Battery based vehicles of today and tomorrow pt 2

[ultrarunner]

I do see Tesla in California with East Coast plates... someone did some planning.

Maybe the after market will come up with a battery tender on a tag trailer for those long distance jaunts?

Personally, I would like to try one for 7 days or various ones to get a feel for my real world.

Thinking more along the lines of city car like Volt, Bolt, Prius, etc...

 

[MossRoad]

I do see Tesla in California with East Coast plates... someone did some planning.

Maybe the after market will come up with a battery tender on a tag trailer for those long distance jaunts?

Personally, I would like to try one for 7 days or various ones to get a feel for my real world.

Thinking more along the lines of city car like Volt, Bolt, Prius, etc...

Yes, a trial would be nice. But I'm pretty sure already that I could make good use of an all electric vehicle going to work, store, and pretty much anywhere within 50 mile radius of home. That would include the beaches at Lake Michigan, and most of the nice walking trails we use in the area. Probably 80-90 percent of our needs. However, we need:

- Our Suburban to haul our large items, pull the trailer with the tractor, 5000# of firewood several times each year, and other needs.
- A vehicle capable of driving 1000 mile in a day several times a year (like our Impala or Suburban).

I don't see an electric vehicle doing those two items right now.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Stories about: Brookhaven National Laboratory - autoevolution

The ability to do that higher voltage level would greatly improve EV range and or lower numbers of batteries required.

4.2 volt is the max our Leaf can do from the factory.

It's good to see do much interest in enhancing EV battery options.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

This drives home the need for energy storage solutions to play catch-up.

https://www.earthday.org/california...ving-100-renewable-energy-for-the-first-time/

The earliest EV players Tesla and Nissan have played leading roles in home energy storage solutions by being a lithium ion battery source for many DIY types. Some think Tesla's energy storage solutions side of the company will outstrip their EV business.

 

[cqaigy2]

Going down the ARS Techica black hole. Found an interesting article about SMR small modular reactor. Basically the idea of much smaller waste generated, is not a given and may also generate types of waste that haven't been handled before. With that, there looks to be if thought is put into it, can greatly reduce waste and way to use the new types of waste material.

Smaller reactors may still have a big nuclear waste problem

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Yes, a trial would be nice. But I'm pretty sure already that I could make good use of an all electric vehicle going to work, store, and pretty much anywhere within 50 mile radius of home. That would include the beaches at Lake Michigan, and most of the nice walking trails we use in the area. Probably 80-90 percent of our needs. However, we need:

- Our Suburban to haul our large items, pull the trailer with the tractor, 5000# of firewood several times each year, and other needs.
- A vehicle capable of driving 1000 mile in a day several times a year (like our Impala or Suburban).

I don't see an electric vehicle doing those two items right now.

That was why I drove our 2010 F-150 with the 10K tow package 200 miles to St Louis in 2019 to look at the maxed 2016 Nissan Leaf SL with the 360 surround camera system that I need.

A few weeks before it became clear the EV revolution train had left the station when MB of Norway reported a $22 million sales short fall due to the EV revolution in that country. Since there are no EV dealers in the area I understood to do a trial I needed to buy one.

I was going to the Memphis region to look a two different 2015 Leafs and had $12K cash in pocket because they were private sales when I found ours online about midnight before I was heading towards Memphis.

It was after lunch before I got to the Nissan dealership. It was the first Leaf that I ever touched. Drove it and grilled the salesman on the near death battery concerns but he had already had the details printed out and confirmed Nissan would make good on the battery warranty. The 3 year old car was a 22K off lease car.

When I heard what I wanted to hear I laid the $12K in hundred dollar bills on the salesman's desk. He said that was $6K less than they were asking and he didn't think that would fly. I said find out so I could be on my way back to KY with or without the car.

About 20 minutes later he came back and said it was a no on $12K offer but they would take $13,418.00 and I could put the balance on a CC. I said OK and handed him a credit card.

He asked how was I going to get it home and I told him that was the reason I drove the truck. He picked up the phone and called U-Haul and we went down the street they got me hooked up and discounted rate. He loaded it himself while they were doing the paperwork and kept asking I if was ok to tow it home in the dark. He call the next morning to see if I made it home OK. I did crash in bed with the car still on the trailer about midnight.

I drove it twice to the son's place yesterday a total of 92.3 miles and topped my tank overnight for $3.24. That would have cost me $22.50 in the pickup.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Comments on WSJ article.

 

[ultrarunner]

Enjoyed the link... thank you for posting.

My circle of Tesla owners are very loyal... a few of the younger guys have done lots of upgrades/mods too.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Joe has done a bang-up job of listing fuel prices and taxes from around the world.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Enjoyed the link... thank you for posting.

My circle of Tesla owners are very loyal... a few of the younger guys have done lots of upgrades/mods too.

Thanks. MyLeaf forum has several members going with Tesla when adding another EV.

The Leaf is the only quality EV I know of selling new under $20,000 today.