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

[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.

Also, electric cars don't get "infinity" miles per gallon; their efficiency is tied to the efficiency of whatever is used to generate the electricity they use (which is probably more efficient than your typical car's engine, since it is likely running at a fairly constant RPM, and doesn't have to worry about things like weight). Electric cars effectively are cars with a really long tailpipe. Luckily, since power plants are stationary, they can do a lot more to reduce emissions and increase efficiency. Unfortunately, electric cars are basically useless for long-distance trips, which, if you live in a city with decent mass transit, is just about the only time you would drive a car. They are great for commuting and running errands around cities when you can't use/don't want to use mass transit, though.

Oh, and you forgot diesel cars: 40-50 mpg, and you can run them on bio-diesel, which is a renewable resource. Diesel engines are better in trucks than gasoline engines because they are very well suited to towing and hauling cargo, so most full-size truck lines have a diesel option (except the Japanese trucks, for some reason). Diesel is VERY popular in Europe, but in America, people are reluctant to adopt it because of the crappy Diesel cars made in a hurry by American car companies during the oil embargo (they converted gasoline engines to run on diesel, which didn't work too well).

[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.