EVs

[freds]

Actually a EV is about 77% efficient in delivering power to the wheels. Where as petro vehicle is lucky to do 20% as the rest of the energy goes out the tail pipe.

Though petro helps in cold weather as there is lots of waste heat that can be used to warm the cabin.

I drove the Tesla for a year for what it cost me to drive my diesel pickup 400 miles.

[Utahclaimjumper]

 And it wasn't a heavy pick-up or worked like a pick-up either..>>>Dan

[chessie4905]

forget debating. leg humpers are sold on the technology.

[lvmci]

Battery powered vehicles might have a place under certain conditions, such as commuter vehicles in big city stop and go driving, especially with regenerative braking.
However the future of any kind of distance driving, when there are periods (which may come back sooner than we think, with droughts effecting so many hydro electric dams), of Brown outs from over drawing from the power grids
Hydrogen powered combustion and hydrogen electric engines are not only in the near future, but are available in rebuilding current engines.
As an example, from Complete Coach Works web site:
Hydrogen is an emissions-free alternative fuel produced from diverse energy sources. We offer affordable and environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel solutions.
And far less polluting Fuel alternatives still around:
Many older buses can be revitalized with a simple repower or fuel conversion to alternative fuels such as CNG, LNG, Propane, or Hybrid Drive Systems.

[freds]

Battery powered vehicles might have a place under certain conditions, such as commuter vehicles in big city stop and go driving, especially with regenerative braking.
However the future of any kind of distance driving, when there are periods (which may come back sooner than we think, with droughts effecting so many hydro electric dams), of Brown outs from over drawing from the power grids
Hydrogen powered combustion and hydrogen electric engines are not only in the near future, but are available in rebuilding current engines.
As an example, from Complete Coach Works web site:
Hydrogen is an emissions-free alternative fuel produced from diverse energy sources. We offer affordable and environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel solutions.
And far less polluting Fuel alternatives still around:
Many older buses can be revitalized with a simple repower or fuel conversion to alternative fuels such as CNG, LNG, Propane, or Hybrid Drive Systems.

Hydrogen is a pipe dream because:

It has to be produced from scratch and has some downsides as it is difficult to produce, store, dispense in the vehicle and simply transport it.

It requires more energy to produce than can be recovered and as a feed stock to combustion engine would be impracticable to use.

I do agree that our diesel engines could be made cleaner with propane or CNG, however doing so would require a new engine and a fuel storage system.

I would take the position that large vehicles like ours are going to have to remain with a liquid fuel to be practicable as we have such a low duty cycle.

Not a leg humper myself as I have burned quite a few dinosaurs over the course of my life. But you do have to look ahead and the only practicable course for smaller vehicles is electric.

Diesel used to be dirt cheap as it was a byproduct of making gasoline, I wonder what it's price would be if gasoline was no longer a top seller?

I think we will ultimately benefit from the efforts to make jet fuel green? Some interesting projects out there making liquid fuels with concentrated sunlight...

Anyway any new technology has problems. A long EV cross country trip involves trip planning a bit like planning for flying a airplane. My first long distance trip in the Tesla eight years ago before the super charger network went in was quite an adventure.

The biggest problem with EV's is the charging network which is a no brainer for Tesla users as the car manages that planning for you.

Current third party charging networks for other RV's are having problems with availability and reliability. They are about six to seven years behind Tesla in my estimation.

My roommate who is dumb are rocks in some cases just finished a 3000+ mile trip in my Tesla to go to a rock concert without any problems.

Not something I would lightly attempt in other EV's.

Anyway this is my last post to this thread. If there is EV alternative to the next vehicle that I need; based on my experience I will go with that!!!

I really hate driving my diesel pickup as you can dam near see the fuel gauge move while you watch it and know that you have to visit a fuel station to pump money into the pump to refill the tank.

Also green power sources are becoming so cheap to build I don't think we will ever see a new coal or gas power plant built again.

[robertglines1]

Sounds like a boom for tow trucks! Also big diesel power portable gen sets to give emergency power in middle lane of freeway.! I would try it for local running around. With a old petrol on stand by. It's 180 mile each way to vanderbuilt @ nashville.tn from us.  Could turn day trip into 2 day trip? (go there for wife med).??Bob

[luvrbus]

There are plenty of NG power plant coming on line with 75 permits pending so all is not green yet ,the charging stations in Needles are all Telsa but they have lines for the 6 spots all day long,we have several friends with Telsa they like the cars for local driving in Scottsdale, but they don't drive theirs to Ok and Texas.Diesel trucks do better on fuel milage than the LP or CNG truck engine,guy that drives for UPS told me their CNG Kentworths with the Cummins CNG engines are 3 mpg and is offset buy the cost CNG is around $1.25 a gal UPS cost 

[lvmci]

Scientists Find a Simple Way to Produce Hydrogen From Water at Room Temperature
PHYSICS31 August 2022
By DAVID NIELD
An aluminum-gallium alloy reacting with water in a test tube
Bubbles of hydrogen gas are generated from the reaction of water with an aluminum-gallium composite. (Amberchan et al., Applied Nano Materials, 2022)
Hydrogen fuel promises to be a clean and abundant source of energy in the future – as long as scientists can figure out ways to produce it practically and cheaply, and without fossil fuelsA new study provides us with another promising step in that direction, provided you can make use of existing supplies of post-consumer aluminum and gallium.In the new research, scientists describe a relatively simple method involving aluminum nanoparticles that are able to strip the oxygen from water molecules and leave hydrogen gas.
The process yields large amounts of hydrogen, and it all works at room temperature.

That removes one of the big barriers to hydrogen fuel production: the large amounts of power required to produce it using existing methods.

This technique works with any kind of water, too, including wastewater and ocean water.

"We don't need any energy input, and it bubbles hydrogen like crazy," says materials scientist Scott Oliver from the University of California, Santa Cruz...
                                   ----------------------------
There are other companies coming on line with the traditional electrolysis methods, powered by solar photo voltaic and wind powered electrical generation.

[chessie4905]

https://www.livescience.com/29476-gallium.html

[Jim Blackwood]

Give 'em another 20 years or so to figure out how to milk the public with it and we may see it on the streets.

Jim

[Lin]

I find it hard to predict the future, but I do believe we are in for some changes.  When you buy a car you are not really trying to guess what the future holds; rather you are making a choice about what works for now and the next 10 years or so.  Therefore, depending on your use, an electric vehicle could be a good option.

There are lots of happy Tesla customers, and it appears that most do not have a lot of complaints.  However, many that do have problems find it hard to get them resolved.  Tesla has nowhere near the number of service facilities to deal with the current fleet.  Those people can get pretty frustrated.  Hydrogen, which may offer significant potential, is not a viable option to yet though.

One issue with electrics is a place like California is that the state is already short on generation and getting worse.  They are now trying to extend the life of a nuclear plant for another tens years.  Meanwhile there have been serious shortages for the past week.  Adding a substantial amount of electric cars could just crash the system.  On the comic side, PG&E and Socal Ed have been buying energy from my Tesla Powerwall for $2/kwh for the past week through a Tesla program called, "The Virtual Power Plant."  This is for just a couple of the peak hours.  At the same time, the utilities commission is trying various ways to kill the solar rooftop industry for the state through proposing one looney fee and/or tax on self generation.  Of course, if one is required to pay a large fee for the privilege of generating power and/or be taxed for what is produced, there will be a lot less people interested.

[luvrbus]

As large as the Phoenix area is Telsa only has 1 service center in Tempe ,Telsa has 4 dealers to sell the Telsa ,our friends say it takes months to get in the service center most of the time,The Telsa is neat in Phoenix heat I see those plugged in at Whole Foods in Scottsdale with the AC running for hours lol no overheating problems on idle with the AC going .I heard Amazon the owner of Whole Foods was going to stop people from doing that though 

[Lin]

A local shopping center just got a bank of around 17 Tesla charging stations installed.  I would not have guessed that Yucca Valley needed that many, but I still have not seen anyone plugged in there.  I'm only there a couple of times a week though.

[bobofthenorth]

We just got home from a cross country trip dragging the boat behind the (diesel powered) pickup. I didn't pass many fuel pumps and I'm afraid to add up what it cost.  The truck is bad enough but the boat is even worse so I'd love to be able to believe the EV hype. Its kind of like religion - I'd love to believe that too but the cynic in me says that's a bridge too far.

We've got charging stations proliferating like rats north of the border but I have yet to see a single vehicle plugged in at one of them. Even in the wilderness of northern Ontario where I wondered if I could make it to the next diesel pump there was EV hookups sitting lonely on the corner of the lots. 

My bro-in-law bought a Tesla.  He had a perfectly good Golf Cabriolet that they hardly ever drove but the government paid him something north of 10 grand to have it squished. He couldn't trade it in - couldn't sell it to some kid - had to provide a receipt saying it had been squished.  My tax dollars at work. And this for a guy who has almost as much money as Clifford.

[lvmci]

email From Nevada Energy:
Dear NV Energy Customer,

Today is expected to be the hottest day of the extraordinary heat wave underway across the western United states that has contributed to higher energy demand, especially in California, and could cause a significant reduction in available energy supply for Nevada from western energy markets.

To help address this potential shortfall, NV Energy is urging all of its electric customers to reduce electricity usage daily Tuesday, September 6 through Thursday, September 8 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Conservation ensures our electric grid is in the best position possible to meet the energy needs of all customers during this period of extreme heat and energy demand.

Effective measures to conserve energy during this time period include:

Adjust the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher to reduce the use of air conditioning, barring any medical issues, and use ceiling fans to cool people and pets. Pre-cool your home prior to 5 p.m.
Avoid using large electrical appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and electric clothes dryers
Turn off pool pumps
Unplug appliances not in use
Close window coverings to keep the heat out
Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible
Do not charge electric vehicles
Turn off unnecessary lights
Thank you