Electric Cars: Superior or Not

[willyg4444]

So, I keep reading about awesome new "future" car technology and I think electric cars like the Tesla Roadster are freakin awesome. Never driven one obviously, but the immediate surge when you get on it, and the feel of an electric car seems pretty cool. However, I can't imagine enjoying a power surge of electricity over the growl of a muscle car, or the throaty snarl of other high performance cars. Of course, you have the added plus of not producing Co2 emissions and such with electric cars, but would you be content not listening to the sounds of your engine? There are a bunch of differences in the driving experience, just wondering if you would be okay if electric cars fully replaced gas engines at some point in time?

[tommyk90]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a large amount of the world's electricity produced by burning fossil fuels?

So hypothetically, if everyone started using electric cars (the ones you have to plug in) wouldn't they use more electricity and in turn the electric company has to burn more fuel to keep up with demand?

Seems like an effort in futility if you ask me.

Unless we start developing large scale power stations that get their power from wind, water, steam, etc. and scale down fossil fuel consumption before electric cars take over.

The idea of instant power is pretty sweet though.

[willyg4444]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a large amount of the world's electricity produced by burning fossil fuels?

So hypothetically, if everyone started using electric cars (the ones you have to plug in) wouldn't they use more electricity and in turn the electric company has to burn more fuel to keep up with demand?

Seems like an effort in futility if you ask me.

Unless we start developing large scale power stations that get their power from wind, water, steam, etc. and scale down fossil fuel consumption before electric cars take over.

The idea of instant power is pretty sweet though.


Well, I was mainly talking about the car experience itself. But I suppose your points are well made as well ;)

[bigtoyota479]

Our electric grid cannot handle electric cars at the moment, and would need a seriously large overhaul before it could. That being said, tommyk is right, most of our power comes from coal. We need a good alternative energy source. Sun, wind, water, geothermal, that shit won't cut it in the long run. It's a temp fix. Using food for fuel is stupid.

That being said, nuclear is probably the way to go here, at least for electricity to support the electric cars. Personally, I think they are a waste of time, and nothing more than a distraction to finding a real, alternative fuel solution.

OTOH, I have not driven one,but have heard the torque is amazing, and the quietness of the car will really fuck with your head for the first month or so. Personally, I would miss the sound of however many cylinders at high RPM happily chugging dead dinosaurs.

[willyg4444]

Well I suppose we could add other future car technology that do not produce the nice sounds of our gas engines today to the mix. It was just a hypothetical.

[tommyk90]

Well, I was mainly talking about the car experience itself. But I suppose your points are well made as well ;)

The experience itself seems pretty intense.

Instant torque would be friggin sweet.

I remember watching a show in TLC or the discovery channel about electric cars. Some guys made an electric powered drag car out of an old mail truck that kept tearing the shit out of the powertrain because of the massive amount of power they could apply.

[atoz350]

Just waiting on Austrailia to hurry up on that new battery technology so that we can see what these cars are really capable of. I'll really miss the sounds and vibration though.

[IamDeMan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a large amount of the world's electricity produced by burning fossil fuels?

So hypothetically, if everyone started using electric cars (the ones you have to plug in) wouldn't they use more electricity and in turn the electric company has to burn more fuel to keep up with demand?

Seems like an effort in futility if you ask me.

Unless we start developing large scale power stations that get their power from wind, water, steam, etc. and scale down fossil fuel consumption before electric cars take over.

The idea of instant power is pretty sweet though.Exactly.

Nuclear and wind FTW.

Why pull off of a national grid that is already at full tilt and uses oil and coal?

[IamDeMan]

The experience itself seems pretty intense.

Instant torque would be friggin sweet.

I remember watching a show in TLC or the discovery channel about electric cars. Some guys made an electric powered drag car out of an old mail truck that kept tearing the shit out of the powertrain because of the massive amount of power they could apply.
nDeed. The torque of a large electric motor is undeniably smile producing. There is no reason electric can't produce similar performance of gas engines with R/D. If you need the sounds then pump in an mp3 of a top fuel dragster.

[IamDeMan]

Just waiting on Austrailia to hurry up on that new battery technology so that we can see what these cars are really capable of. I'll really miss the sounds and vibration though.

Yes, I can't wait to shut down the national grid with a lot of people trying to charge them.

[willyg4444]

nDeed. The torque of a large electric motor is undeniably smile producing. There is no reason electric can't produce similar performance of gas engines with R/D. If you need the sounds then pump in an mp3 of a top fuel dragster.

lol problem solved

[tommyk90]

nDeed. The torque of a large electric motor is undeniably smile producing. There is no reason electric can't produce similar performance of gas engines with R/D. If you need the sounds then pump in an mp3 of a top fuel dragster.

Speaking of top fuel dragster, I'm going to route 66 this weekend for the NHRA races.

w00t!

[undeadxsunshine]

I remember watching the movie Who Killed the Electric Car? Pretty good documentary. It seems like everyone that drove the EV1's really liked them.

I wonder if you would have to worry about upgrading electrical and that kind of stuff for big audio systems in an electric car...

[MrBones]

I'd love one but as its been stated

Battery technology can't handle the needs of the average commuter. (I heard it was like 1 hour of use then a 9 hour charge)

And our electrical grid definitely can't handle that kind of increase of use.

I still want one tho, what are they 60 grand now? lol

[bluecar]

Curious if stores/apt complexes will have charging stations in the lots.

[willyg4444]

I'd love one but as its been stated

Battery technology can't handle the needs of the average commuter. (I heard it was like 1 hour of use then a 9 hour charge)

And our electrical grid definitely can't handle that kind of increase of use.

I still want one tho, what are they 60 grand now? lol

Well, the Tesla I mentioned is 100k I think. But, that's a high performance electric... 0-60 in less than 4 seconds. Also, the Tesla Roadster gets up to 250 miles per charge, and recharges fully in 3.5 hours or less. To me, that's not horrible. I know the Chevy Volt is supposed to be out in 2010, but haven't heard much on that recently.

[atoz350]

Yes, I can't wait to shut down the national grid with a lot of people trying to charge them.

Well that's where the solar panel sunroofs come to mind. Technology has been developing to speed the absorption of solar panels and integrate them as metalized tint for glass. There has even been talks of using the same metal particles in new paint systems. Imagine a car that absorbs the suns energy and uses it to charge it's own batteries.

[atoz350]

Curious if stores/apt complexes will have charging stations in the lots.

This has always bothered me too.

[MOTdyd4me]

I ride a bicycle.

[MOTdyd4me]

Wait... no.


I ride an 8 year old Saudi boy.

[dcmcki]

Why not invest more in the Hybrid technology rather than "Electric"....it seems IMO to be much more ecnomical to reproduce and you dont have to comprimise on the vehicle you use it in. Soccer moms driving suburbans getting 30-40 mpg would be more impressive than any electric car to me. Of course I'm from TEXAS where the men drive trucks and the women drive Suburbans.

[JimJ]

The only way a large-scale rollout of EVs would work is if people are producing their own power. A decent-sized wind generator and PV array could provide enough power to recharge an EV's battery pack.

Of course, we're fucked anyway if people aren't producing more of their own electricity.

Someday I'd like to try an EV conversion, but I'd like to do a waste veggie oil vehicle first. Much cheaper, and just as much range as with fossil diesel.

[hemroids]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a large amount of the world's electricity produced by burning fossil fuels?

So hypothetically, if everyone started using electric cars (the ones you have to plug in) wouldn't they use more electricity and in turn the electric company has to burn more fuel to keep up with demand?

Seems like an effort in futility if you ask me.

Unless we start developing large scale power stations that get their power from wind, water, steam, etc. and scale down fossil fuel consumption before electric cars take over.

The idea of instant power is pretty sweet though.

you live in the chicago area right? so steam is most likely over 80% or your power from safe nuclear energy.

[tommyk90]

you live in the chicago area right? so steam is most likely over 80% or your power from safe nuclear energy.

I'm not aware of any nuclear power plants around here? :confused:

By all means, enlighten me.

Honestly though, I don't know where my power comes from. I was just making a blanket statement.

[Bender-Offender]

i would love to have one but only as a weekend toy i would never rely on one

[atoz350]

Why not invest more in the Hybrid technology rather than "Electric"....it seems IMO to be much more ecnomical to reproduce and you dont have to comprimise on the vehicle you use it in. Soccer moms driving suburbans getting 30-40 mpg would be more impressive than any electric car to me. Of course I'm from TEXAS where the men drive trucks and the women drive Suburbans.

The hybrid Suburbans that are out right now are barely scraping 20mpg. I don't think hybrid technology is the most efficient means of energy.

[tommyk90]

The hybrid Suburbans that are out right now are barely scraping 20mpg. I don't think hybrid technology is the most efficient means of energy.

20 MPG in the city, which is essentially double what a normal suburban gets.

[bluecar]

I'm not aware of any nuclear power plants around here? :confused:

By all means, enlighten me.

Honestly though, I don't know where my power comes from. I was just making a blanket statement.

I am betting coal.

[atoz350]

20 MPG in the city, which is essentially double what a normal suburban gets.

Yeah, but that is not necessarily good. It gets the same mileage as a diesel. I really think the solar panel or wind generator idea needs to be researched.