All electric vehicles?

Lynnmor wrote:
My house for example. Last summer was particularly hot and some days the incoming voltage was down to 109.

I live within 18 miles of 2 nuclear power plants, 3 hydro dams, 2 coal burning generators, 1 natural gas generator, 1 waste recovery generator and a turbine generator. So much for clean air.

Now we should ask how the roads are to be financed, perhaps on the backs of those that pay fuel taxes?

My utility is changing the TOU rates where lowest cost is changing to 8AM to 5PM due to abundance of solar. Can only be good for business. So much for getting the lowest rate for charging overnight.

Hopefully those coal burners will be retired soon.

When I got my LEAF in 2011 there was very little talk about this obscure niche vehicle and Tesla was about to go BK.
Sure has changed in the last couple years. Maybe the inflection point will be here in a few more years.

2oldman wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
We as a country have been behind on electric power generation for years.

Where in the country are we behind on power generation?

My house for example. Last summer was particularly hot and some days the incoming voltage was down to 109.

I live within 18 miles of 2 nuclear power plants, 3 hydro dams, 2 coal burning generators, 1 natural gas generator, 1 waste recovery generator and a turbine generator. So much for clean air.

Now we should ask how the roads are to be financed, perhaps on the backs of those that pay fuel taxes?

Jayco-noslide wrote:
I guess electrically powered vehicles are coming but seems to me they are presently only a rich person's toy with present technology. By that I mean, they're only good for around town and short trips and they cost A LOT. So another conventional vehicle is required for real traveling. We only have 1 car (Ford Focus) plus a 30 ft. MH. I also calculated that Chevy's plug-in cost so much that a car like my Focus cost so much less, the difference would buy gas for 7 years. I'm not including hybrids which sort of make sense even though I don't personally like them. I don't see batteries in sight that would enable real travel but maybe there's some secret technology? Apparently Ford is all in for electric. Good luck with that.

Pianotuna quoted the Kona - that would be my current ideal solution for an electric car. Hyundai has been making good vehicles for some time. Prices are closer to 37k-40k however.

I know they're not going to work for everyone, but imho they'd be perfect for round town trips or commuting. 258 miles of range on a Kona would allow me to not require a charge for over two weeks on my 24 mile commute (to the city and back). Of course winter range might suffer a bit.

Tesla's have 310 miles of range and the model 3 appears to be possibly 330 if you drive carefully :)

Don't get me wrong, I am cheap, and it's unfortunate that for me, they aren't QUITE there yet. But I did the math and it's about 1/4 the cost of gasoline. Not sure about maintenance costs, but it might just be cheaper. Definitely less complex than an internal combustion engine.

I *want* the technology to work. We also need to update the charger network etc so less range anxiety. But I like the idea.

Terryallan wrote:

as for a Hybrid. Not for me. When going down the interstate, you see them as the slow on the little short hills, and have trouble holding speed on level ground. So no.

what? I... uh... nevermind. :R

"Apparently Ford is all in for electric. Good luck with that."

Because it might be imperfect now is no reason to bash Ford. Their Model T wasn't perfect either.

I'm with the OP on the majority of it. We are a 2 vehicle family. However BOTH vehicles have to be ready to travel on a moments notice. I can't afford a vehicle to commute, a vehicle to tow, and a vehicle to travel. so I get what is needed. We use the car for long trips as well as the TV for long trips. An electric car just is not practical for people that can't afford a "around town" car, and 2 other needed vehicles as well. .
Living in town I guess I could use a golf cart to go to the store. But I'd rather just use the car I already have. I can get more in it.

as for a Hybrid. Not for me. When going down the interstate, you see them as the slow on the little short hills, and have trouble holding speed on level ground. So no.

Tesla just laid off some employees because 2018 sales were not where they had hoped and projected they would be. The whole genesis of the electric vehicle industry is based on it bringing about a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and a cleaner environment as well as performance rivaling the internal combustion engine. It hasn't happened yet and I don't think electrical vehicles are going to replace a significant number of gas driving vehicles for maybe another 20 years. Along with developing electric vehicles that rival the performance and cost of gasoline vehicles is development of the infrastructure to support them. I'm thinking decades until a significant percentage (25%+) makes the transition to electric and then I question if in the long run if it will be a major savings to the environment.

donn0128 wrote:
We as a country have been behind on electric power generation for years.

Where in the country are we behind on power generation?

It's all about the details. How much power does it take to recharge? What time of day will that be done? How much power will be freed up by not burning fossil fuels? What is the efficiency of these vehicles? Those questions are important too.

I guess we're not talking about Tow vehicles.

I'm not opposed to electric vehicles but I wouldn't want one, not at this point anyway. If they make them where they take five minutes to recharge the way I can fill my fuel tank that would be a step in the right direction but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

I have a fuel charge tacked on to my electric bill so I'm sure that means that fuel is used to make the electricity. If you're using fuel in one form or another what's the point. My electric has been off for up to two weeks during an ice storm and I wouldn't have been able to charge an electric vehicle during that time. It doesn't happen very often but it does happen.

I'm not saying never but I don't think it'll happen anytime soon for me. It'll have to get a lot better than it is now before I would even consider an electric vehicle.