Good'un, K!

Just to keep torquing, check this out that, sent by a friend with whom I am carrying on this same discussion via email.

http://magtransauto.com/

That's amazing! Now, he just needs to have something to recreate the sound of a gasoline engine . . . .

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Playing cards in the spokes.

Yeah it doesn't get you going like this does!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxmlpfNctbc&feature=related

That electric car sounds like an electric razor.

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1969 280SE
2027 Ram 1500
2026 Genesis GV70
2007 Tiara 3200
1988 Egg Harbor 37
1981 Boston Whaler 17

Hat: you charge the car at night, when demand is at it's lowest. They'll be programmable so they will draw current at the best time of the wee hours.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Most "exciting" electric vehicles.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/794/electric-vehicle-celebration

Its an oversized Dremel. Like Hatterasguy, electric cars really don't interest me.

Plug in electric cars aren't feasible no matter how much dope people smo....how much people want them to be. The power grid can't support enough current to charge a large population of electric cars. It can barely handle everyone using their A/C at once in the summertime. Imagine the power consumption of a few dozen thousand people charging battery packs that can support a 100+hp motor.

I like it, its a neat idea and a good way to test things. I have no problem with electric vehicles but there are other major problems to overcome.

-As mentioned, the decaying electric grid will have issues keeping up.

-Supposedly "clean" electric cars are not if the source is not. Lets not forget, no one likes nuclear, too scary. Coal is too dirty. Wind generators are ugly, NIMBY kicks in big time. Hydro means the Salmon, spotted farting frog, etc. can't spawn. Huge solar arrays are great, but not it you plan on charging your car at night! Etc. etc. Pisses me off when that guy is blathering on about "NO POLLUTION" Really? Prove it, lets go to your local power company, most do in fact pollute.

-Battery technology is just not there yet. Lithium chemistry is promising but expensive and finicky. The promised Chevy volt may be a great idea but lets see if they can actually make it work. Supposedly it'll do 40 miles, including highway cruise on a charge. Time will tell.

-Come run an electric car in New England winters, I dare ya! Batteries hate cold, further reducing their capacity. How about interior/cabin heat? Yep, an Espar would work but thats still fossil fuel and another system on the car.

A123 Systems is doing some amazing things with batteries, Google it and check it out.

I'm not against this stuff, I think its great. I'm against the BS hype that surrounds it. Hyping something up only to have it fall short of the inflated expectations does nothing for your cause. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

The assumption in rejecting this sort of thing is: 'what if everyone does it?' Everyone will not do it. Maybe 10% of the population might go for it, I mean who knows? But if a relatively small amount of people do it, charging at night when demand is low and prices lower (at least at first), rather than ruining the grid such usage could very well provide a greater return on investment for existing power grid and an expanded grid as well.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Exactly right.

But even if solar arrays can't charge a car at night, they will reduce usage of other fuels, which could then be used for night-time charging. In fact, AFAIK, the existing large parabolic trough mirror plants in California use NG at night to power the same turbines the mirrors power in the day. Gives them a much better ROI.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K