Who killed the electric car???

[xiota]

I saw the movie of which name is the title of the post and I must say, it got me thinking.

Thought #1:

Comments

[jon787]

I get 30-40 MPG in my 10 year old Civic. Adam gets similar numbers from his Saturn. Your standard car range fails to take into account the tiny manual transmission cars on the market.

[adamjaskie]

Yes, I can get 40-43 mpg on the highway if I keep my lead foot in check, and mid-30s around town. Gasoline powered cars don't have to be gas hogs, and hybrids really aren't all that great when you factor in battery replacement, extra initial cost, and so forth

[adamjaskie]

Also, I think the problem with the EV-1 (GM's electric car), and other electric cars, is that they are very expensive to make (mostly because batteries are expensive). Because of this, they can't price them competitively with ICE cars without making a loss on the sales.

[xiota]

False. Watch the movie.

[xiota]

(I think; the problem was that they couldn't bring in *as much* profit in the short term as some of their other cars - that's just a problem of not mass producing them, though, which they did not do)

[jon787]

No the problem comes down to time it takes to go from empty to full compared with the range. I go 300 miles on a tank of gas and can refuel in a few minutes and be on the road again. The EV-1 could get 75-150 miles (depending on version) and would fill up in a couple hours. Less for 80% charge.

Now for someone who only needs a commuter car, that EV-1 is fine. In fact I think most two-car families could use one instead of having two ICE cars. But I only have one car and it needs to be available for trips. Until I can have one that can come close to matching what my Civic can do, I'm keeping my Civic.

[xiota]

From the movie:

"What critics of electric vehicles have been saying for years is true. Electric cars are not for everybody. Given the limited range, they can only meet the needs of 90 percent of the population."

;)

[jon787]

I've heard that one and I haven't even seen the movie. I think its a tad optimistic though.

ZEVs are nice, but a lot more could be done right now with existing available vehicles to solve the problem. We don't need ZEVs as much as people buying only what they need in a vehicle. A soccer mom doesn't need a hummer. I actually find H2s and H3s way more amusing than H1s. H1s are atleast mechanically interesting, H2s and H3s are just Suburbans with body panels that have an H1 appearance.

Oh and a followup to my earlier post involving CAFE, cause it is slightly relevant here. Someone who buys a crossover SUV is helping the automotive industry make the gaz guzzlers because CAFE is based on an average. Buying a crossover SUV ups their truck average fuel economy which allows them to also make more gas guzzlers. The solution is to buy a car, which is average seperately.

[xiota]

hybrids really aren't all that great

Hybrids are a way for the car companies to look like they were trying to make environmentally-friendly automobiles. They are better than most normal automobiles, though.

Also, electric cars don't get "infinity" miles per gallon

Yes, they do. Even if you factor in the energy used to charge them, it's still not in gallons. QED

Unfortunately, electric cars are basically useless for long-distance trips

Because there is no "refilling" infrastructure. The best electric car could go 300 miles on a single charge (i.e., not one the car companies made - that would be too good to make it easy to destroy them).

Oh, and you forgot diesel cars

My list didn't have a lot of types of automobiles on it.

[xiota]

Are your cards standard (i.e., midsized)?

No?

Then I don't see the relevance of your comment.

[xiota]

cars *

[jon787]

Given that the listing was about how the cars were powered I took "standard car" to mean "gasoline powered 4-stroke ICE", my mistake. My car is indeed a compact coupe. But my old car was classed as a mid-size sedan and got 25-35 MPG.

[xiota]

My bad, then. I was being too limiting with capping them at 30.

Fair enough.

[fractuality]

If I remember right, I got 76mpg on a 3 hour drive once. I did have the wind at my back most of the time, but if you feel like expanding your range for hybrids, ya could. ;-) Oh, and what about the dudes who did pulse and glide and got 100mpg? But you can't pulse and glide all the time.

Also, any hybrid that gets only 40mpg sucks and should be improved or have the "hybrid" label removed. (Assuming it's not just due to additional weight or something.)

[jon787]

What do you drive? Prius?

I get mixed feelings from hybrids. One side of me says "ooooh shiny" the other says "twice as many parts to break". The last side says, "what do you mean I can't get it with a manual transmission! Off the list!"

[fractuality]

Yeah it's a prius. I <3 it. I got a super duper extended warranty so I'm all set on parts for quite a while.