Electric Cars

[H D]

I keep seeing the commercial for the electric Nissan and its getting on my nerves. Am I the only one that thinks electric cars are stupid? As if somehow it is more environmentally friendly? It's like the Prius...what do you do with those batteries at the end of it's life? Are the hippies really that stupid?



I'm all for environmentally friendly solutions to our energy problems, but burning more coal, creating non-disposable batteries, and planting every acre of earth with corn are not feasible options.

 

[Jacob Dryer]

The part that gets me is the "refueling" time, I've just driven 2000+ miles in 4 days. I could have never done that in a full electric. So I'm sure they are great for the day to day commute, but anything beyond that and they are worthless to me, I take lots of road trips.

 

[Tom Schindler]

So I'm sure they are great for the day to day commute, but anything beyond that and they are worthless to me, I take lots of road trips.

That is exactly what electric vehicles are for. The average person seldom travels away from home on a regular basis. I work with many people that have never left their city their whole life.



For those people, an electric vehicle is perfect. For people like me, an electric vehicle would be a total waste.



With nuclear power coming back, the issues with coal should be a thing of the past. In 2010 alone, there has been more aplications for a nuclear plant to the NRC than ever before. Many companies are working on modular reactors that will make the current design of nuclear plants a thing of the past.





Tom

 

[H D]

If nuclear does make a comeback, then electric cars make more sense, but currently they don't for most people. I can just see snobby environmentalists driving around in a new electric car feeling smug about how they're not burning gas but then never considering the root source of their car's power. If its purely a personal economical choice like the people you mention, I suppose it could make sense (I'd need to see numbers) but if its to feel good about saving the environment as the commercials suggest, then I call bs.



We're supposed to be getting a nuclear plant somewhere near Augusta, GA from what I've heard. I haven't looked into it. I sure hope so.



Now that I live in a small town and drive less than 10 miles a day, I've considered getting something really small, like a scooter. Something small, electric and can go 45 mph would be perfect. I'm sure I'd be made fun of by the rednecks around here, but it wouldn't bother me (I have a '69 Cougar and a lifted ST).

 

[EddieS'04]

Anyone heard about this..And why dont we do something about it. Need to quit pandering to the nay sayers...:angry:

 

[Richard L]

All street driven vehicles require some form of battery. Even if we were to convert every vehicle to Electric Fuel cell technology, we would still need batteries to store some of the power if only to activate the fuel cell.



Until a cost effective fuel cell is developed, electric vehicles will always be short range communer type vehilces with driving ranges of less than 200 miles per charge, and will require about 30 minutes or longer to recharge



...Rich

 

[Tom Schindler]

Hugh,



Do a search for "Modular Nuclear Reactor" and see what comes up.





Tom

 

[A K]

Eddie,



That is well known, actually, and the last I read the Chinese are heavily investing there. At some point we need to protect our reserves.

 

[gary s]

"Am I the only one that thinks electric cars are stupid?"



dont know......



"As if somehow it is more environmentally friendly? It's like the Prius...what do you do with those batteries at the end of it's life? Are the hippies really that stupid?"



what did you do with batteries that you replaced the past 10 years in your vehicles ?

do research, hybrid battery life has greatly improved.

not sure if i qualify as "hippie" status :banana:



"[Broken External Image]:

:grin:

 

[H D]

The idea is that they are not more environmentally friendly. To say that they are disposed of in the same manner only supports my argument. I don't know for a fact, so maybe I shouldn't mention it, but I've "heard" that the batteries of Prius are more harmful to the environment. I only use hippie in the context of people that get high on the feeling of saving the environment without actually doing so.

 

[Richard L]

Current Lead Acid batteries are recycled and as such are not harmfull to the environment. We all pay about a $3 recycling fee when we buy a new battery to insure that it gets recycled properly. The lead is the most toxic part of the battery



Hybrid and Electric vehicles use Lithium batteries, and the Lithium is the most toxic part of those batteries and the most difficult to dispose of. The key is to not dispose of the batteries but to recyle the various components in the battery like we currently do with the old lead acid battery.



My guess is that the Lithium batteries used in the Hybrid and Electric cars can also be recycled. It may not be cost effective now until enough vehicles are sold using Lithium batteries, but I'm sure someone will find a way to extract the Lithium from the batteries and recyle it back into a new battery and still make a profit. I'm sure it is scientificly feasable, but it's a matter of Financial feasability. If there is money to be made, someone will do it.



...Rich

 

[Vince Coshenet]

It's not just about the environment. It's about reducing our need for foreign oil.

 

[Richard L]

Vince,

It's really about both the environment and reducing our dependency on fossil fuels period, not just reducing our need for foreign oil.



Electic power can do both, but we have to be cautious and not trade one form of pollution for another. Hydrogen fuel cells for electric vehicles and onboard hydrogen generators for internal combustion engines can accomplish that, but both will still require batteries.



...Rich