GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans
-
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
I'm not against EVs. Far from it. But this push is premature.
Agreed. Not ready. If I had a house with a garage where I could charge overnight, I'd consider it. But any apartment/condo dweller is SOL.
A have a friend who was an early adopter - he bought a Tesla S. He absolutely loves it, but for him, charging is not an issue.
Until, that is, he decides to go on a road trip from the western suburbs of Chicago to California or Oregon. His facebook feeds depict the trips, and they are littered with comments like, "Nice drive today and we stopped for lunch while charging," and "Good advantage of the chance to do some shopping while charging.
No thanks.
Who wants to spend an hour while "topping off?" Not me.
-
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
The Brad
-
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
@LuFins-Dad said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
We never have (hurricanes) those...
-
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
@LuFins-Dad said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
In that case the gas pumps won't work either.
“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill
-
@LuFins-Dad said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
In that case the gas pumps won't work either.
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
@LuFins-Dad said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
In that case the gas pumps won't work either.
Not necessarily...Stations down here, or at least some of them, run their pumps at specified hours using generators. As long as they have gas, anyway....
-
@LuFins-Dad said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
In that case the gas pumps won't work either.
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
@LuFins-Dad said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
What happens when you have a natural disaster that knocks out the local grid for a week?
I still lean towards combining technologies on the short term. Flex fuel hybrids. You could have them rolling off the line in 18 months.
In that case the gas pumps won't work either.
Jolly’s already pointed out that a lot of Gas Stations can run their pumps off a generator, and if worse comes to worse there’s always a hand pump and a hose…
-
Maybe you could charge off a Peleton or something. Might take three or four days, but....
“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill
-
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
Maybe you could charge off a Peleton or something. Might take three or four days, but....
The irony of biking for 4 days in order to be able to drive. You’d be able to bike farther than you’ll end up driving! Lol
-
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
Maybe you could charge off a Peleton or something. Might take three or four days, but....
I'm not even sure you can run a Pelaton without electricity!
-
And where will we put the 276 million vehicles that are on the road today?
We're going to need a really big museum.
-
It's a real problem. Just like with computers, the batteries are proprietary and will evolve over time, making it impractical to maintain inventories of older models. One of two things will happen until they become standardized - either the cars will become disposable, or the batteries will be interchangeable. For the foreseeable future I think it will be the former.
“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill
-
Even with batteries that can be replaced...At one time it was thought you'd just replace the battery that went bad. That doesn't work. When one starts to go, you might as well replace the whole thing.
Refurb batteries don't work well, either. They cost less, but do not last as long as new, negating the cost difference.
I think a market niche for electric cars exist, but the grid will not support a mass infusion of them and they are useless in much of America.
-
I ran the survey at the end of the story. 80% of the respondents felt the the benefits of EV didn't outweigh the risks.
-
It's a real problem. Just like with computers, the batteries are proprietary and will evolve over time, making it impractical to maintain inventories of older models. One of two things will happen until they become standardized - either the cars will become disposable, or the batteries will be interchangeable. For the foreseeable future I think it will be the former.
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
It's a real problem. Just like with computers, the batteries are proprietary and will evolve over time, making it impractical to maintain inventories of older models. One of two things will happen until they become standardized - either the cars will become disposable, or the batteries will be interchangeable. For the foreseeable future I think it will be the former.
I agree with you. I had a "brilliant" business plan a long time ago. Standardize batteries and location in a car. Instead of "owning" the batteries, you would "rent" them. When they discharged, you would go to a "battery station" (like a gas station) and replace the battery pack. You would be on your way with a full tank in a matter of minutes.
-
@Mik said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
It's a real problem. Just like with computers, the batteries are proprietary and will evolve over time, making it impractical to maintain inventories of older models. One of two things will happen until they become standardized - either the cars will become disposable, or the batteries will be interchangeable. For the foreseeable future I think it will be the former.
I agree with you. I had a "brilliant" business plan a long time ago. Standardize batteries and location in a car. Instead of "owning" the batteries, you would "rent" them. When they discharged, you would go to a "battery station" (like a gas station) and replace the battery pack. You would be on your way with a full tank in a matter of minutes.
@taiwan_girl said in GM Reveals Nationwide Fast Charging Plans:
When they discharged, you would go to a "battery station" (like a gas station) and replace the battery pack.
Is this "battery station" some kind of charitable organization? Wouldn't they just inherit the problem that the car owner would have?
