Yep. That and the fact that electricity has been privatized throughout most of the world. Private funding makes power plants hundreds of times more expensive to build.
Yep. That and the fact that electricity has been privatized throughout most of the world. Private funding makes power plants hundreds of times more expensive to build.Not really. Private funding does not make them more expensive, it only digs up the massive hidden costs that are insurance, decomissionning, waste treatment, waste storage, as well as accident cleanup costs.
These are usually simply swept under the carpet when run publicly.
Private investing doesn't work like that.
My friend has a Bolt, he bought it used when it was about a year old, I forget how much he paid for it but it was pretty reasonable. I drove it once, that thing is scary fast. At highway speed it's only average but from a stop if you stomp on the "gas" it goes like stink, feels faster than anything else I've driven.
I have a 2017 Bolt and, yes, it's quick. The thing is, the 2014 Chevy Spark EV I had before was even quicker - a LOT quicker. So much quicker that Chevy had to tone things down and the Bolt is the result. The Spark EV has been out of production for a while
The other point that seems to have escaped them, is that the idea of supplying battery cars from renewable energy is a pipedream. After more than 20 years of deploying renewables they cannot even supply our electricity demands, let alone transport energy requirements too. So, the battery cars would simply transfer the point at which the CO2 is released to a power station, and would solve nothing.
The other point that seems to have escaped them, is that the idea of supplying battery cars from renewable energy is a pipedream.
https://matter2energy.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/wells-to-wheels-electric-car-efficiency/
I haven't read it in a whlie, but I think he got to 6% more efficient. However I believe there are few things unconsidered, such as how much power is lost in electrical transmission for the power plant to the charge station etc. and how much is lost charging the battery itself.
And how many charge cycles will the battery do before it becomes sub-par and needs replacing?
I know Lithium battery specs show a vast spectrum of figures from losing 15% capacity in 100 cycles to 1000 cycles depending on use and DOD/C etc.
In a practical sense and how a lot of people might use an EV, an overnight charge, every night sounds reasonable. So exactly the same way you might use a cell/mobile phone. Running between 50% charge and 100% charge daily. We all know that the battery in a cell phone isn't at it's best after 1 year, noticably lower in capacity after 2 years and fairly useless after 3 years cutting out mid day. I would expect the figures for EVs to be much better given how expensive they are and how much battery management goes into the thing, but even if they double that, you are talking about the battery losing a sizable portion of it's range in 5-10 years and needing replaced. By that time it will be financially far more efficient to dump the car in the scrap yard and buy a new one than to replace the battery, which will probably cost a sizable portion of a whole new car!
And how many charge cycles will the battery do before it becomes sub-par and needs replacing?
Tesla and Volt (with a V) batteries aren't failing in large numbers, these cars have been around for some time now.
I see the warranties. I don't see the "Level of capacity loss required" to activate a warranty claim.
I know this is anecdotal, but I only know 2 people with a Volt, and both needed their battery refurbished under warranty. They had considerable downtime, as the pack was removed from their car and sent to another part of the country for the rebuild. GM refused to tell them the extent of the rework that was needed.
I know this is anecdotal, but I only know 2 people with a Volt, and both needed their battery refurbished under warranty. They had considerable downtime, as the pack was removed from their car and sent to another part of the country for the rebuild. GM refused to tell them the extent of the rework that was needed.
Was this for reduced capacity reasons, or for failures due to manufacturing defects?
I said it before, it's not a question if electric cars will become mainstream.
They WILL become mainstream.
I said it before, it's not a question if electric cars will become mainstream.
They WILL become mainstream.
I agree. Electric is simply better for everything except noise.
The only thing in the way is the batteries. I'm not sure if higher capacity is really possible, what's really needed is fast charging. If we can get charging down to a couple of minutes then it solves most issues.
(apart from infrastructure needed to get enough electrons to recharging stations)
PS: Engine noise can be synthesized.
The tech that would kill the battery car stone dead, is a fuel cell which runs on something more easily stored than hydrogen or methane. Which may not be all that far away. The Bloom Box came as something of a surprise, and many people thought it was a scam to start with. No, it's actually a great product.
For me the reasons I will not, yet, consider an electric car are:
Cost.
Range.
... there are the handful of times a year when I make a 300-400 mile round trip in a day.
EDIT: On that later point. I envision "pluggable" batteries. Standardised packs the size of a suitcase that goes where the spare wheel would have. Garages can sell these in a swap an empty for a full one in the same way we do gas cylinders. This would go a long way to easy range anxiety.
PS: Engine noise can be synthesized.Noise? As in lack of noise you mean i guess?
Fast charging is just all about physics. You need a huge energy dump at once.
Which is not only very difficult to do for the grid (you can back that up with batteries to some extend), but also bad for the electronics and batteries, as well as being potentially dangerous.
Some manufacturers are faking it without telling the buyers. Salesman: "Listen to the engine, that's real power!"