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Thread: New Car

  1. #161
    Senior Member JaxSon's Avatar
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    Wow, you guys are really getting fired up here and I think it's great!

    I happen to agree that nuclear is the way to go for powering the grid. And I also think not relying on the grid is a good idea and alternatives should be sought. Having a combination of solar and wind power on your property is definitely a good thing. And I think having access to the grid is vital if needed for night time or low wind speeds or other unforeseen circumstances.

    Even having your own water well so you don't have to rely on the public water supply. Ha, these ideas all sound like "survivalist" talk to me. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

    As for cars...remember the original topic was New Car?...from what I've seen and experienced, hybrid is the way to go. We will still be depending on oil and gasoline for the foreseeable future. Batteries can definitely cut into the amount being used but their charge only lasts so long. And here we are depending on the gas engine or some power plant somewhere to charge the batteries back up; a vicious circle.
    Last edited by JaxSon; 04-27-2017 at 05:23 AM.

  2. #162
    Senior Member CeeBee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JaxSon View Post
    As for cars...remember the original topic was New Car?...from what I've seen and experienced, hybrid is the way to go. We will still be depending on oil and gasoline for the foreseeable future. Batteries can definitely cut into the amount being used but their charge only lasts so long. And here we are depending on the gas engine or some power plant somewhere to charge the batteries back up; a vicious circle.
    Hybrid is a bridge. It has its good parts, but I feel right now the manufacturers aren't exactly committed to an approach. They make hybrid to "improve" and appeal to the environuts, but the economics just aren't there. A viable technology is able to sustain itself without government rebates, and hybrid is not one.
    A much better approach would be a pure electric drive train with a backup gas engine just enough to produce the power needed to replenish the usage - not necessarily to drive the car; this would allow for more efficient use of gasoline by running the gas engine in the top efficiency range and could make use of a much smaller engine (only needs 30hp or so, no transmission loss).
    However the big trucks can't go electric, not now. Too much power needed to match that the big Diesel engine produce. And that's a significant chunk of the fossil fuel use.
    In a "fair" market where gasoline was treated the same as electricity (a utility, subject to the same regulations and price constraints), hybrid and electric would never see adoption. Nearly half of the cost at pump is taxes and company profit... without those the cost per mile would be pretty much the same, only the electric vehicles are significantly more expensive.
    However the very long term solution is either developing batteries with extremely high charge rates (bring recharging by 90% under 15 minutes) or universal swappable batteries that would be just like grill propane tanks.. take out, drop the new one in, keep going - again under 15 minutes.
    Last edited by CeeBee; 04-27-2017 at 01:00 PM.

  3. #163
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    I will buy all electric when I can either fully charge it with a small solar panel on my house or at work... Otherwise, 5 minutes at the pump is fine. The distance I drive and fuel prices do not offset the price of a decent sized EV that I can fit into.
    "But I got it because I'm an iSheep who needs to have all my stuff have an Apple logo on it."

  4. #164
    Senior Member CeeBee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larommi View Post
    I will buy all electric when I can either fully charge it with a small solar panel on my house or at work
    With a small solar panel - never. As in never, ever. Not in 5 or 10 or 1000 years.
    Some companies are starting to provide charging stations so that may be a possibility.
    Last edited by CeeBee; 04-27-2017 at 07:29 PM.

  5. #165
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    Quote Originally Posted by CeeBee View Post
    With a small solar panel - never. As in never, ever. Not in 5 or 10 or 1000 years.
    Some companies are starting to provide charging stations so that may be a possibility.
    You would need a 90%+ efficient Solar cell + A superconducting DC Motor

    Not impossible within the laws of physics. But we are a long way away.

  6. #166
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    Quote Originally Posted by CeeBee View Post
    With a small solar panel - never. As in never, ever. Not in 5 or 10 or 1000 years.
    Some companies are starting to provide charging stations so that may be a possibility.
    I know that. That is how enthused I am to buy an all electric car.
    "But I got it because I'm an iSheep who needs to have all my stuff have an Apple logo on it."

  7. #167
    Senior Member slgrieb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by northbayteky View Post
    Sure, Tesla's batteries are expensive now. By the time I can afford one of his cars I'll probably be able to afford a battery too. Prices usually come down over time, not up.
    By the time I can afford a Tesla, my grand kids will be driving me around. I'll be in a vegetative state and won't care.
    Yes, Mr. Death... I'll play you a game! But not CHESS !!! BAH... FOOEY! My game is...
    WIFFLEBALL!

  8. #168
    Senior Member slgrieb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CeeBee View Post
    Remember electric is ultimately powered mostly by fossil fuel (1/3 coal, 1/3 natural gas). Better start petitioning your representatives to push for nuclear or you will never be entirely off fossil fuel.
    Yeah, nuclear power is a scam all it's own. The nuclear industry has hidden subsidies, hidden deficiencies in design and construction. Then there are the costs to decommission the plant. Typically Nuke plants seemed attractive in terms of costs, but they have always had massive cost over runs. The South Texas Nuclear Plant is a great case in point. These plants mostly get built because the entities footing the cost realize that, while it may be painfully expensive to build the plant, it's less expensive than pulling out of the project. Smoke and mirrors, Bubba. That's all the nuclear industry comes down to.
    Yes, Mr. Death... I'll play you a game! But not CHESS !!! BAH... FOOEY! My game is...
    WIFFLEBALL!

  9. #169
    Senior Member JaxSon's Avatar
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    Nuke power is good. Just look at the huge ships trolling the oceans NOT burning fuel but able to go 10 years without refueling. Bitch about the nuke industry if you want but the product itself is so powerful and if done right, is clean too.

  10. #170
    Senior Member CeeBee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Overdrv View Post
    You would need a 90%+ efficient Solar cell + A superconducting DC Motor

    Not impossible within the laws of physics. But we are a long way away.
    Even at 100% efficiency with the most advanced solar cell you won't squeeze more than 100W/sqft at peak hours... Because that's all you get from the sun.
    See, all the green wet dreams of the envitonuts ultimately get destroyed by the harsh reality

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