Electric cars are looking good, but not quite there in terms of quality 10

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1. 

   katesisco Posted 6:21 am
   19 Oct 2005

   electric carsI just love the idea of electric cars but wait-----there's that darn battery to replace and if you consider the green aspect there's the toxins from the manufacturing of the electricity at the point of origin, the power plant.  
   
   So, why not diesel?  Improvements in the diesel engine have been humming right along and there is the 50 mph right on the horizon.  Power plants are toying with the idea of coal gassification to produce power and with a few modifications, also right on the horizon, dimethyl ether is the product, an almost perfect diesel fuel.  With the right attitude toward cleaning up the power plant emissions such as sulfur and mercury, we can make it to the 22nd century and cheaper solar generated electricity.

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2. 

   logspirit Posted 6:52 am
   19 Oct 2005

   Electric BicyclesAnother reasonable technology to explore is the realm of the electric bicycle. Solar re-chargeable, 30 to 40 mile range per lightweight battery pack, these magnificent inventions combine the efficiency of human power with the ease of electric assistance. Even if grid charging, less than 20 cents worth of 'juice' a day makes 15 mile commutes a 'breeze'.
   The typical currently available models either double your range or double your speed - for the same pedal effort. Especially attractive to older folks who may need the extra electric boost to get through the wind or make it up that hill.
   It's easy to conceive of models with an aerodynamic shell to provide protection from the elements and increase efficiency even further-- incorporating photovoltaic cells into the structure, for free recharging on the move or parked. Recumbent pedaling would make getting around even easier. Add a wheel or two for safety and stability and practical no-fossil fuel transportation begins to emerge.
   An important consideration are the many kits out there... to save money and get back into confidence boosting do-it-yourself mode! We need to discard dependency on mega corporations with their intentionally untouchable and obscure 'answers'. We need localized, human scale, independent, hands-on solutions as we slide over and stare down the other side of the peak oil cliff.
   Now let's see, this seems to be leading up to a 'hybrid' of electric bicycle/car a la Flintstones... a combination of pedal power and trusty battery... hmmm.... check out the retro style bicycle car with electric assistance available from:
   
   http://www.rhoadescar.com/
   
   O.K. well, I said it was retro! I'm sure other (aerodynamic) styles are out there... Time to start thinking -and moving- like we're running out of oil and the environment is hurting... 'cause we are, and it is. If we want to survive, we have to change.
   
   "Compassion is Enlightenment"

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3. 

   Sishongjerry Posted 6:34 am
   20 Oct 2005

   What about sitting in traffic?If the electric car only gets about 30 miles on it, what about idle time, granted the engines not running full bore, but when I leave my cd player paused, the battery still drains. Would this mean that, given an average speed of 30 mph, the car could only go 30 miles without any stoplights, etc.? Or is this accounted for? I know I have spent more than 30 minutes stuck in a traffic jam, and it would not be good to need to find an outlet to plug in the car and recharge it somewhere out on the expressway.

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4. 

   Biodiversivist Posted 6:57 am
   20 Oct 2005

   Jerry, sitting in traffic would not be a problem.It has a seperate battery for running things like radios. It could of run a CD player for several hours and if it went dead, the rest of the batteries would be untouched.
   Biodiversivist
   
   In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

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5. 

   Sishongjerry Posted 2:53 am
   21 Oct 2005

   misunderstandingI meant my portable cd player, the little AA batteries don't ast that long even when you are not playing it, they are slowly drained by the idling pause feature. That was my question, would the car be practical for a 1 hour drive, with 30 minutes simply sitting and waiting in traffic. I know most of the places I actually NEED to drive to are more than an hour away when traffic is clear, electric cars and traffic jams, don't seem a good combination.

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6. 

   Biodiversivist Posted 5:02 am
   21 Oct 2005

   Oh, my bad.This car has six batteries, each the size of a toaster oven, weighing about a hundred pounds apiece. It could sit in traffic for a month (seriously) without losing a significant charge, making it ideally suited for hanging out in traffic jams. It is not limited by time, but by mileage. It is for tooling around in a city, not for long distance commutes. You can go about fifteen miles one way (at best) and fifteen miles back. The time it takes to do that is totally irrelevant. As I said earlier, the main problem with these cars is the cost (which is a function of quality).
   
   In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

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7. 

   kduble Posted 10:19 pm
   21 Oct 2005

   Federal tax credit neededThis concept argues for a federal income tax credit to offset the cost. Of course, we need to continue to move toward renewable electricity in order for the car to be truly green.
   
   Ken Duble

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8. 

   amazingdrx Posted 4:30 am
   22 Oct 2005

   30 mph, 30 mile range.This powerplant, minus the extremely heavy batteries, with batteries that weigh less than half the lead/acid ones, added to the rear wheels of a front wheel drive economy car would get very good mileage on trips up to 60 miles, at least half of which required under 30 mph driving.
   How much would a conversion cost?
   Around 5k instead of 14?  
   The regular gas engine would be used for driving over 30 mph and when the plugin power runs low.

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9. 

   Biodiversivist Posted 9:25 am
   22 Oct 2005

   Hmm, good point.I critiqued a similar idea in the Flying Brick post but that guy was trying to turn a Prius into an electric plug in. Maybe it would be smarter to power the rear wheels of a simple front wheel drive economy car using a pair of these puppies: http://www.greenspeed.us/wavecrest_electric_motor.htm
   
   In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

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10. 

    amazingdrx Posted 7:55 am
    24 Oct 2005

    Wow, great motor gen design.This reminds me of the otherpower.com wind gen design.  Really powerfull permanent magnets.  There's is a very simple no computer controlled generator.
    Great info thanks!!  

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