Electric Vehicles

#303
#303
OHvol40 said:
The US imported 7.9 million barrels of oil per day in 2020. What does energy independence mean to you?

I think everyone understands that energy to power electric cars has to come from somewhere and that the infrastructure for a majority EV US won’t happen overnight. I pointed out that the volatility in the oil market and recently skyrocketing prices are a great motivation to figure out how to be energy independent with a shift toward alternative sources that are both sustainable and cleaner while reducing our reliance on a global oil market largely controlled by OPEC.
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Now do exports.
 
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#305
#305
MG1968 said:
My money is on a VW Rabbit/Golf.
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A Toyota Prius gets 53 Hwy and 58 city. 99% of my driving is 45 mph or faster. Don’t the hybrids switch to the IC power in the 40 mph range? What’s the most efficient IC option that’s not a total tin can?
 
#306
#306
NorthDallas40 said:
LMAO. So apparently you don’t understand what energy independence means?
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I think many people here don’t understand what energy independence means. I think a lot of people think that US oil producers beg the president for access to their product and if their wish is granted then American producers magically make it rain cheap gas on American citizens and we all sing kumbaya. The US being a net exporter vs net importer has little bearing on a product that is priced and traded on a global market, and the oil that is produced here isn’t reserved strictly for our use at a discount as some here seem to believe it is.
 
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#307
#307
walkenvol said:
A Toyota Prius gets 53 Hwy and 58 city. 99% of my driving is 45 mph or faster. Don’t the hybrids switch to the IC power in the 40 mph range? What’s the most efficient IC option that’s not a total tin can?
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My 2013 Prius V averaged around 45mpg.

Most efficient ICs are diesels from Germany like the Mercedes 300 series. Mazda was rumored to be developing a diesel for their 6 sedan, but I think it’s been abandoned.
 
#308
#308
OHvol40 said:
I think many people here don’t understand what energy independence means. I think a lot of people think that US oil producers beg the president for access to their product and if their wish is granted then American producers magically make it rain cheap gas on American citizens and we all sing kumbaya. The US being a net exporter vs net importer has little bearing on a product that is priced and traded on a global market, and the oil that is produced here isn’t reserved strictly for our use at a discount as some here seem to believe it is.
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And I think you’re deflecting away from the point of what energy independence is. The US was a net exporter. That is energy independence. We produced more than we consumed. Oil is a global commodity thus gasoline producers will buy the cheapest raw materials to make their product. But that isn’t the same as energy independence. Germany today knows EXACTLY what energy independence means.
 
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#309
#309
A non hybrid Honda Civic gets 43 mph highway but I wonder how much more tired a 60 year old guy would be after driving it on a 3 hour trip compared to our current heavier SUV’s
 
#310
#310
hog88 said:
i don't think you need to be determining what people need, you sound just like Luther. You want an EV, go buy yourself one. Nobody here GAS.
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I am not determining what they need. They are with their life style choice. They may WANT a truck, which is fine, but most people dont NEED a truck.

I am just pointing out the hyprocisy about complaining about the costs of a 70k EV while driving a 70k truck, and claiming one of those isnt attainable for the general public.

This is why I said you were defensive from the start. You have been misconstruing my argument from the start, instead of addressing the actual point I am making.
 
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#312
#312
The free market was cruising right along in developing practical and affordable EVs. Big government trying to accelerate it doesn't do any good. If government wants to do something, figure out how we're going to charge these cars, without fossil fuels. If we converted a significant number of our cars to electric today, the grid would literally melt when everyone got home to plug in. The infrastructure to support the EVs is way behind the tech of the EVs.
 
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#314
#314
walkenvol said:
For anyone who regularly needs to carry around 20 sheets of plywood and 4 adults then a minivan isn’t your vehicle. Same if you haul a large boat or trailer. For the other 99% of the population the minivan is more useful, practical, and fuel efficient. A Toyota mv has a 3500 lb towing capacity so a utility trailer will still allow you to haul most anything the average person uses. Fold down or remove rear seats if you aren’t hauling a bunch of folks and you can cram a ton of stuff in the back. JMO
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The biggest reason truck prices have went through the roof is the soccer dads who hauls a few bags of mulch a couple times per year didn't want to be seen driving a minivan.
 
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#315
#315
InVOLuntary said:
If we converted a significant number of our cars to electric today, the grid would literally melt when everyone got home to plug in. The infrastructure to support the EVs is way behind the tech of the EVs.
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Obviously a huge switch to EV’s would require growth in electricity production, but the grid issues are peak hour problems ATM and the peak times are the normal business hours. There’s currently surplus capacity in off peak hours so charging cars at night would likely not be as big a problem as one would think. Again, if we convert all vehicles to EV then it’s another issue
 
#316
#316
walkenvol said:
I see a lot of elderly driving minivans. I assume it’s due to the ease of getting in & out with the lower platform allowed by being front wheel drive as opposed to stepping up into trucks / SUV’s or squatting down into cars. The older I get the more I think about these types of things
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When I'm entertaining clients I always rent a minivan. I think they're great, wife won't drive one though.
 
#318
#318
OHvol40 said:
The US imported 7.9 million barrels of oil per day in 2020. What does energy independence mean to you?

I think everyone understands that energy to power electric cars has to come from somewhere and that the infrastructure for a majority EV US won’t happen overnight. I pointed out that the volatility in the oil market and recently skyrocketing prices are a great motivation to figure out how to be energy independent with a shift toward alternative sources that are both sustainable and cleaner while reducing our reliance on a global oil market largely controlled by OPEC.
Click to expand...

Energy independent means we could forgo imports and still meet our use. It doesn't mean we stopped importing.
 
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#319
#319
MG1968 said:
My 2013 Prius V averaged around 45mpg.

Most efficient ICs are diesels from Germany like the Mercedes 300 series. Mazda was rumored to be developing a diesel for their 6 sedan, but I think it’s been abandoned.
Click to expand...

My brother had a diesel VW Jetta (think), one of the ones they tampered with the emissions and was getting close to 50mpg. I think the ones they are selling now get in the mid to upper 20s so using almost twice the fuel. To me that means the compliant VWs are just as dirty over a year as the illegal ones were.
 
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#320
#320
walkenvol said:
Obviously a huge switch to EV’s would require growth in electricity production, but the grid issues are peak hour problems ATM and the peak times are the normal business hours. There’s currently surplus capacity in off peak hours so charging cars at night would likely not be as big a problem as one would think. Again, if we convert all vehicles to EV then it’s another issue
Click to expand...
My son is an electrical engineering student, a senior in his last semester at UT. Last semester in one class, they studied the energy demands of people coming home from work and plugging in. Their focus was energy storage to accommodate the surge. We can't support any significant switch to EVs right now. The phrase "melt down the grid" was used continuously.
 
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#321
#321
LouderVol said:
I am not determining what they need. They are with their life style choice. They may WANT a truck, which is fine, but most people dont NEED a truck.

I am just pointing out the hyprocisy about complaining about the costs of a 70k EV while driving a 70k truck, and claiming one of those isnt attainable for the general public.

This is why I said you were defensive from the start. You have been misconstruing my argument from the start, instead of addressing the actual point I am making.
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I'm not defensive in the least. I've explained my view on EVs. I'm all for them but absolutely oppose the government forcing them on us like they are doing. I'm all for alternatives to gas/diesel vehicles and there are much better alternative to them than pure electric.
 
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#322
#322
InVOLuntary said:
My son is an electrical engineering student, a senior in his last semester at UT. Last semester in one class, they studied the energy demands of people coming home from work and plugging in. Their focus was energy storage to accommodate the surge. We can't support any significant switch to EVs right now. The phrase "melt down the grid" was used continuously.
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We can't even handle cell phone coverage inside Neyland Stadium, not sure the US is ready for EV conversion. Society would rather have faster coverage than lower emissions.
 
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#324
#324
You know why we aren't opening the keystone?

Because ever large car manufacturer in the country is either breaking ground or has already broken ground in multi billion dollar facilities to manufacture electric vehicles. Two that I know of in Tennessee alone. Tens of billions of dollars in investments requires certain assurances from government.

In 20 years we'll have a new ecological disaster looming over us. The earth has built in mechanisms to deal with emissions over time, it does not have similar mechanisms to deal with caustic fluids and toxic metals. Why are we so stupid but to see this?
 
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