Uncarollo2 wrote:
On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 1:46:51 PM UTC-5, Quadibloc wrote:
On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 11:06:35 AM UTC-6, Uncarollo2 wrote:

- Fully recharges in 1.5 hours from a 220-volt Level 2 charger

I noticed one thing you didn't mention. After a full recharge, does it go as far
as a normal car would on a full gas tank?

And is it more expensive than a conventional car?

Lamborghini-style acceleration is really not what is important in a motor
vehicle. None the less, that it is achievable is still a positive sign for the
technology.

John Savard

Many people are totally confused and not well informed when it comes to
new technology cars. They go with the tried and true, which today is gas
powered since it meets all their needs. Gas cars can go one block or 2000
miles with minimum fuss. The new technology cars require some thinking
and adjustment, and most people don't want to think or adjust.

It turns out that 90% or more of daily transportation needs for most
people can be met by a vehicle that is powered by a battery that has a
finite range. Right now only the Tesla has a 300 mile range, the others
are less. The Nissan Leaf has about 120 mile range and has no backup gas
motor. The Volt has about 50 - 60 mile range (new 2016 model), but has a
small gas engine generator that can extend this range to over 350 miles
without any loss of power or performance. When the battery runs below the
all-electric mode, the gas engine automatically turns on and maintains
the charge to the battery. So basically you have your own plug in
electric source. You don't need a 200 mile long extension cord.

Normally I drive the Volt for several months before the gas engine is
needed. In gas mode, the mileage is between 50 and 70 mpg (US gallon), so
it is extremely frugal. Last time I filled the tank was back in May of
this year, and we have driven it every day back and forth to work, to
various other activities around town, and never actually had the gas
engine come on. I plug it in every night and next morning the battery is
full, ready to go another 45 miles. In fact, sometimes I plug it in here
at my factory when I have to do a lot of errands and have gone some 60 -
70 miles in a day with no gas used.

The whole point of a plug-in electric car is that the peak efficiency of
these vehicles is exactly that useage where a gas car has its lowest
possible efficiency - stop and go driving in urban and suburban areas. A
friend of mine has a Lexus SUV, and in heavy traffic that beast showed a
mere 7mpg on the dashboard. Out on the open highway it might be possible
to get slightly more fuel efficiency out of an IC engine car in long
distances, especially diesel vehicles, but even there the plug-in
vehicles are not inefficient due to their aerodynamic designs. Last time
I went into Chicago I got the equivalent of 75mpg (gas plus electric) in
a 126 mile round trip. In town in stop and go traffic the mileage is even
higher, over 100mpg.

Now you say Lamborghini performance is not required in a car, but it is
exactly high performance race cars that have inspired things like disc
brakes, anti-lock brakes, stability control, seat belts, and other things
we take for granted. Sure the BMW-i8 is overkill, and I would not own one
- way too expensive. However, it is the future, and it will come soon. I
worked years ago on electric propulsion at Gould research Labs in
Chicago. I designed an electronic drive and my team developed a matching
motor that delivered 280 hp in a package 12" diameter and 15" long,
weight a mere 300 lb. Compare that to what a 280hp IC motor size and weight is.

Advanced batteries will come, and if they can cut the size and weight by
50%, the future will have arrived. Want to bet against it?

Uncaelectricnukepower


There are good small cars as well.I considered a VW Golf GTe plug in hybrid
which would let me do most of my journeys electric only but at 30,000
pounds even with the 5,000 pound subsidy it was too much. I expect VW to
rush ahead with their electric and hybrid models now the diesel market has
collapsed. Once the SEAT and Skoda models are produced the prices should be
more reasonable.