Are electric cars the future?

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Rockport

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At some point they or, more likely, some other "renewable" will be.

Right now, they are not remotely "renewable".....requiring the equivalent of driving 80k miles in the average gas-powered engine car just to break even environmentally. And that is the most conservative estimate.

Their all-in (mining, labor, materials, building, etc, etc) environmental costs are flat-out awful. Not to mention the disposal.
https://blog.ucsusa.org/charlie-hof...photovoltaic,100% of their material recovered.
 

speedkilz88

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Electricity from fusion generators is the future, not solar. The technology just isn't there yet for electric cars. The push for them is going to be a disaster.
 

Runwildboys

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Electricity from fusion generators is the future, not solar. The technology just isn't there yet for electric cars. The push for them is going to be a disaster.
It's going to be a long time before we learn to control nuclear fusion, if ever. But if they get that figured out, it would be tremendous. The fission plants we have are already much safer, much, much more efficient, and better for the environment than anything else we currently have.
 

Reverend Conehead

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My brother has a Tessla. It has such powerful exhilaration that it feels like a fighter plane. It's also quiet. It has a lot going for it, but I can't afford one right now.
 

Flamma

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A large % of western countries have banned the sale of ICE vehicles from sometime in the 2030s. So the writing is already on the wall for the ICE car. The big global manufacturers will have one line of cars worldwide - which will be what they can sell across most of the market.

I think the electric car will improve dramatically over the next few years and become much better than ICE. A bit like how mobile phones quickly went from clunky with poor battery life to smartphones as usage/demand grew.

Ive never owned or driven an electric car - but the year on year growth in popularity speaks for itself.
Just my opinion, but I don't see any of these goals being met. We're not there yet with range, battery technology, charging speeds, infrastructure, and the grid needed to support all of these electric cars. California for example. They have enough trouble as it is just when it gets hot. We're not a decade away.

Consider the people that cannot charge at home. I think Europe is around twice as expensive to charge using the infrastructure as it is here. But we'll get there. Even now, here in the US, I'm pretty sure it's around the same as 3 dollars a gallon gas. Unless you charge from home.
 

Flamma

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I have a bmw i3. It only has 110 miles of range, but I drive 25 miles round trip to work. It’s nice charging on a standard plug and never going to the gas station.

I would never force an EV on someone, but for me, I love it.
That's perfectly fine. I was thinking of getting one of those used one's that dropped to under 30k in just two years. Just to drive to work and back. I can level 1 charge over the weekend. But I have two gas cars. It certainly isn't a good choice for everyone.
 

csirl

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Just my opinion, but I don't see any of these goals being met. We're not there yet with range, battery technology, charging speeds, infrastructure, and the grid needed to support all of these electric cars. California for example. They have enough trouble as it is just when it gets hot. We're not a decade away.

Consider the people that cannot charge at home. I think Europe is around twice as expensive to charge using the infrastructure as it is here. But we'll get there. Even now, here in the US, I'm pretty sure it's around the same as 3 dollars a gallon gas. Unless you charge from home.
I live in Europe and we're already at close to 20% of vehicle sales. I dont know about the US, but in Europe the infrastructure is here. There are also very generous tax and other incentives. For example, public sector workers can charge for free at work.
 

CyberB0b

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That's perfectly fine. I was thinking of getting one of those used one's that dropped to under 30k in just two years. Just to drive to work and back. I can level 1 charge over the weekend. But I have two gas cars. It certainly isn't a good choice for everyone.
I got mine for 18k used.
 

Flamma

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I live in Europe and we're already at close to 20% of vehicle sales. I dont know about the US, but in Europe the infrastructure is here. There are also very generous tax and other incentives. For example, public sector workers can charge for free at work.
I'm pretty sure you're ok here if you live near a city or drive a Tesla. But it can be sparse beyond that. I don't know if anything has changed in the last 4-5 months, but the entire state of West Virginia didn't have a fast charger. Just Tesla chargers. We're extremely ill prepared for rapid growth.

Incentives are always good. But there's usually a reason. They didn't need incentives to get people to switch from horse to car. Right now for me it would be an inconvenience if it was my only car. But I'm not against them altogether, as long as I have a gas car. I switch all of my lawn tools to electric, even the chainsaw. All tools but one. They are way more convenient than their gas counterparts.
 

Jammer

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I live in Europe and we're already at close to 20% of vehicle sales. I dont know about the US, but in Europe the infrastructure is here. There are also very generous tax and other incentives. For example, public sector workers can charge for free at work.
Where in Europe? Is every country at 20%? I only ask because in certain parts of the USA going electric it's a lot more forgiving to go electric than in other parts.
 

Flamma

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A large % of western countries have banned the sale of ICE vehicles from sometime in the 2030s.
There is something else I wanted to say about this. I'm pretty sure the state of California wants to ban all ICE vehicles by 2035. I don't normally get into conspiracy theories, but this one can't be ignored.

Let's say it does happen. Then it happens throughout the entire county. Now you can't get any ICE vehicle because they won't be making them anymore. You're now limited to your EV and mass transit. Then there's only one more step, and it's easy enough. Either eliminate all charging points past city limits. Or make the cost of charging past city limits unaffordable.
 

Rockport

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There is something else I wanted to say about this. I'm pretty sure the state of California wants to ban all ICE vehicles by 2035. I don't normally get into conspiracy theories, but this one can't be ignored.

Let's say it does happen. Then it happens throughout the entire county. Now you can't get any ICE vehicle because they won't be making them anymore. You're now limited to your EV and mass transit. Then there's only one more step, and it's easy enough. Either eliminate all charging points past city limits. Or make the cost of charging past city limits unaffordable.
Sounds to me like you’re some kind of conspiracy theorist.
 
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