competitive for short (under 5 miles) delivery routes with frequent stops (home delivery of milk, ice, coal etc) and maintained a place on the farm for certain tasks into the 1940s.
If we assume 2000 as the start of the modern electric vehicle as a competitor to pure IC powered cars (EV1 1996, Toyota Prius 1997, Honda Insight 1999) then we are only 20 years down the development path. Of course IC engine vehicles will be harder to fully replace as there will not be the leap of capability from other forms of vehicle power. Looking at the rapid increase of capability and interest in hybrids and electric it won't surprise me if in another 20 years alternate power vehicles are dominating the highways and pure IC is reserved for specialty and "enthusiast" vehicles. although I expect hybrids will be the winner, not pure electric.
I read a very interesting book recently, Where have all the horses gone. The automobile did not replace the horse nearly as quickly as many assume. Horses still provided a huge amount of the available transportation during WW2. Mules in particular still remain a popular form of transportation over rough terrain 113 years after Henry Ford introduced his Model T.
Where have all the horses gone
I also find the horse vs car comparison interesting, because electric cars are doing the best in the part of the market that the horse held onto the longest, short haul, with frequent stops, which in the modern world is made up of commuters and local delivery.
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- Feb 9, 2017
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This is exactly where our Chevy Volt shines. By the onboard stats it’s 90% on electric and that 50mi range which seems like nothing fits 90% of our driving. Going over 2,500mi+ on a 8gal tank of gas is hard to believe. The car is not perfect, nothing is in this world. But it covers a lot of the use we do. I’m not a sports car guy, I’m a point A to point B guy for the least cost and least maintenance. Yeah the idea it’s basically a big old black box is scary. But all the maintenance like changing the oil has been straight forward and easy.
Like I’ve said before, what I’ve been working towards is converting tadpole trike to electric assist and put an aluminum body on it to reduce drag and get me out of the elements. Mostly intense sun and rain. For around town errands and short distance the idea I can get some exercise and get around cheap really appeals on so many levels.
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- Jan 2, 2016
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Neither am I. I have driven many cars and trucks over the years. Except for the lack of engine noise, and the dash board display, I cannot say there is any difference in handling between an electric, and a regular sedan/minivan, crossover.
I had a 2017 gas Pacifica that I traded in for a 2020 hybrid Pacifica. If anything it handles better. Has more power, do not have the 3 gear changes before you are through the intersection, and much quieter.
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- Feb 9, 2017
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Until we got the 2005 MBZ CLK320 I never knew how much I loved a quiet car. It had no wind noise even with the top down. Have no idea how much tech went into that but cars that make noise seem cheap to me now. Every body has their focus but comfort for me is not just ride and seats.
I’ve always hated mushy rides and bench seats and those cars were the only ones that were quiet. So not until the Benz and now the Volt did I get a ride with feedback, seats that make sense, great acceleration for passing and quiet. The Volt unfortunately doesn’t have the great wind noise traits the Benz had. Most times I can’t leave the windows down because it will start pumping like your head will implode. That is the major fault with the Volt.
Last time I filled my Volt's tank was Feb/2020, about 15k ago. Sadly the car forced me to use the remaining gas after 1 year as it is programmed to do. Since then I never keep more than a gallon in the tank. To us, it is an EV 99% of the time. We still get 112kms range after 3.5 years.
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- Aug 5, 2020
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I guess the real question is it Sustainable and is it Recycleable?
Most of these Batteries and cars have a high pecentage of plastic made by oil and you guessed it petrochemical companies.
So even if they stopped making petrol guzzlers tomorrow, the oil giants ain't gunna loose a cent.
I'll believe in it when I see the 18 wheeler haulers using battery powered motors for the long hauls. hehe
Most of these Batteries and cars have a high pecentage of plastic made by oil and you guessed it petrochemical companies.
So even if they stopped making petrol guzzlers tomorrow, the oil giants ain't gunna loose a cent.
I'll believe in it when I see the 18 wheeler haulers using battery powered motors for the long hauls. hehe
Talked with a relative this weekend good old grad parties. He works at a govrn. Lab that has the excited pixies that shoot around in a deep underground looped tunnel. Was picking his brain about where we’re at with solid state batteries and at first he gave me that look with a slight chuckle. Then acted kind of dumb about it. Later I went and asked him one on one and he said we’re about two yrs out. From what I hear Japan will be producing solid state batteries by next month. But it’s been said before with no results.
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Yup, we’ve heard it before. And who knows what happens. One of my teachers was privy to a revolutionary battery tech that was bought by one of the tech giants back in the 80’s and deep sixed it. Never came to market. Somebody wanted us to keep buying batteries.
If Nicola Tesla who‘s 40 patents gave us the 20th century would have had his way we would have been using using the tech he was working on at on Long Island in 1901. The big tower he called Wardenclyffe Tower would have excited the ionosphere to transmit power all over the world. All you would have needed was the receiver in your electric car instead of a battery. Of course his benefactor JP Morgan cut him when he found out what he really wanted to do and there was no way to get rent off it. One lightening strike is something like a terra watt of power.