Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Automotive
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 02-27-2021, 03:19 PM
 
Location: In the heights
37,127 posts, read 39,371,920 times
Reputation: 21212

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hankrigby View Post
Seems like some of these complaints still exist. Limited range vehicles are extremely heavy and they are expensive.

You're talking about 30 to 40 miles of range for the golden age of electric vehicles in the early 20th century. Mind you, that was still pretty decent because highway driving wasn't a thing and their competitors the internal combustion engine vehicles got terrible mileage and refilling gas was difficult to come by. A lot of things changed in the early 20th century to favor gas vehicles. One was that a massive amount of federal emphasis was placed on domestic petroleum exploration and extraction. Continued surveying of the land for petroleum resources came with lots of land that was formerly in the public domain being taken out for extraction with some projects embarked upon first by the federal government often under the Office of Fossil Fuels and then ultimately and additionally to private interests. Funding was also poured into the US Bureau of Mines to do fundamental research into surveying and extracting petroleum and then disseminating this knowledge to the nascent US oil industry. This made gasoline far cheaper and more widely available, and so that in addition to the inventions of the electric starter and the muffler ultimately made gas vehicles more attractive.


Now though, the batteries are quite different and the efficiency improvements that internal combustion engines saw in certain spurts of history seems to not being happening as quickly so the gap has greatly narrowed in terms of price of what one gets for a vehicle's capability. BEVs right now seem like they're advancing pretty quickly so like how the ICE powertrain went from a relative novelty to the better choice for most people's usage, there's a possibility the same will happen with BEVs. Of course, if that happens, it definitely doesn't mean that BEVs will stay on top forever.

 
Old 02-27-2021, 03:25 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,292 posts, read 37,171,275 times
Reputation: 16397
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hankrigby View Post
Seems like some of these complaints still exist. Limited range vehicles are extremely heavy and they are expensive.
Agree. City dwellers and workers could very well benefit from EV cars, specially since driving distances are relatively short. But for long distance driving in the US, Canada, Siberia, central and South America, Africa, etc,... EV is not there. The same for long distance truck/trailer/tanker driving, or heavy equipment operations (construction, mining, excavating, etc.), and commercial flying/cargo distribution as well. Now, hybrid technology can very well stretch driving distances.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 03:46 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,292 posts, read 37,171,275 times
Reputation: 16397
Quote:
Originally Posted by OyCrumbler View Post
You're talking about 30 to 40 miles of range for the golden age of electric vehicles in the early 20th century. Mind you, that was still pretty decent because highway driving wasn't a thing and their competitors the internal combustion engine vehicles got terrible mileage and refilling gas was difficult to come by. A lot of things changed in the early 20th century to favor gas vehicles. One was that a massive amount of federal emphasis was placed on domestic petroleum exploration and extraction. Continued surveying of the land for petroleum resources came with lots of land that was formerly in the public domain being taken out for extraction with some projects embarked upon first by the federal government often under the Office of Fossil Fuels and then ultimately and additionally to private interests. Funding was also poured into the US Bureau of Mines to do fundamental research into surveying and extracting petroleum and then disseminating this knowledge to the nascent US oil industry. This made gasoline far cheaper and more widely available, and so that in addition to the inventions of the electric starter and the muffler ultimately made gas vehicles more attractive.


Now though, the batteries are quite different and the efficiency improvements that internal combustion engines saw in certain spurts of history seems to not being happening as quickly so the gap has greatly narrowed in terms of price of what one gets for a vehicle's capability. BEVs right now seem like they're advancing pretty quickly so like how the ICE powertrain went from a relative novelty to the better choice for most people's usage, there's a possibility the same will happen with BEVs. Of course, if that happens, it definitely doesn't mean that BEVs will stay on top forever.
The first internal combustion motors weren't gas guzzlers. Most of these motors were small and not very powerful. I have read numerous articles where is stated that the Model T Ford automobile did not burn very much fuel. It was the demand for more power and speed that required the construction of powerful motors, specially before and during WWII.

Battery technology has gone a long way, but in my view the mining of the minerals that are now used for building batteries is very limited to a few regions around the world. Unless battery-building technology evolves (other than the existing mineral are extracted from the ground), I only see a short period of time for market investing. All have jumped solely on the EV technology wagon, instead of using existing fuel sources while exploring for new sources of energy.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 04:29 PM
 
4,621 posts, read 2,220,128 times
Reputation: 3952
Quote:
Originally Posted by OyCrumbler View Post
You're talking about 30 to 40 miles of range for the golden age of electric vehicles in the early 20th century. Mind you, that was still pretty decent because highway driving wasn't a thing and their competitors the internal combustion engine vehicles got terrible mileage and refilling gas was difficult to come by. A lot of things changed in the early 20th century to favor gas vehicles. One was that a massive amount of federal emphasis was placed on domestic petroleum exploration and extraction. Continued surveying of the land for petroleum resources came with lots of land that was formerly in the public domain being taken out for extraction with some projects embarked upon first by the federal government often under the Office of Fossil Fuels and then ultimately and additionally to private interests. Funding was also poured into the US Bureau of Mines to do fundamental research into surveying and extracting petroleum and then disseminating this knowledge to the nascent US oil industry. This made gasoline far cheaper and more widely available, and so that in addition to the inventions of the electric starter and the muffler ultimately made gas vehicles more attractive.


Now though, the batteries are quite different and the efficiency improvements that internal combustion engines saw in certain spurts of history seems to not being happening as quickly so the gap has greatly narrowed in terms of price of what one gets for a vehicle's capability. BEVs right now seem like they're advancing pretty quickly so like how the ICE powertrain went from a relative novelty to the better choice for most people's usage, there's a possibility the same will happen with BEVs. Of course, if that happens, it definitely doesn't mean that BEVs will stay on top forever.
No they're still limited by range. You can buy gasoline anywhere so the range for conventional vehicles isn't limited.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 04:30 PM
 
4,621 posts, read 2,220,128 times
Reputation: 3952
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK View Post
Agree. City dwellers and workers could very well benefit from EV cars, specially since driving distances are relatively short. But for long distance driving in the US, Canada, Siberia, central and South America, Africa, etc,... EV is not there. The same for long distance truck/trailer/tanker driving, or heavy equipment operations (construction, mining, excavating, etc.), and commercial flying/cargo distribution as well. Now, hybrid technology can very well stretch driving distances.
Except should there be a power outage. I'm that regard fuel powered cars are better.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 08:45 PM
 
Location: Newburyport, MA
12,393 posts, read 9,493,040 times
Reputation: 15854
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hankrigby View Post
Except should there be a power outage. I'm that regard fuel powered cars are better.
If there's no electrical power to pump the fuel at the gas station or process the sale, you're not getting gas anyway.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 09:15 PM
 
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
6,980 posts, read 5,414,349 times
Reputation: 6436
Quote:
Originally Posted by OutdoorLover View Post
If there's no electrical power to pump the fuel at the gas station or process the sale, you're not getting gas anyway.
Yes you are because many gas stations have a backup generator to keep the building and pumps going. Many gasoline stations learned the hard way with the great blackout of 2003.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 09:15 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,292 posts, read 37,171,275 times
Reputation: 16397
Quote:
Originally Posted by OutdoorLover View Post
If there's no electrical power to pump the fuel at the gas station or process the sale, you're not getting gas anyway.
I could see city dwellers having a problem like that. But not most people living in the rural areas.

I have no idea if this is the case these days, but gas station used to have backup generators. The same for gas stations away from towns and cities.

Losing electrical power from one day is not a big deal, but losing power for a week or longer can be a big problem for everyone. I always have around 35 gallons of fuel in a shed. This fuel is purchased under one of the chain supermarkets "fuel point discount" which for me amounts to $1.00 off per gallon for a maximum of 35 gallons per purchase. However, I never drive back home on an empty tank. In cold weather environments it is a good idea to have at least a half-tank of fuel left.
 
Old 02-27-2021, 09:26 PM
 
Location: NNV
3,433 posts, read 3,748,685 times
Reputation: 6733
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dub D View Post
You don’t have an EV, huh?

Driving speed (more than 70), using the AC (which I haven’t needed lately but may tomorrow), and driving uphill all decrease range substantially. The default range goes to driving slow, flat, and without AC or heat. Heat decreases the range a lot. Nearly 35 miles on full. AC is about 20.
Yes, let's take this scenario:

You have a 300+ mile range EV. You go out on a day trip of over 250 miles where the temperature is between 32 and 40 degrees, the heater and both front heated seats are on, you average 75 mph and there are 25mph crosswinds. Do you make it home without stopping for a charge?

I ask because I just did this today...
 
Old 02-28-2021, 12:03 AM
 
4,621 posts, read 2,220,128 times
Reputation: 3952
Quote:
Originally Posted by OutdoorLover View Post
If there's no electrical power to pump the fuel at the gas station or process the sale, you're not getting gas anyway.
Well there's generators and a lot of gas stations have those so, there is also mechanical pumps that don't need electricity so that's not a good argument.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Closed Thread


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Automotive

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top