"They are throwing around ... features like 100 mile range and 81 miles per hour top speed."

But it won't go 100 miles at 81 mph. This is an old marketing trick; cite number that sound good, but are mutually exclusive.

This car CAN go 100 miles on a charge, but most likely at 40 mph. It CAN go 81 mph, but only for a few miles, then the battery goes dead.

I'm all for full-electric transportation. Anything to cut OPEC out of our lives. But I know that we're not even close to producing a consumer-friendly EV -- one with four seats, four doors that can go 300 miles at highway speeds on a single charge.

For now, we're stuck with hybrids, and that's okay. Hybrid technology will continue to improve, and continue to reduce gasoline consumption.

I believe that a practical EV will appear in my lifetime. But it won't be for a LONG time.
.

 

I agree with 1stpick, It would be a shame if the first EV's are a huge dissapointment. PHEV is the way to go now. If I could get 20-40 honest EV miles from one, I would be more than happy. Then when you need the car for the long haul, you have the option. We really don't need to cut gas out of our lives right now, if we drop consumption by 50% or greater that would be huge, and the remaining supplies would last for many years. And in those years, hopefully EV technology would make the strides it needs.

 

I'm sure that EVs won't be ale to be the answer for everyone. But if they can be the answer for even 25% of the drivers, America could deal a pretty big blow to OPEC. Imagine if the average 2-car household had a hybrid sedan or hybrid SUV for their "distance" vehicle and had an EV for commuting and in-town driving. That scenario would reduce gasoline consumption a LOT.

 

If people expect too much from an electric car they will be disappointed. They do need to understand that max range is not going to happen at max speed. Perhaps they should quote several different ranges at different speeds.

Like:

Range =

99 miles at 20 miles per hour
80 miles at 40 miles per hour
60 miles at 60 miles per hour
30 miles at top speed.....

People should not expect an electric to work for them 100% of the time. Clearly a different type of vehicle will be required for longer trips.

Best idea I've seen so far: An EV and "PhillyCarShare" or something similar.

http://www.phillycarshare.org/

 

I don't believe anyone is thinking an electric will fill everyone's needs 100% of the time.
But an electric would fill the need for a great many drivers most of the time.

If you talk to an ex EV1 driver (I have) they were well aware of the limitations but still loved the car. The one I talked to drives a Prius and while he does like the Prius a lot, he considers it a "step down" from the EV1.

I hope my next commuter vehicle will be battery electric. I can rent a dino/hybrid for the few times I need one.

-Steve

 

I am not impressed.

 

I would like to get an electric utility vehicle to drive to town and do light hauling. Then use my HCHII for long trips. This is the design I like the best so far.

http://www.think.no/think/content/view/full/261

 

We don't need electrically powered cars.
We need less powerful cars.

A 250 HP electric car is not only infeasible, but just as bad as a 250 HP gas guzzler.

We need to get used to 40 HP cars.
A 40 HP gas or diesel car can be just as good for the planet as a 40 HP EV.

EV's take ENERGY. And that energy, 99% of the time, is fossil fuel.

Also, PHEV are not going to give you a 40 or 50 mile electric car in many cases.
They will give you a 100+ MPG car for those 40 to 50 miles.

If you want heat, air-conditioning, power this, power that, etc, etc... you are going to use that gas engine most of the time, just like hybrids of today. But the engine will be able to work in a lower power output, and use less fuel.

Batteries still take fuel. That is often over-looked, and rarely talked about.
Getting power from the plant to your home is not all that efficient.
It takes wattage to deliver wattage, and more than you think.
My $0.04 -John

 

P.S. to Post #18.

Americans are not only addicted to oil, we are addicted to "zoom zoom".

Fast acceleration requires horsepower. That's it.
Going fast does not require many horsepower.

I can use 10 HP and go 100 miles in the same amount of time as someone with 400 HP.

I will go zero to 76 MPH in 60 seconds.
The other guy will go zero to 75 MPH in 6 seconds.

We'll both get there at the same time.
I'll just have less "zoom zoom" feeling.

 

Less powerful would be better.


You might find EVs to be cleaner if you check.
Perhaps not quite 99%.....




EVs would shift the type of fossil fuel from oil (imported) to coal and natural gas (domestic), which is a good thing. Additionally as the grid itself moves towards cleaner renewable power the EV does to.

The overall efficiency of the electrical grid is much, much higher than the efficiency of an internal combustion engine. Much. Look it up.