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.
This right here is the reason why people think electric cars are a joke since there are better options like diesel vehicles and infrastructure in place to support diesel where is for electric vehicles there is none.
Have it your way but I don't want to see you #@$%ing and moaning when diesel is $7.00/gal. at the pump. In a couple of years.
Have it your way but I don't want to see you #@$%ing and moaning when diesel is $7.00/gal. at the pump. In a couple of years.
H
It shouldn't be $7.00 a gallon since diesel engines can run off biodiesel quite easily unlike most gasoline vehicles when it comes to ethanol. Not to mention the fact that diesel engines get better MPG then gasoline powered vehicles and diesel electric hybrids outperform gasoline electric hybrids substantially. Not to mention advancements in diesel engine technology leads to commercial trucks being more fuel efficient helping to keep prices from sky rocketing on everything like we've seen over the last few years. Electric vehicles are a great concept and where quite common place in the early 20th century but later fell out of use. The problem with current electric cars is the pathetic range before needing a recharge and the high cost of most the top electric cars. Hell Top Gear only got 55 miles with one charge driving a Tesla. To put this in perspective in the early 20th century electric cars got 60-70 miles per charge. That's right cars from back then were outperforming today's electric cars.
Not to mention reports that replacing the batteries on Tesla could run you $40,000.00 really drives nails home that electric cars aren't going to be taking over the world within the next decade like its advocates claim. Especially with a Tesla car needing to be charged at least every two weeks or you will have to replace the batteries. That sucks if you buy one and have to go overseas for a year or two and can't take your car with you. Then there is the fact there is no infrastructure in place to support electric cars so doing a cross country trip is going to take forever since you will have to constantly find a place to stop and power up your vehicle and wait for it to power up. So electric vehicles even with the support they have been receiving are still quite a long way from taking over the automobile market. There are places where you can do more with electric vehicles like cities uses them for services over gasoline powered vehicles but don't expect them to rule world anytime soon.
Our railroads and our highways were built in the 19th Century with taxes.
Actually, most mainline railroads, urban rail and interurban rail were PRIVATELY FUNDED. And they began in the 19th century, but continued expanding into the early 20th century.
Only roads and highways, since the 20th century, were public owned infrastructure paid for with taxes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leisesturm
Trucks and trains fill in each others blanks very nicely but they both run on diesel fuel. That needs to change but not by stringing billions of miles of electrified catenary overhead.
Hyperbole aside, catenary is not the most attractive form of power distribution. It is the cheapest - and - it can be adapted for running trolley pole equipped vehicles. Three phase power would have 2 lines overhead and the third leg in the tracks. Or just use 2 line DC overhead and no power in the tracks.
I don't think we need "billions" nor even "millions" of miles of catenary wiring.
Peak heavy rail mileage: 254,000 miles (less than 160,000 miles today)
Streetcar track: 34,404 miles by 1907, in over 140 cities, with 60,000 cars in service.
Interurban track: 15,500 miles by 1917
If we boost track mileage back to 254,000 miles for mainline, double the miles for urban to 70,000 miles, and interurban to 30,000 miles, it's only 354,000 miles.
By comparison, the Interstate Highway system is "only" 46,876 miles. But it can "tear up" a city if it goes through it.
If a benevolent "evil" dictator was in power:
[] 100% tax exemption to any company / employee exclusively involved in the manufacture, construction, operation, maintenance of electric traction rail transportation (trigger a boom in investment)
[] Institute electrification of all railroads
[] Build / re-build urban railroads (streetcars, light rail, interurbans)
[] Transition long haul cargo and passenger service to rail (80 - 90%)
[] Add 110+ MPH rated track (Fed Ex and UPS might become customers)
[] Containerized freight handled locally by short haul hybrid trucks
[] Express shuttle buses to rail stops, operated by companies to provide point to point service for commuting workers
[] Net result : reduction of road vehicles to 24 million, eliminate imported petroleum, end congestion, reduce air pollution, generate jobs jobs jobs rebuilding and operating American rail.
With oil at $112 a barrel, why is the Volt so idiotic?
Mainly because the high price of oil is artificially inflated to support Obamas' plan to force people to do as he wishes. The Volt is merely a first step, a boondoggle.
Let the government address lowering the price of oil, or develop our own sources, then thoughtfully (and in the private sector) address energy efficient cars.
Having started an 18 wheeler before in Michigan, upstate New York, Quebec, Minnesota, Maine, Wisconsin, Nebraska, etc. in the winter I can't say I had any problems with diesel engines in the cold.
i have to say that the only times i had issues with starting a diesel powered vehicle in the winter was when the glow plugs in my old F250 failed. and even then i only ever had two no start issues. once the temperature rose above freezing the engine started and ran rather nicely.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leisesturm
Have it your way but I don't want to see you #@$%ing and moaning when diesel is $7.00/gal. at the pump. In a couple of years.
H
the nice thing about diesels is that they have a nice flat. fat torque curve, even in small displacement engines, and the smaller diesels, such as those used in europe now, average upwards of 35mpg, with a few reaching past 75 mpg.
The bad thing about diesel is its about 30 cents more per gallon. It can offset the fuel efficiency when weighed against the additional cost of the diesel engine over the short term -five years or so. The payback is there over the long term, as diesel engines will generally run far longer.
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.
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.
