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I could be wrong, but for what I know about EV's, the drive unit has gears, and is oil-cooled and lubricated. Then the battery temperature management system uses coolant and at least some newer EV's use pumps to circulate the coolant. A lot of other parts, electrical and manual, bodies, and so on are about the same for both ICE and EV's. A lot of people argue about one thing being better than the other, which is true depending one's wants and needs, but both have pros and cons. People also argue and insult each other about camera brands and models, politics, religion, and anything we can think about.
Yes, you're right - I don't think there is enough experience with EVs to know how certain systems will hold up, but time will tell.
I can see benefits of both ICE and EV vehicles, for example, some thoughts:
- ICE vehicles have a lower purchase price, but EVs have a lower operating cost
- ICE vehicles are easier to refuel on longer trips, but EVs are easier to "refuel" in local driving (at home)
- EVs are quieter, should be less fatiguing on long trips, but some people seem to like the ICE engine noises better, at least in performance cars
- EVs produce fewer greenhouse gases in operation, ICE vehicles produce fewer greenhouse gases in manufacturing. It's a complex analysis, but nearly all analysts say that EVs produce fewer GHG overall though, and this advantage will only get bigger as the electrical power generation mix shifts more and more to low carbon sources of power.
- EVs do have greater torque, available right off the line, so they generally accelerate better.
- Battery pack reliability hasn't been a significant issue in Teslas in their first decade. It is clear though, that if/when battery pack replacement is needed, it is quite a costly repair, and I can understand that people on a budget may be better off buying a 10yo ICE vehicle than a 10yo EV.
- I do worry what EV charging station lines will look like in big holiday travel periods if more than half of Americans are driving EVs. It's already pretty bad at gas pumps in these times, and the vehicles are fueled up in < 5 minutes. If it's taking 20 minutes per vehicle, that could be really, really, bad. Just 3 cars ahead of you means you need to wait an hour, and I think it could be a lot more than a 3 car line... these could be epic lines/delays.
I do look favorably on EVs overall, but I have some misgivings on these mandates, and my state is one of those with them.
The whole problem with the anti-EV argument in particular is you have a morphing of well-intended misunderstanding plus outright misinformation, (along with a few more legitimate concerns) and most average people can't tell the difference, plus are resistant to any sort of fact-checking even from people who own them.
The whole problem with the anti-EV argument in particular is you have a morphing of well-intended misunderstanding plus outright misinformation, (along with a few more legitimate concerns) and most average people can't tell the difference, plus are resistant to any sort of fact-checking even from people who own them.
Gee I wonder who would have a vested interest in promoting this confusion? Can't be oil companies, can it?
EVs (especially Teslas) are so radically different it makes it easy to be confused. Just the motor alone has 90% fewer parts than an ICE engine.
Haha, I think you misunderstand the issue. I don’t think anyone feels personally attacked because some people are choosing to buy EVs. However, many of us absolutely resent the fact that government, in some states, is more or less mandating that we all buy them after a certain year, by eliminating all of our other choices.
Sure, you can say “oh, 2030-2035 is so far away, nothing to worry about here†or you can say “meh, as we get closer to that date, those states will realize that these mandates won’t work†and that’s fine — but the mandates are in place today, and New York, California, Massachusetts, etc contain a sizable chunk of the population in this country.
I’m not anti-EV, but I am anti-mandate.
That is how many of us feel. Tired of the government becoming more powerful and telling us what to do.
How else is California going to fix the air quality problems in the state without eliminating engines that burn hydrocarbons? California would be mandating zero emission vehicles even if there were no climate change issues. California has been working on air quality improvements from vehicle mandates since they forced the introduction of smog reduction features on cars in 1968.
Maybe in the valley, San Diego not so much. We still have wood burning stoves. Diesel smog checks are still only visual.
There are certainly worse, but like many other Californian cities, the easterly winds coming from the Pacific get stopped by fairly high mountains for particulates and generally makes dispersion of such more difficult. Meanwhile, NOx and the like on the ground level with sunlight, as is plentiful in much of California, become ground level ozone which is not great for people either. Of major US cities, I find that Boston has remarkably good air quality in much of the city.
There are certainly worse, but like many other Californian cities, the easterly winds coming from the Pacific get stopped by fairly high mountains for particulates and generally makes dispersion of such more difficult. Meanwhile, NOx and the like on the ground level with sunlight, as is plentiful in much of California, become ground level ozone which is not great for people either. Of major US cities, I find that Boston has remarkably good air quality in much of the city.
Thanks for that link! I grew up in LA in the 70s when we had those insane smog alerts. Just going outside was horrible. As bad as current smog is there, it is still half of what it was in the 70s.
I live in SLC now and the smog is usually only bad during very cold weather, when you don't want to be out anyway.
I am all for freedom and not big on regulation (government approved levels of harm) but we need to treat pollution for what it is, initiation of harm on others.
The first known electric locomotive was built in 1837 by chemist Robert Davidson of Aberdeen in Scotland, and it was powered by galvanic cells (batteries). Thus it was also the earliest battery electric locomotive.
Until 1870 the population of the US was less than present day California. Last mile travel was done by riding horses or with small horse drawn wagons.
Steel rail vehicles cannot accomodate the family who drives 100 miles each way almost every weekend to go skiing or sailing.
They need personal vehicles to do more than just last mile.
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I was talking about the last mile with my brother yesterday. He said I have a 4000 lb SUV that produces 255 hp and 273 lb. -ft. of torque. He lives in a big city and most of his trips are less than 10 miles. He doesn't want to give up the SUV since he needs the carrying capability for work equipment, but since he lived in Europe he would like to have a city car to carry him to destinations when it is just him or wih one passenger. But the last time a parking space was auctioned at his condo it sold for $30,000. That exceeds the cost of a Nissan LEAF.
Railroads most certainly can accommodate a family who wants to go "skiing or sailing". In fact, many railroads, in America, built lines purposely to link vacation spots with civilization.
Many urban railroads even built the parks (Trolley Parks) to encourage ridership on week-ends.
In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. Trolley parks were often created by the streetcar companies to give people a reason to use their services on weekends.
The parks originally consisted of picnic groves and pavilions, and often held events such as dances, concerts and fireworks. Many eventually added features such as swimming pools, carousels, Ferris wheels, roller coasters, sports fields, boats rides, restaurants and other resort facilities to become amusement parks. Various sources report the existence of between 1,500 and 2,000 amusement parks in the United States by 1919.
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