Battery based electric vehicles of today and tomorrow.

[Larry Caldwell]

The electrical grid has to be upgraded anyway. We're perking along at 1.5 million to 2 million new houses a year that have to be hooked up. Old equipment times out and has to be replaced. If we add a vehicular load over the next 30 years or so, it will be moderate expansion of generating capacity, but far from a doubling. As for your personal electric bill, almost every household has the ability to reduce usage. I'm thinking my next water heater will be a heat pump water heater. My electric bill right now is 20% below my 1995 electric bill, despite rate increases, thanks to energy conserving upgrades.

https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/04%20AEO2021%20Electricity.pdf

 

[goeduck]

I believe everyone is missing my point which is my prediction:
As more people switch to electric the present power grid MUST be upgraded. It has to be whether home or station charging.
This upgrading will have TWO impacts...one on the environment, one on everyone's wallet. The first will be deforestation, installing many more power lines, larger and more sub stations, etc. Who pays for this? We ALL do, so instead of the 10.6 cents/kWh I'm paying now it has to increase. If our average electric bill is $90/month it will double within a few years.
Now people will chime in with "I'm already paying $200/month!" which isn't the point since that will go to $400.
EV proponents have this idea that the manufacturing process (vehicles, batteries, power lines, transformers, solar panels, wind generators, even hydro-electric and nuclear plant facilities) cause zero pollution, zero environmental impact.
Explain where I'm wrong.
Thanks.

I don't think you are wrong. But there sure are a lot of EV ostriches out there. With normal growth adding EV charging has to accelerate expanding the grid. Maybe there is enough capacity right now, but if so, not for long.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I believe everyone is missing my point which is my prediction:
As more people switch to electric the present power grid MUST be upgraded. It has to be whether home or station charging.
This upgrading will have TWO impacts...one on the environment, one on everyone's wallet. The first will be deforestation, installing many more power lines, larger and more sub stations, etc. Who pays for this? We ALL do, so instead of the 10.6 cents/kWh I'm paying now it has to increase. If our average electric bill is $90/month it will double within a few years.
Now people will chime in with "I'm already paying $200/month!" which isn't the point since that will go to $400.
EV proponents have this idea that the manufacturing process (vehicles, batteries, power lines, transformers, solar panels, wind generators, even hydro-electric and nuclear plant facilities) cause zero pollution, zero environmental impact.
Explain where I'm wrong.
Thanks.

My prediction is you are getting close to test driving an EV the way this thread attracts you like a bug zapper attracts a bug.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

The electrical grid has to be upgraded anyway. We're perking along at 1.5 million to 2 million new houses a year that have to be hooked up. Old equipment times out and has to be replaced. If we add a vehicular load over the next 30 years or so, it will be moderate expansion of generating capacity, but far from a doubling. As for your personal electric bill, almost every household has the ability to reduce usage. I'm thinking my next water heater will be a heat pump water heater. My electric bill right now is 20% below my 1995 electric bill, despite rate increases, thanks to energy conserving upgrades.

https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/04%20AEO2021%20Electricity.pdf

Awesome link.

A lot our grid has been rebuilt since the 2009 ice storm. This week I saw new poles aready T'd and scattered which confused me until I realized they were converting the grid on that road from one to three phase.

Some may not realize the decision to go all in on EVs is past tense. This is not a band of ICE vehicles for most of us in rural USA.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Texas Is Finally Taking Up The Fight Against Flaring | OilPrice.com

It looks like Texas is finally taking a hard stance on its oil industry flaring excess gas into the atmosphere, a move that many observers believe is the low hanging fruit in the fight to reduce emissions

oilprice.com

Flaring has bugged me for 63 years.

 

[ruffdog]

Maybe for the future, every household will have to have an ICE, an EV, and a steam powered vehicle.

 

[airbiscuit]

I could see myself with an ICE and an EV at some point. The EV would be the local grocery getter and save miles on the ICE.

 

[Fuddy1952]

My prediction is you are getting close to test driving an EV the way this thread attracts you like a bug zapper attracts a bug.

Well Gale...I gave you a like. To me it is a thought provoking subject that must be looked at from different perspectives. Some day we MAY possibly look at electric...but certain conditions hopefully: I don't want to see the elimination of petroleum.
Hopefully gas & diesel still available at an affordable price for older cars, trucks, tractors, mowers, etc.
I will not purchase an electric if I'm not able to park it in garage or near cars or house for fear of fire.
I don't want towers, windmills, solar, nuclear plants destroying the landscape.
Something with a good warranty at an affordable price for everyday trips that gets 90-100 equivalent mpg, yes I'd consider.
Too many people embrace things just because it's new without really thinking about it.

 

[MossRoad]

I got to drive one of these the other day.

Urban Delivery - Electric Last Mile Solutions

Learn about the innovative, efficient, & reliable EV Urban Delivery vehicles from ELMS - Electric Last Mile Solutions.

electriclastmile.com

I did not like the way it felt when driving. It had plenty of pickup, quite zippy in fact. But it could not coast. I think that's due to the regenerative braking. As long as you kept your foot on the accelerator, it was fine. But as soon as you let off, like cresting a hill, or wanting to approach an intersection, there was a definite feel that someone was applying the brakes when you didn't want the brakes applied. This would be fine I think, for congested city traffic where it's constant stop and go. But anywhere that traffic thins out, I would hate to drive this all day, making deliveries. It feels like you're either accelerating or stopping. No happy medium. You have to keep your foot on the accelerator at all time, even going down hill, or it will slow down.

Fit and finish was fine. The back was a full 8' deep, but less than 48" between the wheel wells. Skids would fit, but plywood wouldn't unless you put them on top of the wheel wells, which would work just fine.

The air conditioning worked great! Don't know how that would affect mileage.

Supposed to be ramping up production here in Mishawaka this quarter.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Well Gale...I gave you a like. To me it is a thought provoking subject that must be looked at from different perspectives. Some day we MAY possibly look at electric...but certain conditions hopefully: I don't want to see the elimination of petroleum.
Hopefully gas & diesel still available at an affordable price for older cars, trucks, tractors, mowers, etc.
I will not purchase an electric if I'm not able to park it in garage or near cars or house for fear of fire.
I don't want towers, windmills, solar, nuclear plants destroying the landscape.
Something with a good warranty at an affordable price for everyday trips that gets 90-100 equivalent mpg, yes I'd consider.
Too many people embrace things just because it's new without really thinking about it.

EVs may work well for the person making six figures and driving 200 miles a day and can charge overnight at home.

EVs becoming a no brainer maybe like 10 years down the road.