Who killed the electric car?

TheBrauerHour · 06-18-07, 12:47 AM

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=3V7MGJANNLSAA

Anyone else seen this? I thought the funeral scene was a bit corny, but otherwise I thought it was a good movie. I didn't know they made an electric car that was that durable/fast/awesome. Seeing it outrun a 350Z made me do a doubletake. Still don't know if I would have bought one if given the opportunity, but I am looking at a hybrid.

Reaves · 06-18-07, 01:38 AM

Electric engines can go very fast and can make a car have great top speed and acceleration. The only problem is storing the electricity. Batteries just arn't good enough yet.

TheBrauerHour · 06-18-07, 08:51 AM

Perhaps. They said by putting the same batteries you find in laptops, you can increase the range to around 300 miles per charge, with no loss of reliability. They even retrofitted some of the EV-1's with them. Mind you, 90 percent of US drivers average 16 miles per day, which was far less than the 120 mile range it originally had. But for some reason GM wouldn't renew any leases or offer the option to buy. Owners offered a collective 1.4 million dollars to buy their EV-1's from GM, but GM towed them away and had them crushed...kinda wierd.

The Avon Lady · 06-18-07, 09:08 AM

GM, along with MIT, have been thinking of downsizing for a while now.

Hitman · 06-18-07, 09:31 AM

LOL would you believe it? in the link AL posted there's already a brainless asking about the off-road performance of such thing and a 4x4 version

So a car is created to save energy, go clean and aliviate the city traffic as well as the thirst for oil, and the first thing some people think is "Can I go bigger, wasting more energy and damaging more the environment?"

Nowonder this world is heading for diaster

The Avon Lady · 06-18-07, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

LOL would you believe it? in the link AL posted there's already a brainless asking about the off-road performance of such thing and a 4x4 version

So a car is created to save energy, go clean and aliviate the city traffic as well as the thirst for oil, and the first thing some people think is "Can I go bigger, wasting more energy and damaging more the environment?"

Me thinks that post was a weak attempt at humor.

SUBMAN1 · 06-18-07, 09:52 AM

Well, beating a 350Z is not a big deal (They have no power - the old ones were much faster, especially the Twin turbo 300Z), so that doesn't surprise me, but I have seen some of these electric cars go 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds - faster than any Ferrari.

They never seem to have top end speed though, but that doesn't really matter much in this world unless you like jail time.

I should post some of my future car videos on Google video so you can see what I am talking about.

-S

August · 06-18-07, 10:30 AM

We can't just say how great battery operated vehicles would be without first answering these questions:

How long would it take to recharge all those batteries?
Where would these batteries be recharged on a long roadtrip?
How do we dispose of worn out batteries without polluting the environment?

DAB · 06-18-07, 10:52 AM

You can add a fourth question to that actually

How does an electric car reduce your carbon footprint if the majority of electrical power in your country is generated from Oil or Coal?

Edit: Put the question mark in the correct place

TheBrauerHour · 06-18-07, 11:08 AM

Well, to answer the 4th question:

Electric companies burn fuel more efficiently than any car (or so I have been told), so using the electric car would reduce your carbon footprint, but not eliminate it. Very good point you have though, as some people think by driving electric, they would not be polluting at all. Ed Bagely, on an old episode of MTV Cribs from the mid-90's, showed how he used solar energy and a exercise bike to recharge his EV-1.

As for the long roadtrip question, that was brought up in the documentary, but I am not sure if they really found an answer other than showing some cheap batteries this old couple developed that were supposed to outlast the life of an average car and hold a loooong charge.

I am looking at getting a Toyota Prius. At the end of the video, they show a Prius being plugged into a standard outlet in a garage. After a night of charging, you get 125 mpg for the first 50 miles driving. The modification is cheap. That is impressive. Seeing as how every bit helps, I am all for that.

Hitman · 06-18-07, 11:19 AM

Quote:

How does an electric car reduce your carbon footprint if the majority of electrical power in your country is generated from Oil or Coal?

The major thing renewables can provide is electricity....solar, wind (specially), tides, all that generates electricity. In fact, the main problem for renewables nowadays is that you can't store their output properly and a lot gets lost.

DAB · 06-18-07, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBrauerHour

Well, to answer the 4th question:

Electric companies burn fuel more efficiently than any car (or so I have been told), so using the electric car would reduce your carbon footprint, but not eliminate it. Very good point you have though, as some people think by driving electric, they would not be polluting at all. Ed Bagely, on an old episode of MTV Cribs from the mid-90's, showed how he used solar energy and a exercise bike to recharge his EV-1.

I learn something every day!

Re: Hitman

I do see your point about electrical power coming from renewable sources. But surely if we all start using electrical cars, the demand for electric power would be overwhelming (just look at how much our demand for electricity has gone up as PC's become household items). Is there actually enough space for the extra power stations required to supply that demand?

Hitman · 06-18-07, 12:07 PM

Quote:

I do see your point about electrical power coming from renewable sources. But surely if we all start using electrical cars, the demand for electric power would be overwhelming (just look at how much our demand for electricity has gone up as PC's become household items). Is there actually enough space for the extra power stations required to supply that demand?

No, but since the oil will run out soon and the crash is unavoidable, it would help avoiding the final anarchy :hmm: http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/

Deamon · 06-18-07, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

No, but since the oil will run out soon and the crash is unavoidable

You still belief this ?

I'm wondering have you read this ?

http://www.vialls.com/wecontrolamerica/peakoil.html

And hey what about cars that are fueld with water ?

Hitman · 06-18-07, 02:47 PM

Yes I read it, it's simply nonesense and against the opinion of the most reputated geologists. And anyway, the slow recovery rate still doesn't solve the problem of a constant growth in demand.

I don't think that a chaos like described in that web will happen, yet it is of course evident that a huge economic crisis will come and adaptation and dramatic changes in many habits will be needed. This will be the ruin for many of the middle class, and will empowerish many countries, though not more than they have suffered already before (The crack of 1929 f.e.). Look at what happened in Argentina some years ago....something like that is what we can expect.:hmm:

06-18-07, 12:47 AM	#1
TheBrauerHour Mr. Eastwood Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 364 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Who killed the electric car? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=3V7MGJANNLSAA Anyone else seen this? I thought the funeral scene was a bit corny, but otherwise I thought it was a good movie. I didn't know they made an electric car that was that durable/fast/awesome. Seeing it outrun a 350Z made me do a doubletake. Still don't know if I would have bought one if given the opportunity, but I am looking at a hybrid.

06-18-07, 01:38 AM	#2
Reaves The Old Man Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,509 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Electric engines can go very fast and can make a car have great top speed and acceleration. The only problem is storing the electricity. Batteries just arn't good enough yet. __________________

06-18-07, 09:08 AM	#4
The Avon Lady Über Mom Join Date: May 2005 Location: Jerusalem, Israel Posts: 6,147 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	GM, along with MIT, have been thinking of downsizing for a while now. __________________ "Victory will come to us from the wombs of our women." - Houari Boumedienne, President of Algeria, Speech before the UN, 1974

06-18-07, 09:31 AM	#5
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,109 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	LOL would you believe it? in the link AL posted there's already a brainless asking about the off-road performance of such thing and a 4x4 version So a car is created to save energy, go clean and aliviate the city traffic as well as the thirst for oil, and the first thing some people think is "Can I go bigger, wasting more energy and damaging more the environment?" Nowonder this world is heading for diaster __________________ One day I will return to sea ...

06-18-07, 09:52 AM	#7
SUBMAN1 Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 11,866 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Well, beating a 350Z is not a big deal (They have no power - the old ones were much faster, especially the Twin turbo 300Z), so that doesn't surprise me, but I have seen some of these electric cars go 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds - faster than any Ferrari. They never seem to have top end speed though, but that doesn't really matter much in this world unless you like jail time. I should post some of my future car videos on Google video so you can see what I am talking about. -S __________________

06-18-07, 08:51 AM	#3
TheBrauerHour Mr. Eastwood Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 364 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Perhaps. They said by putting the same batteries you find in laptops, you can increase the range to around 300 miles per charge, with no loss of reliability. They even retrofitted some of the EV-1's with them. Mind you, 90 percent of US drivers average 16 miles per day, which was far less than the 120 mile range it originally had. But for some reason GM wouldn't renew any leases or offer the option to buy. Owners offered a collective 1.4 million dollars to buy their EV-1's from GM, but GM towed them away and had them crushed...kinda wierd.

06-18-07, 10:30 AM	#8
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	We can't just say how great battery operated vehicles would be without first answering these questions: How long would it take to recharge all those batteries? Where would these batteries be recharged on a long roadtrip? How do we dispose of worn out batteries without polluting the environment? __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see. Last edited by August; 06-18-07 at 10:53 AM.

06-18-07, 10:52 AM	#9
DAB Lieutenant Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 263 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	You can add a fourth question to that actually How does an electric car reduce your carbon footprint if the majority of electrical power in your country is generated from Oil or Coal? Edit: Put the question mark in the correct place __________________ ...snorting / snorkelling after several years of silent running.

06-18-07, 11:08 AM	#10
TheBrauerHour Mr. Eastwood Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 364 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Well, to answer the 4th question: Electric companies burn fuel more efficiently than any car (or so I have been told), so using the electric car would reduce your carbon footprint, but not eliminate it. Very good point you have though, as some people think by driving electric, they would not be polluting at all. Ed Bagely, on an old episode of MTV Cribs from the mid-90's, showed how he used solar energy and a exercise bike to recharge his EV-1. As for the long roadtrip question, that was brought up in the documentary, but I am not sure if they really found an answer other than showing some cheap batteries this old couple developed that were supposed to outlast the life of an average car and hold a loooong charge. I am looking at getting a Toyota Prius. At the end of the video, they show a Prius being plugged into a standard outlet in a garage. After a night of charging, you get 125 mpg for the first 50 miles driving. The modification is cheap. That is impressive. Seeing as how every bit helps, I am all for that.

06-18-07, 02:47 PM	#15
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,109 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	Yes I read it, it's simply nonesense and against the opinion of the most reputated geologists. And anyway, the slow recovery rate still doesn't solve the problem of a constant growth in demand. I don't think that a chaos like described in that web will happen, yet it is of course evident that a huge economic crisis will come and adaptation and dramatic changes in many habits will be needed. This will be the ruin for many of the middle class, and will empowerish many countries, though not more than they have suffered already before (The crack of 1929 f.e.). Look at what happened in Argentina some years ago....something like that is what we can expect.:hmm: __________________ One day I will return to sea ...