Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > General Discussions > Off-Topic Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-15-2006, 03:36 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Reno/Sparks, NV
Posts: 3,063
Who killed the electric car?

Has anyone else seen the documentary? I saw it last weekend and it did make me angry seeing how all the special interests, especially the oil industry, conspired to pull all the leased electric cars off the road and haul them off to the crusher so that not too many people would find out about these cars and demand to buy them. After all, these cars didn't use any oil and the dealerships would hardly make any money from parts and maintenance as there was pretty much nothing to maintain. Yet, these cars (like the EV1 that GM made) were quiet, powerful and could go about a 100 miles on a single charge. As much as I like diesel cars, after seeing this documentary I'd love to have a plugin electric car in my garage to drive to work a few times a week! I think that would be neat and I think it's a big shame that GM and others killed the project. What are your thoughts on this?

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-15-2006, 03:40 PM
Mistress's Avatar
No crying in baseball
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Inside a vortex
Posts: 626
I heard the oil companies pulled the plug on it...
__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-15-2006, 03:44 PM
TX76513's Avatar
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Brandon, Mississippi
Posts: 5,209
The technology hasn't caught up. The cost of the vehicle, miles per charge, and replacement battery cost made the vehicle return on investment a poor choice unless you were really green environmentally.
__________________
BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-15-2006, 03:47 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Reno/Sparks, NV
Posts: 3,063
Quote:
Originally Posted by TX76513 View Post
The technology hasn't caught up. The cost of the vehicle, miles per charge, and replacement battery cost made the vehicle return on investment a poor choice unless you were really green environmentally.
That's not what I heard. The batteries lasted a long time, typically for the life of the vehicle, and the purchase price of the EV1 was something in the $20,000's. You can read more about it on the Plugin America website, especially the following FAQ:
http://www.pluginamerica.com/faq.shtml
__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-15-2006, 03:52 PM
Mistress's Avatar
No crying in baseball
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Inside a vortex
Posts: 626
Quote:
Originally Posted by TX76513 View Post
The technology hasn't caught up. The cost of the vehicle, miles per charge, and replacement battery cost made the vehicle return on investment a poor choice unless you were really green environmentally.
There was also something awhile back with concern over the fumes from the battery acid?
__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-15-2006, 03:53 PM
MattBelliveau's Avatar
Gotta another one...
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,685
I'd rather see hydrogen driven vehicles myself.
__________________
1989 300E 144K
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:01 PM
TX76513's Avatar
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Brandon, Mississippi
Posts: 5,209
Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselAddict View Post
That's not what I heard. The batteries lasted a long time, typically for the life of the vehicle, and the purchase price of the EV1 was something in the $20,000's. You can read more about it on the Plugin America website, especially the following FAQ:
http://www.pluginamerica.com/faq.shtml
Just depends on what material you read. Pluginamerica has good information, but of course they are pro electic.
__________________
BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:11 PM
BENZ-LGB's Avatar
Strong, silent type
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,663
Quote:
Originally Posted by Siduri19 View Post
I heard the oil companies pulled the plug on it...
That's shocking news...I read about it in a current magazine article.
__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:14 PM
TX76513's Avatar
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Brandon, Mississippi
Posts: 5,209
Quote:
Originally Posted by BENZ-LGB View Post
That's shocking news...I read about it in a current magazine article.
GM discusses it on their web site. The practicalities were not there yet, but they do concede that the technology learned is helping with hybrid and other variations.
__________________
BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:21 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 101
I did....

I killed one a few years back, when a little **** was hiding in the bushes and disrupting my tennis match at a local college with a little electric formula 1 looking car. I took several swipes at it with my racket to forwarn him what was about to happen, and he made the mistake of taunting me further, so I kicked it into what had to have been hundreds of pieces Sorry if I have killed the environment
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:35 PM
Mistress's Avatar
No crying in baseball
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Inside a vortex
Posts: 626
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Doe View Post
I killed one a few years back, when a little **** was hiding in the bushes and disrupting my tennis match at a local college with a little electric formula 1 looking car. I took several swipes at it with my racket to forwarn him what was about to happen, and he made the mistake of taunting me further, so I kicked it into what had to have been hundreds of pieces Sorry if I have killed the environment
Are you sure your not just Absinthe-minded!
__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:40 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 101
Quote:
Originally Posted by Siduri19 View Post
Are you sure your not just Absinthe-minded!
Funny--watched Madam X last night again and kind of felt guilty about drinking it over the weekend. For about 10 seconds.......
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:42 PM
Mistress's Avatar
No crying in baseball
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Inside a vortex
Posts: 626
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Doe View Post
Funny--watched Madam X last night again and kind of felt guilty about drinking it over the weekend. For about 10 seconds.......
When someone says Madame X, I always think of that wonderful portarit by John Singer Sargent. I have seen the movie, but knowing what you consumed this weekend I couldn't resist.
__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:44 PM
Larry Delor's Avatar
What, Me Worry?
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Sarasota, Fl.
Posts: 3,114
Quote:
Originally Posted by BENZ-LGB View Post
That's shocking news...I read about it in a current magazine article.
Trying to put it all back together could be considered revolting.
__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 08-15-2006, 04:51 PM
BENZ-LGB's Avatar
Strong, silent type
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,663
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Delor View Post
Trying to put it all back together could be considered revolting.
Don't you mean "revoltang?"

__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page