This kinda thing can't help but keep fuel prices down.

Regarding Tesla,
https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=232262

John & Angela wrote:
We bought a jug of washer fluid two years ago, we are almost thru it so I'll have to buy another jug, but that's all the maintenance on two vehicles in two years.

This is off topic but funny to me. 1 jug of washer fluid every 2 years. Come to New England in the winter and try that! I can sometimes go through a jug a week!

rk911 wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

spoon059 wrote:

minnow wrote:
Interesting that GM is reportedly killing off the Volt, the only EV that runs on electricity generated from its internal combustion engine(after the initial battery charge is depleted).

I wonder why car companies haven't capitalized on this idea. Most trains are diesel electric... why aren't there more diesel electric cars that can generate electric power and store it to be used upon demand. Between a diesel engine running and regenerative braking it seems that a lot of power could be made and stored. I'm sure there is a reason, just curious...

Trains don't use diesel-electric due to efficiency. Direct drive would be more efficient. The problem is how do you build a mechanical transmission that can handle over 6,000hp and coordinate up to 6 engines on a single train. The electric motors are effectively acting as a transmission. It also makes coordination between multiple engines easy.

As far as the Volt, GM isn't killing it. It's just not a profitable vehicle. The media is hung up on range but it's not the issue. The issue is cost. EV's (yeah volt is technically a plug in hybrid) cost $10-20k more than they should. A Volt with a 20mile range and a $20k price tag would probably sell and you would likely see 80-90% of all miles done under electric power.

are you kidding me? people do a lot more driving than the average 15-mi one-way daily commute. grocery stores, music lessons, banking, dry cleaners, hardware stores, doctor visits, school activities, yadda, yadda, yadda. all of that adds up to way more than 20-mi per day. don't believe me...set your trip odometer to 0 and drive for a week. heck, I put 10-mi on the jeep just going round trip to the doc and 5-mi round trip going to the bank (yup, some folks still actually go to a bank...not everything can be done on line). a cheap daily go-to-work-and-run-around-town EV had better have a range of at least 100-miles, be able to sit at least 4 or 5-people and have adequate cargo room. maybe we'll get there....one day.

I don't know about 100 miles every day but I agree that would be and was what we were looking for as far as range. Most if not all of the current crop of lower priced EV's have that range but the price is still to high by 4 or 5 grand. I would think the sweet spot would be 20,000 bucks and most of the cheaper EV's are around the 25000 and up right now. As the batteries get cheaper this may be achievable in the next few years. Time will tell.

valhalla360 wrote:

spoon059 wrote:

minnow wrote:
Interesting that GM is reportedly killing off the Volt, the only EV that runs on electricity generated from its internal combustion engine(after the initial battery charge is depleted).

I wonder why car companies haven't capitalized on this idea. Most trains are diesel electric... why aren't there more diesel electric cars that can generate electric power and store it to be used upon demand. Between a diesel engine running and regenerative braking it seems that a lot of power could be made and stored. I'm sure there is a reason, just curious...

Trains don't use diesel-electric due to efficiency. Direct drive would be more efficient. The problem is how do you build a mechanical transmission that can handle over 6,000hp and coordinate up to 6 engines on a single train. The electric motors are effectively acting as a transmission. It also makes coordination between multiple engines easy.

As far as the Volt, GM isn't killing it. It's just not a profitable vehicle. The media is hung up on range but it's not the issue. The issue is cost. EV's (yeah volt is technically a plug in hybrid) cost $10-20k more than they should. A Volt with a 20mile range and a $20k price tag would probably sell and you would likely see 80-90% of all miles done under electric power.

are you kidding me? people do a lot more driving than the average 15-mi one-way daily commute. grocery stores, music lessons, banking, dry cleaners, hardware stores, doctor visits, school activities, yadda, yadda, yadda. all of that adds up to way more than 20-mi per day. don't believe me...set your trip odometer to 0 and drive for a week. heck, I put 10-mi on the jeep just going round trip to the doc and 5-mi round trip going to the bank (yup, some folks still actually go to a bank...not everything can be done on line). a cheap daily go-to-work-and-run-around-town EV had better have a range of at least 100-miles, be able to sit at least 4 or 5-people and have adequate cargo room. maybe we'll get there....one day.

monkey44 wrote:
I suspect at some point we'll see an efficient low-range EV for around town, and short commuting, charge it each night at home. A second long-range gas/diesel for vacations and longer mileage trips. Most families have two vehicles now, for that very reason, it's just that more often both are fuel vehicles in not an EV.

I think this is already happening to some degree. Nissan leafs are pretty cheap new or used and have a reasonable range for most people. Depending on the year and model anywhere from 120 to 200 km. What people are finding though is that they are putting the vast majority of their miles on the EV as it becomes their go to car. I think a lot of those will end up replacing their primary vehicle with tesla model 3's, bolts and new 2018 model leafs all with around 400km of range. Decisions will obviously be influenced by infrastructure in their area and on the routes they travel as it was with us. In the two years since we bought our first EV the charging infrastructure has tripled in our province. Growing even faster in Europe though.

John & Angela wrote:
I would never go back to anything with a tail pipe...and this has nothing to do with being a "greenie", its just a better way for us.

Excellent.

I suspect at some point we'll see an efficient low-range EV for around town, and short commuting, charge it each night at home. A second long-range gas/diesel for vacations and longer mileage trips. Most families have two vehicles now, for that very reason, it's just that more often both are fuel vehicles in not an EV.

spoon059 wrote:

minnow wrote:
Interesting that GM is reportedly killing off the Volt, the only EV that runs on electricity generated from its internal combustion engine(after the initial battery charge is depleted).

I wonder why car companies haven't capitalized on this idea. Most trains are diesel electric... why aren't there more diesel electric cars that can generate electric power and store it to be used upon demand. Between a diesel engine running and regenerative braking it seems that a lot of power could be made and stored. I'm sure there is a reason, just curious...

Trains don't use diesel-electric due to efficiency. Direct drive would be more efficient. The problem is how do you build a mechanical transmission that can handle over 6,000hp and coordinate up to 6 engines on a single train. The electric motors are effectively acting as a transmission. It also makes coordination between multiple engines easy.

As far as the Volt, GM isn't killing it. It's just not a profitable vehicle. The media is hung up on range but it's not the issue. The issue is cost. EV's (yeah volt is technically a plug in hybrid) cost $10-20k more than they should. A Volt with a 20mile range and a $20k price tag would probably sell and you would likely see 80-90% of all miles done under electric power.

Mr.Mark wrote:


In Italy, she didn't have electricity as they used oil lamps when she was a small girl. Horses and walking were the mode of travel. Moving to the USA in 1919 was a big eye opener.

MM.

Went to Egypt last year. Horses and walking are still going strong. Probably 30-50% of traffic (more in rural areas)

myredracer wrote:
Imagine one day going to an Indy car or Nascar race and just hearing the woosh of tires as they go by. Sad! Save the gasoline engine forever!!

The mythical quiet of EV's is silly when you look at normal cars (yeah race cars are noisy).

I've had diesel pickups sneak up on me. At speed, all I can hear is wind and tire noise unless I gun the engine.