Whatever Happened to Electric Cars?

[Flopper]

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

 

[Wyatt earp]

Did you bother to read my post
Quit being a liberal for once and learn

Decline and Rise of Electric Cars From 1930 to 1990

LMAO!! Quit being a liberal?

Yes, I read the article. It is still looking at small numbers for specific purposes. And your own article seems to smash your claim that there have been no "leaps & bounds" advances. The EVs in your article had ranges of less than 100 miles. The Tesla doubles that, at the very least. The speed of the EVs is also low. Whereas the Tesla has a top speed of almost double the interstate speed limit, and can go 0-60 faster than most cars. In fact, the Model S P85D will do 0-60 faster than all but a handful of specialized production hotrods, like the Viper, a very few corvette models and the Hellcat.

And production was never large scale.

Electric cars are subsidize and no used retail value and a EPA hazard

Have you ever been around battery acid ? Yea I can see how we could have a 1000 or so electric cars accidents a month with electric cars and wild life try to drink that shit

Right, because combustion engines never leak dangerous fluids, do they?

You could be right John I remember reading about highways built like our old AFX slot cars

LOL i remember seeing things like that in popular mechanics

telsa envisioned that electricity could be sent out over the airwaves

similar to am/fm radios through microwaves

and the consumer could have a device similar to a radio

that could convert the microwaves back into electricity

for home and auto use

Yes, if they could get Tesla's system to work, it would revolutionize EV's. They would instantaneously become practicable. The unintended consequence though would be to put most power companies out of business.

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

In the last 50 years there has been huge improvements in battery technology.

I drove a Volt a year ago comparing it to a hybrid similarly priced. There was no comparison. The hybrid had better pickup, was more comfortable, and had a much longer range between fuel stops/charging, and more choices. Since I was in a Condo apartment with no way to charge it at home, there was no way I would buy one. I think EV sales are going to be to niche market for a long time.

You had a way to charge it at your condo just didnt know how

 

[Wyatt earp]

It still sucks, if we leave south Carolina at the same time , you in your crappy volt , I in my Dodge ram I would be in Chicago , had lunch at Mr. Beefs, checked out the museum of science and industry, got a hotel room and you would arrive an hour or so later

 

[WinterBorn]

It still sucks, if we leave south Carolina at the same time , you in your crappy volt , I in my Dodge ram I would be in Chicago , had lunch at Mr. Beefs, checked out the museum of science and industry, got a hotel room and you would arrive an hour or so later

I'll fly to Chicago, rent a car, and have had lunch at Mr. Beefs, checked out the museum of science & industry, gotten a hotel room, had drinks in the hotel bar and picked up a stewardess and be having great sex by the time you got there.

 

[jon_berzerk]

You could be right John I remember reading about highways built like our old AFX slot cars

LOL i remember seeing things like that in popular mechanics

telsa envisioned that electricity could be sent out over the airwaves

similar to am/fm radios through microwaves

and the consumer could have a device similar to a radio

that could convert the microwaves back into electricity

for home and auto use

Yes, if they could get Tesla's system to work, it would revolutionize EV's. They would instantaneously become practicable. The unintended consequence though would be to put most power companies out of business.

it would change the whole world

 

[JimH52]

Oh, they will be back and so will the Hybrids. The price of gasoline will not stay depressed for ever. COUNT ON IT!

 

[Flopper]

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Wrong. A 149 hp Volt with a top speed of 100 mph equipped with all the modern accessories compared to a 18 to 35 hp vehicle with a top speed of 15 to 20mph with only electric lights at a cost in today's dollars of more than a Volt, $39,000 does not compare well. I would say that's a considerable improvement.

 

[Flopper]

Did you bother to read my post
Quit being a liberal for once and learn

Decline and Rise of Electric Cars From 1930 to 1990

LMAO!! Quit being a liberal?

Yes, I read the article. It is still looking at small numbers for specific purposes. And your own article seems to smash your claim that there have been no "leaps & bounds" advances. The EVs in your article had ranges of less than 100 miles. The Tesla doubles that, at the very least. The speed of the EVs is also low. Whereas the Tesla has a top speed of almost double the interstate speed limit, and can go 0-60 faster than most cars. In fact, the Model S P85D will do 0-60 faster than all but a handful of specialized production hotrods, like the Viper, a very few corvette models and the Hellcat.

And production was never large scale.

Electric cars are subsidize and no used retail value and a EPA hazard

Have you ever been around battery acid ? Yea I can see how we could have a 1000 or so electric cars accidents a month with electric cars and wild life try to drink that shit

Right, because combustion engines never leak dangerous fluids, do they?

You could be right John I remember reading about highways built like our old AFX slot cars

LOL i remember seeing things like that in popular mechanics

telsa envisioned that electricity could be sent out over the airwaves

similar to am/fm radios through microwaves

and the consumer could have a device similar to a radio

that could convert the microwaves back into electricity

for home and auto use

Yes, if they could get Tesla's system to work, it would revolutionize EV's. They would instantaneously become practicable. The unintended consequence though would be to put most power companies out of business.

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

In the last 50 years there has been huge improvements in battery technology.

I drove a Volt a year ago comparing it to a hybrid similarly priced. There was no comparison. The hybrid had better pickup, was more comfortable, and had a much longer range between fuel stops/charging, and more choices. Since I was in a Condo apartment with no way to charge it at home, there was no way I would buy one. I think EV sales are going to be to niche market for a long time.

You had a way to charge it at your condo just didnt know how

Ok, I'll bite. How would I charge it at my condo? The vehicle parking was in a garage with no electrical outlets, I was allowed to use.

 

[westwall]

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

 

[westwall]

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Wrong. A 149 hp Volt with a top speed of 100 mph equipped with all the modern accessories compared to a 18 to 35 hp vehicle with a top speed of 15 to 20mph with only electric lights at a cost in today's dollars of more than a Volt, $39,000 does not compare well. I would say that's a considerable improvement.

It is, but you are trying to compare a wagon to a starship. It doesn't work. Try driving the Volt on the roads of long ago and it would be a shattered wreck inside of 25 miles. The vehicles were built for the conditions at the time of their existence, and the tech available.

 

[Flopper]

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

The top speed of the old EV's were limited by the lead acid batteries which typically were rated at 40 amp hours. The lithium ion battery in a Volt is rated at 17,500 amp hrs. That means it would require 437 of these old batteries at 25 lbs each (11,000 lbs.) to delivery the power in a Volt battery.

My post was written to counter the claim that there has been no significant advancement in battery technology. The claim was based on the fact that the range today is about the same as the old EV's. The poster ignores the fact that the batteries in these older vehicles could only develop about 18 to 35 hp and a man on foot could out run them.

However, there was a race car built in 1902, the Baker that sold for $10,000 ($250,000 in today's dollars). It carried about 2500 lbs of batteries. It could accelerate to it's top speed of 80mph in about 2 mins before the batteries gave out.

 

[westwall]

Sorry had to work, this is a serious question? They were mass produced before gasoline cars, starting around The 1880s So think about it in over 100 years still no great leaps and bounds in battery technology, with all the money thrown at it the tech still sucks
Electric car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

The top speed of the old EV's were limited by the lead acid batteries which typically were rated at 40 amp hours. The lithium ion battery in a Volt is rated at 17,500 amp hrs. That means it would require 437 of these old batteries at 25 lbs each (11,000 lbs.) to delivery the power in a Volt battery.

My post was written to counter the claim that there has been no significant advancement in battery technology. The claim was based on the fact that the range today is about the same as the old EV's. The poster ignores the fact that the batteries in these older vehicles could only develop about 18 to 35 hp and a man on foot could out run them.

However, there was a race car built in 1902, the Baker that sold for $10,000 ($250,000 in today's dollars). It carried about 2500 lbs of batteries. It could accelerate to it's top speed of 80mph in about 2 mins before the batteries gave out.

No, the claim was not that there had been no advance in battery technology. That would be absurd. The claim was that there was no increase in range, which for the average EV is a fact. The modern cars weigh more, are orders of magnitude more comfortable to drive, can keep you warm or cool depending on what is needed, but the range is still basically the same.

 

[AntiParty]

From the Blaze tonight:

Bammy promised in his 2011 State of the Union Address, that by 2015, electric cars would swarm this country's landscape thicker than illegal aliens. Yet 99.7% of the hundreds of thousands of electric cars he promised, are nowhere to be found. Yet one more idiotic pipedream by Bammy's warmies. Oh, and you the taxpayer forked over a $7,500 subsidy for every one that was sold. Just makes you feel green and cozy all over, don't it?

Here is the history of it. I'm sure Glen Beck knows about it but doesn't share it with his party.

The electric car was deemed the dominant car via "The book of Knowledge" written in 1900. Gas was the challenger, unlike today.

When the EV1 came out it was deemed the car, "Oil companies would hate". They didn't understand the gravity of the situation. This car was recalled and all of them were impounded and the blue prints were "lost".


After the electric car, you see electro magnetic cars. The use of magnets to push things away from one another is hard to grasp for some, but my kids understand it. Understanding science I started to wonder about magnetic motors...........Someone already thought of it and he's missing. Troy Reed.


I know this is advanced science for some who probably hate science. So let's get more basic...

 

[Flopper]

Yes, it was a very serious question. Since the OP was all about "where are the electric cars?", and the discussion has been about modern vehicles, the fact that there were electric cars in production 100 years ago doesn't seem relevant.

And are you really contending that there has been no great advancements in the technology?? Really? What part of it sucks? I can see the time required to charge could be a deterrent. But other than that, what is it that sucks about the technology? The technology can produce a very fast, very efficient, dependable car that burns no fossil fuel and has zero emissions. That sucks?

Oh, and to answer my own question (using your Wiki link), production of EVs in the US stopped in 1920. So there has been no significant production of electric cars in 95 years.

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

The top speed of the old EV's were limited by the lead acid batteries which typically were rated at 40 amp hours. The lithium ion battery in a Volt is rated at 17,500 amp hrs. That means it would require 437 of these old batteries at 25 lbs each (11,000 lbs.) to delivery the power in a Volt battery.

My post was written to counter the claim that there has been no significant advancement in battery technology. The claim was based on the fact that the range today is about the same as the old EV's. The poster ignores the fact that the batteries in these older vehicles could only develop about 18 to 35 hp and a man on foot could out run them.

However, there was a race car built in 1902, the Baker that sold for $10,000 ($250,000 in today's dollars). It carried about 2500 lbs of batteries. It could accelerate to it's top speed of 80mph in about 2 mins before the batteries gave out.

No, the claim was not that there had been no advance in battery technology. That would be absurd. The claim was that there was no increase in range, which for the average EV is a fact. The modern cars weigh more, are orders of magnitude more comfortable to drive, can keep you warm or cool depending on what is needed, but the range is still basically the same.

Then why saying the ranges are the same? It's an apple and oranges comparison.

 

[westwall]

From the Blaze tonight:

Bammy promised in his 2011 State of the Union Address, that by 2015, electric cars would swarm this country's landscape thicker than illegal aliens. Yet 99.7% of the hundreds of thousands of electric cars he promised, are nowhere to be found. Yet one more idiotic pipedream by Bammy's warmies. Oh, and you the taxpayer forked over a $7,500 subsidy for every one that was sold. Just makes you feel green and cozy all over, don't it?

Here is the history of it. I'm sure Glen Beck knows about it but doesn't share it with his party.

The electric car was deemed the dominant car via "The book of Knowledge" written in 1900. Gas was the challenger, unlike today.

When the EV1 came out it was deemed the car, "Oil companies would hate". They didn't understand the gravity of the situation. This car was recalled and all of them were impounded and the blue prints were "lost".


After the electric car, you see electro magnetic cars. The use of magnets to push things away from one another is hard to grasp for some, but my kids understand it. Understanding science I started to wonder about magnetic motors...........Someone already thought of it and he's missing. Troy Reed.


I know this is advanced science for some who probably hate science. So let's get more basic...

Free Energy! And you claim we're anti science!

 

[westwall]

No, there truly hasn't been. EV's a 100 years ago had basically the same range as they do today. Where's the progress?

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

The top speed of the old EV's were limited by the lead acid batteries which typically were rated at 40 amp hours. The lithium ion battery in a Volt is rated at 17,500 amp hrs. That means it would require 437 of these old batteries at 25 lbs each (11,000 lbs.) to delivery the power in a Volt battery.

My post was written to counter the claim that there has been no significant advancement in battery technology. The claim was based on the fact that the range today is about the same as the old EV's. The poster ignores the fact that the batteries in these older vehicles could only develop about 18 to 35 hp and a man on foot could out run them.

However, there was a race car built in 1902, the Baker that sold for $10,000 ($250,000 in today's dollars). It carried about 2500 lbs of batteries. It could accelerate to it's top speed of 80mph in about 2 mins before the batteries gave out.

No, the claim was not that there had been no advance in battery technology. That would be absurd. The claim was that there was no increase in range, which for the average EV is a fact. The modern cars weigh more, are orders of magnitude more comfortable to drive, can keep you warm or cool depending on what is needed, but the range is still basically the same.

Then why saying the ranges are the same? It's an apple and oranges comparison.

Because they ARE! Hell the Volts range is 40 miles in electric only so it has less than half the range of the old EV's. If the roads were better back then they could have built them to go faster, but the roads were crap so they didn't bother. You are correct on the differences, I have already acknowledged those, but the fundamental range IS THE SAME!

 

[Avorysuds]

The car industry bought all the patents they could to shut down competition to oil and hybrid vehicles, and Tesla focuses on the luxury market.

Idiot.
Car companies produce electric cars.

What has done them in is gasoline at 1.89 or whatever.

Yup, and Obamagas adds to CO2 admissions in a major way! Liberals will be pissed!

 

[Coyote]

Let's stay on topic folks and remember, reservations can be made in the Flame Zone at no cost for those special moments.

 

[Flopper]

Just using the range of an EV without considering performance is not a valid comparison. The EV's of a hundred years ago which had an 18 to 35hp motor would accelerate to a maximum speed of 15 to 20 mph in about the same time a Volt with it's 149hp motor will accelerate to 60 mph. Also, the lead acid batteries of an EV a hundred years ago needed only to power an electric motor and possibly lights. Today's EV batteries must support power brakes, power steering, power windows, an automatic transmission, an onboard computer, and a host of accessories.

If the Volt was designed to meet the same specifications of and EV of a hundred years ago, the range would be far greater. This should come as no surprise since the lithium ion batteries of today have an energy density of 3 to 5 times that of the batteries of a hundred years ago and the EV's of today use a host of energy saving techniques.



History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
2015 Chevrolet Volt Performance U.S. News Best Cars
Alternative Energy eMagazine - A Comparison of Lead Acid to Lithium-ion in Stationary Storage Applications AltEnergyMag

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

The top speed of the old EV's were limited by the lead acid batteries which typically were rated at 40 amp hours. The lithium ion battery in a Volt is rated at 17,500 amp hrs. That means it would require 437 of these old batteries at 25 lbs each (11,000 lbs.) to delivery the power in a Volt battery.

My post was written to counter the claim that there has been no significant advancement in battery technology. The claim was based on the fact that the range today is about the same as the old EV's. The poster ignores the fact that the batteries in these older vehicles could only develop about 18 to 35 hp and a man on foot could out run them.

However, there was a race car built in 1902, the Baker that sold for $10,000 ($250,000 in today's dollars). It carried about 2500 lbs of batteries. It could accelerate to it's top speed of 80mph in about 2 mins before the batteries gave out.

No, the claim was not that there had been no advance in battery technology. That would be absurd. The claim was that there was no increase in range, which for the average EV is a fact. The modern cars weigh more, are orders of magnitude more comfortable to drive, can keep you warm or cool depending on what is needed, but the range is still basically the same.

Then why saying the ranges are the same? It's an apple and oranges comparison.

Because they ARE! Hell the Volts range is 40 miles in electric only so it has less than half the range of the old EV's. If the roads were better back then they could have built them to go faster, but the roads were crap so they didn't bother. You are correct on the differences, I have already acknowledged those, but the fundamental range IS THE SAME!

.
Yes, they could have been built to go faster and give up range or they could have built to go slower and have longer ranges just as designers do today. In fact. there was one built that was designed to do 120mph. However, the batteries had to be charged with each run

What you seem to be skirting around is the fact that the lead liquid acid batteries of a hundred years ago had very limited capacity compared with Lithium ion batteries of today. Most of the electric cars of a hundred years ago, could only deliver 18 to 35hp with a top speed of 15 to 20mph with a 40 mile range. To get the ranges available today, these vehicles would have to be designed to run at speeds slower than a fast walk.

There is no way you could achieve the overall performance of the today's EV's with batteries available 100 years ago. The Tesla Model S has a range of 265 miles, top speed of 125 mph, and 0 to 60 in 5.9 secs. The trade off being it has a $80,000 price tag.

 

[westwall]

All of that is basically true. However, the roads back then were terrible so 20mph was about the best you could do. The level of comfort in the Volt is orders of magnitude better than the EV's of old. But, the ranges are the primary problem with todays modern EV's. And, given all the technology that has been developed, the Volt, is no better range wise than the EV of old. I really like the Volt (I drove the UK version the Ampera) and it is an awesome car. If we lived full time in Paris and weren't going to have to go on any major drives, it would be the vehicle in our garage. But, because we frequently head to Millau, we have a 2010 VW Golf with a 1.4 litre turbo diesel and we get around 45mpg out of it.

The top speed of the old EV's were limited by the lead acid batteries which typically were rated at 40 amp hours. The lithium ion battery in a Volt is rated at 17,500 amp hrs. That means it would require 437 of these old batteries at 25 lbs each (11,000 lbs.) to delivery the power in a Volt battery.

My post was written to counter the claim that there has been no significant advancement in battery technology. The claim was based on the fact that the range today is about the same as the old EV's. The poster ignores the fact that the batteries in these older vehicles could only develop about 18 to 35 hp and a man on foot could out run them.

However, there was a race car built in 1902, the Baker that sold for $10,000 ($250,000 in today's dollars). It carried about 2500 lbs of batteries. It could accelerate to it's top speed of 80mph in about 2 mins before the batteries gave out.

No, the claim was not that there had been no advance in battery technology. That would be absurd. The claim was that there was no increase in range, which for the average EV is a fact. The modern cars weigh more, are orders of magnitude more comfortable to drive, can keep you warm or cool depending on what is needed, but the range is still basically the same.

Then why saying the ranges are the same? It's an apple and oranges comparison.

Because they ARE! Hell the Volts range is 40 miles in electric only so it has less than half the range of the old EV's. If the roads were better back then they could have built them to go faster, but the roads were crap so they didn't bother. You are correct on the differences, I have already acknowledged those, but the fundamental range IS THE SAME!

.
Yes, they could have been built to go faster and give up range or they could have built to go slower and have longer ranges just as designers do today. In fact. there was one built that was designed to do 120mph. However, the batteries had to be charged with each run

What you seem to be skirting around is the fact that the lead liquid acid batteries of a hundred years ago had very limited capacity compared with Lithium ion batteries of today. Most of the electric cars of a hundred years ago, could only deliver 18 to 35hp with a top speed of 15 to 20mph with a 40 mile range. To get the ranges available today, these vehicles would have to be designed to run at speeds slower than a fast walk.

There is no way you could achieve the overall performance of the today's EV's with batteries available 100 years ago. The Tesla Model S has a range of 265 miles, top speed of 125 mph, and 0 to 60 in 5.9 secs. The trade off being it has a $80,000 price tag.

You seem to be ignoring the fact that I have been agreeing with you on these facts. However the TESLA has NEVER attained the predicted ranges save under extremely favorable testing conditions. Real world experience is the range is closer to 225 miles. Less if you drive it in any sort of sporty fashion. Much less in point of fact. Figure in a sporty driving mode you'll get at best 100 miles from a charge. If the Top Gear experience with the Roadster is any gauge then figure you'll get one quarter of what TESLA claims you'll get if you are driving it hard.

"Your mileage will vary. When we attempted our first range test of the Model S, a long haul from Fontana to El Segundo via San Diego, we had to plug it in less than 2 miles from our destination, logging only 233.7 miles against the EPA's estimate of 265 miles on a single charge. A subsequent round-trip from Las Vegas to L.A. by our team validated the range, in the same way other media achieved what Broder could not. Of course, those stories didn't get quite the same amount of publicity, but it doesn't matter how big--or fraught with error--the Times story may appear. It's but one data point in what I hope will be a long and interesting trail left by the Model S and future Tesla EVs."

Read more: Tesla Model S Your Mileage May Vary - The Lohdown - Motor Trend