Electric Cars

[Guinnessman1974]

Some interesting questions on electric cars - anyone have any others?

Electric cars: Post your questions for an expert panel | Environment | guardian.co.uk

A question I want to know, is, won't all these electric cars being charged up overnight put a strain on the National Grid? Where is all this extra electricity going to come from, in order to meet our CO2 emissions targets? Burn more coal at power stations?!!

Also what about power cuts? We had power cuts here during the -12C temperatures and what if you need to charge your car up?

What happens if you get stuck in a very long traffic jam, and run out of charge miles from the nearest charging point?

Also will an alternator in the electric car charge up as the car is moving?

[nightshade]

Don't worry about the leccy, the mining the finite supply of rare metals are probably more of a risk to the environment. I think someone said they cross three continents before the car is ready
As hybrid cars gobble rare metals, shortage looms | Reuters

[Lancashire Lad]

Another seldom mentioned aspect relating to the present state of electric car technology, is the risible mileage which can be obtained on a single charge.

These cars are all very well for a quick "around-town" commute, but anyone who regularly travels any distance would need a normal internal combustion engined car as well.

The big news recently was the 2011 car of the year, the Nissan Leaf, which has a range of about 100 miles.

If I wanted to go to Cornwall in such a car, it would take several days to get there, given that a full charge takes in excess of 8 hours.

When battery technology or electric engine efficiency improves sufficiently, they will become viable alternatives to normal cars - but then of course, the whole country would need to have the necessary charging infrastructure in place.

As you rightly say though, the additional electrical consumption posed by a predominantly electric vehicle using populus, would need some major changes to our present thinking on generating plant, and on the National Grid network.

Regards,
Mike.

[John D]

[quote=Guinnessman1974;746548]Some interesting questions on electric cars - anyone have any others?

Electric cars: Post your questions for an expert panel | Environment | guardian.co.uk

A question I want to know, is, won't all these electric cars being charged up overnight put a strain on the National Grid? Where is all this extra electricity going to come from, in order to meet our CO2 emissions targets? Burn more coal at power stations?!!

Surely he have heard of 'WINDGENERATION'. HA HA



John D

[John D]

I was a bit involved with 'electric vehicles' in the early 80's and attended several exhibitions and seminars on the topic. From what I have read and understand little change in the technology/ideas have changed since then.

a) The range between charges hasn't changed all that much.
b) the technology associated with hybrid vehicles hasn't changed a great deal, although there are more electronics involved in the control etc.
c) 'Regenerative braking'(whereby on application of the brake the motor becomes a generator and puts a charge back into the battery) was used on several vehicles. Including one manufactured by Chrysler and used by HRH Duke of Edinburgh.
d) Buses were also being developed where the 'battery pack' was contained in a small trailer and towed behind. The trailer with battery pack would be changed at the journeys end /terminus and changed for one that had been recharged. There were also several alternative methods but none were taken up. The benefit was that electric vehicles could be used in city centres without the need for overhead lines like that used by trolley buses.
e) Most milk deliveries in the UK was by electric vehicles although admittedly they were a bit basic but certainly functional.

Electric vehicles are a bit like 'wave power' and 'tidal power' both of these technologies were also being developed in the 70's but the 'powers that be' weren't interested at the time and the developers and manufacturers weren't taken very seriously.

John D

[STYRBJORN]

So far as I am concerned pure electric vehicles are a waste of road space. All they do is move pollution from the exhaust pipe to the power station. Fine for Mr and Mrs Smugg.

Dual power vehicles are starting to make sense.

Milk floats had 20 hrs to charge up for 4 hrs use; also, they were used because they were very quiet.

[John D]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

Milk floats had up for 4 hrs use; also, they were used because they were very quiet.

I agree , but they did the job and were very reliable and low in maintenance cost as there was very little that could go wrong. When it did it was usually the motor that required to be replaced and sent for 'rewinding'.

Four hours was enough when used for milk delivery.

John D

[Dorts]

My feelings on electric cars are very similar to those already posted. But maybe there is an answer to the problem of a 'greener' engine below?



Here's the relevant info:
"Michigan State University researchers have built a prototype of a remarkable new fossil-fueled engine design which is 5 times more efficient than conventional automobile internal combustion engines, and 3.5 times more efficient than hybrid automobile engines. It reduces emissions up to 90 percent, because the engine uses 60 percent of its fuel for propulsion, compared to a typical car engine that uses only 15 percent of fuel for propulsion.
It does not have pistons, crankshafts, valves, or a transmission system, cooling system, emissions regulation or fluids reducing costs of the engine system 30% and maintenance costs. It can operate on natural gas, petrol, hydrogen and other fuels.
MSU’s shock wave combustion generator is the size of a cooking pot and generates electricity very efficiently. This revolutionary generator replaces today’s 1,000 pounds of engine, transmission, cooling system, emissions, and fluids resulting in a lighter, more fuel-efficient electric vehicle. This technology provides 500-mile-plus driving range, is 30% lighter, and 30% less expensive than current, new plug-in hybrid vehicles. It overcomes the cost, weight, and driving range challenges of battery-powered electric vehicles."
Thoughts?
Dorts.

[Lancashire Lad]

If this technology can be made to work in real life situations with normal sized vehicles, on normal roads, under normal driving conditions, and with the performance and longevity expected of a vehicle engine, then it sounds like a great breakthrough.

I would be amazed if the conspiracy theorists don't emerge though, saying that the big car manufacturing companies will buy up the patents and bury them, so that the internal combustion engine doesn't face serious competition.

One would think that if this thing really does the business, then the inventor's would make darned sure that they kept the patent rights and put the thing into full scale manufacture - they would be billionaires in a very short time - and good luck to them - it is this sort of development that the world needs!!

Regards,
Mike.