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EV alternative for light/medium duty trucks

thomas201
Explorer
Explorer
So much wheel spinning on EVs, what if they are not the right path forward? The biggest problem with renewable power and EVs is storage, the second is storage, and the third is storage. Another path is carbon capture from the atmosphere (using amine scrubbing like nuclear subs and carbon dioxide from natural gas) then splitting hydrogen from water, followed by building whatever hydrocarbon you need.

The US Navy is hard at work on this project, since it avoids storage of large amounts of jet fuel, and the difficult job of resupply of jet fuel at sea to the carriers. After all fire kills ships. The Fords were built with a very large excess electric generation capacity for this reason and many others.

Porsche now has a pilot project running in South America, Porsche syn fuel

This will work wherever you have cheap electricity and water. The products are put right into refinery feeds. No need to rebuild the approximately 1.5 Billion cars in the world. Solves storage, no worry about hydrogen embrittlement, recycles carbon dioxide, we use the existing liquid fuel distribution system. Transparent to the car/truck owner.
452 REPLIES 452

map40
Explorer
Explorer
RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
map40 wrote:
RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
The i3 is a great concept, but also probably the best argument ever as to why alcohol consumption should never be allowed in design studios.

They gave a group of engineers green light to design the best electric car they could, and they did. The I3 is not a luxury sedan, a highway cruiser or a race car. It's a daily derived with a plan to overcome the biggest problem of EVs: Dependency on the charger. From really skinny tires so you have more foot space to carbon fiber panels made in 4 minutes (that even today no other company can replicate), It is an incredible design, but also a perfect proof that EVs are only good for certain applications, not all applications.
To the subject of this thread, I don't see EV trucks taking over the market with the current technology or with the technology that is coming.


I agree with much of what you say, but I think very few people have uttered the words . . . "look at that i3 . . . what a beautiful car!"

Face it, it's butt ugly, and didn't have to be. (Case in point: 2023 Prius vs. the current Prius)

Yes, but I don't see it much from the inside ??
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

RetiredRealtorR
Explorer
Explorer
map40 wrote:
RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
The i3 is a great concept, but also probably the best argument ever as to why alcohol consumption should never be allowed in design studios.

They gave a group of engineers green light to design the best electric car they could, and they did. The I3 is not a luxury sedan, a highway cruiser or a race car. It's a daily derived with a plan to overcome the biggest problem of EVs: Dependency on the charger. From really skinny tires so you have more foot space to carbon fiber panels made in 4 minutes (that even today no other company can replicate), It is an incredible design, but also a perfect proof that EVs are only good for certain applications, not all applications.
To the subject of this thread, I don't see EV trucks taking over the market with the current technology or with the technology that is coming.


I agree with much of what you say, but I think very few people have uttered the words . . . "look at that i3 . . . what a beautiful car!"

Face it, it's butt ugly, and didn't have to be. (Case in point: 2023 Prius vs. the current Prius)
. . . never confuse education with intelligence, nor motion with progress

blt2ski
Moderator
Moderator
JRscooby wrote:
SterlingHayden wrote:


So you actually believe when enough EVs replace ICE vehicles for it to show up on the revenue balance sheets in brackets, they're not going to be sticking their hands in the EV owners pockets to make it back up? Come on man. Where are they going to get those funds?


One reason given for fuel tax revenues not keeping up with road building/maintenance is better MPG means more miles driven per dollar of tax collected. 1 fair and easy way to fix this problem would beo zero out the per gallon tax, replace with per mile tax.


I believe a few states already have a tax/fee of $100-200 a year on license fees for DC rigs to make up for lost revenue due to no tax per gallon of fuel. Some have already started the $ per mile(s) driven per year tax due to hybrids etc too. This tax may also get put on an ICE, instead of the tax per gallon. Not too mention OTR rigs are having to give states miles driven, where they don't want to fill up in a VERY high fuel tax state like where I am, Washington state.

Reality, it's already happening in many jurisdictions! I see it as more of a "WHEN" it will happen to you, not an "IF" it will happen.

Scooby makes up a good point too! My current pickup gets double the mileage of previous one. On par with the two deezals before. I'm burning gaz, not diesel.

I will admit, nice having other power options than gas or diesel, LP didn't get too far for different and sundry reasons. Even at that, it is a good medium to power rigs, just as DC is for those where it makes sense. Many including the very pro DC fans admit, it's not for everyone!

Marty
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer

map40
Explorer
Explorer
Reisender wrote:
map40 wrote:
Reisender wrote:
For what itโ€™s worth, 7 years ago when we bought our first EV it was 4 times cheaper to drive electric than gas. Now itโ€™s 6 times, and that is being conservative.

Our cross Canada trip pulling our little trailer behind our EV would have been easily four times as much if we had been pulling it with our old grand Cherokee. The phone APP tracks all that.

To each his own and I have nothing against gas or diesel vehicles. They work well in many situations. But I would never go back. At least not for our needs. Diesel rules for heavy towing but in the near future electric will do fine in the RV world for those with smaller, lighter and lower profile trailers.

Jmho.


Thanks for sharing! How did the towing affected the range?
As I said from the beginning, EVs are good for some people and some applications. And in those cases they are ADDICTIVE because they are so good.
Not everybody falls in this category, but to understand it you have to forget politics, preconceptions and ideologies, and simply evaluate facts.


Good morning Map40. It pretty much cuts the range in half. We didnโ€™t have this trailer when we had our grand Cherokee but this kind of load pretty much did the same to our grand cherokees range. It did have about 60 kilometres greater range though. But it was a total gutless pig compared to this one. And it stunk like hell when it heated up. And with this tow vehicle we never worry about hot breaks, even on 13 percent grades. The regen looks after pretty much all the braking.

Happy trails.

Thanks for the info! I was expecting something in that range. Happy to see it works for you!
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

map40
Explorer
Explorer
Reisender wrote:
d1h wrote:
So if EV's are supposed to be replacing ICE vehicles why are they still building these huge gas stations with multiple lanes of gas pumps?


I would think itโ€™s a 30 to 40 year transition. People need fuel. Norway is well on its way to selling only electric but they have pretty much the same amount of gas stations. They all just have a half dozen or a dozen DC fast chargers now as well. Thatโ€™s actually getting really common up here in BC. Chevron, Esso, Petro Canada, Shell. They are all adding fast chargers REALLY FAST. I would say just in the last month there are probably 30 more locations of DC fast chargers at the various brands of stations. Quite often the gas price is displayed close to the Electric price.


Other countries have a different reality. Shorter distances help a lot. In NA the question is if the providers move forward with the installation now or if they wait for the next technology. 350kw is the current maximum, but for USA and Canada 500kw or more would make it more convenient. In the meantime, in a lot of European countries they don't care for anything over 250kw.
It is a long road ahead. If EVs fit your lifestyle they are incredibly superior to ICEs; but if it doesn't, EVs are a PITA. I can tell you, I have had EVs for over 10 years, and there are a lot of people that asked me which one they should buy and I told them "None", because EVs were not for them.
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

map40
Explorer
Explorer
d1h wrote:
So if EV's are supposed to be replacing ICE vehicles why are they still building these huge gas stations with multiple lanes of gas pumps?

Please read the posts. I must have said 10 times at least that EVs won't replace ICE. They are an alternative for some users. EVs will sell as long as they are cheaper to own acne as convenient as ICE. For me, for my application, EVs work perfect. They are not for everybody, and I don't believe that trucks will be at a high rate of adoption.
On the same note, new gas stations, unless in growing areas or replacing other gas stations, are not being built. Nobody has invested a penny in new gas stations in stable population area, and it has been like that for 3 years now.
The other service station that kept growing is the "trucker", high volume diesel service station with mechanical services.
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

JRscooby
Explorer II
Explorer II
SterlingHayden wrote:


So you actually believe when enough EVs replace ICE vehicles for it to show up on the revenue balance sheets in brackets, they're not going to be sticking their hands in the EV owners pockets to make it back up? Come on man. Where are they going to get those funds?


One reason given for fuel tax revenues not keeping up with road building/maintenance is better MPG means more miles driven per dollar of tax collected. 1 fair and easy way to fix this problem would be zero out the per gallon tax, replace with per mile tax.

Reisender
Nomad
Nomad
d1h wrote:
So if EV's are supposed to be replacing ICE vehicles why are they still building these huge gas stations with multiple lanes of gas pumps?


I would think itโ€™s a 30 to 40 year transition. People need fuel. Norway is well on its way to selling only electric but they have pretty much the same amount of gas stations. They all just have a half dozen or a dozen DC fast chargers now as well. Thatโ€™s actually getting really common up here in BC. Chevron, Esso, Petro Canada, Shell. They are all adding fast chargers REALLY FAST. I would say just in the last month there are probably 30 more locations of DC fast chargers at the various brands of stations. Quite often the gas price is displayed close to the Electric price.

d1h
Nomad II
Nomad II
So if EV's are supposed to be replacing ICE vehicles why are they still building these huge gas stations with multiple lanes of gas pumps?

Reisender
Nomad
Nomad
map40 wrote:
Reisender wrote:
For what itโ€™s worth, 7 years ago when we bought our first EV it was 4 times cheaper to drive electric than gas. Now itโ€™s 6 times, and that is being conservative.

Our cross Canada trip pulling our little trailer behind our EV would have been easily four times as much if we had been pulling it with our old grand Cherokee. The phone APP tracks all that.

To each his own and I have nothing against gas or diesel vehicles. They work well in many situations. But I would never go back. At least not for our needs. Diesel rules for heavy towing but in the near future electric will do fine in the RV world for those with smaller, lighter and lower profile trailers.

Jmho.


Thanks for sharing! How did the towing affected the range?
As I said from the beginning, EVs are good for some people and some applications. And in those cases they are ADDICTIVE because they are so good.
Not everybody falls in this category, but to understand it you have to forget politics, preconceptions and ideologies, and simply evaluate facts.


Good morning Map40. It pretty much cuts the range in half. We didnโ€™t have this trailer when we had our grand Cherokee but this kind of load pretty much did the same to our grand cherokees range. It did have about 60 kilometres greater range though. But it was a total gutless pig compared to this one. And it stunk like hell when it heated up. And with this tow vehicle we never worry about hot breaks, even on 13 percent grades. The regen looks after pretty much all the braking.

Happy trails.

map40
Explorer
Explorer
Reisender wrote:
For what itโ€™s worth, 7 years ago when we bought our first EV it was 4 times cheaper to drive electric than gas. Now itโ€™s 6 times, and that is being conservative.

Our cross Canada trip pulling our little trailer behind our EV would have been easily four times as much if we had been pulling it with our old grand Cherokee. The phone APP tracks all that.

To each his own and I have nothing against gas or diesel vehicles. They work well in many situations. But I would never go back. At least not for our needs. Diesel rules for heavy towing but in the near future electric will do fine in the RV world for those with smaller, lighter and lower profile trailers.

Jmho.


Thanks for sharing! How did the towing affected the range?
As I said from the beginning, EVs are good for some people and some applications. And in those cases they are ADDICTIVE because they are so good.
Not everybody falls in this category, but to understand it you have to forget politics, preconceptions and ideologies, and simply evaluate facts.
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

Reisender
Nomad
Nomad
For what itโ€™s worth, 7 years ago when we bought our first EV it was 4 times cheaper to drive electric than gas. Now itโ€™s 6 times, and that is being conservative.

Our cross Canada trip pulling our little trailer behind our EV would have been easily four times as much if we had been pulling it with our old grand Cherokee. The phone APP tracks all that.

To each his own and I have nothing against gas or diesel vehicles. They work well in many situations. But I would never go back. At least not for our needs. Diesel rules for heavy towing but in the near future electric will do fine in the RV world for those with smaller, lighter and lower profile trailers.

Jmho.

map40
Explorer
Explorer
shelbyfv wrote:
And all this will happen within the next year! :S

If i would have listened to every one of those predictions in 2012 the batteries of a Nissan Leaf would not be powering my ACs in my motorhome instead of the diesel generator, and would have spent thousands of $ and hundreds of hours dealing with the built-in diesel generator (which I believe was the best upgrade I ever made to and RV because I HATE WORKING ON BUILT IN DIESEL GENERATORS!!!)
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

map40
Explorer
Explorer
SterlingHayden wrote:
map40 wrote:
SterlingHayden wrote:
map40 wrote:
To give you real numbers, my son drives 40 miles each way to work every day. Heave traffic one part and highway. In his old car, $300 in gas per month in a good month. In his I3, $31 in electricity, $0 in gas (never had to use it). Of course, his case is a very faverable, but as I said, when it makes sense and is cheaper...


That's all pussygood, and will be right up until until the powers that be slap on some sort of mileage tax, EV tax, call it what you will, to make up for the lost fuel tax revenues. You can bet your arse that's on the way soon. If history of such things holds true he'll then be paying more than the original $300.00 he paid in gas. Add to that the current energy policy in the US is driving electricity and other energy costs through the stratosphere, and you're just seeing the beginning of the fiasco. Give it a year and your electric bill is going to look more like a mortgage payment coupon.

I was told the same thing in 2012 when I got a Nissan Leaf. Incredibly well built, did not even had to change brake pads until 120k miles. Is 2023, I am still not paying taxes or terribly high energy costs.
As I said before, forget politics and preconceptions, just look at things for what they are. I am well aware of the risks, and of it happens I can easily produce my own energy, it's quite easy.



So you actually believe when enough EVs replace ICE vehicles for it to show up on the revenue balance sheets in brackets, they're not going to be sticking their hands in the EV owners pockets to make it back up? Come on man. Where are they going to get those funds?

What I believe are facts and data. This is the situation now, and the what-if scenarios have been around for decades. And if it happens, I'll figure it out then. Producing my own electric power is easy, with the high enough energy cost I can produce my own.
If you believe every conspiracy theory you end up being paranoid...
Alfa SeeYa
Life rocks when your home rolls

shelbyfv
Explorer
Explorer
And all this will happen within the next year! :S