Comments on: Electric Cars Can Bring Gas Price Relief

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:48:00 +0000

Electric cars come in assorted flavors.

You could drive up the California coast in a Tesla Roadster and would need to stop only every 240 or so miles. Soon you’ll be able to go 300 miles in their Model S.

Or you could drive up the California coast in a Chevy Volt which would let you do the first 30-40 miles with electricity and then switch to gasoline.

While not a ‘pure electric’, it provides electric driving for most miles for most people along with the ability to ‘go long’. It’s rather common to read reports from Volt owners who are driving 1,000 miles or more on a single 9.3 gallon tank of gas.

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There are no “tens of thousands of dollars” available to help purchase an EV. Best case, as far as I can determine, is about $14,500 if you happen to live in the very smoggy San Joaquin Valley of California. Then you can avail yourself of the federal, state and local benefits.

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As for your “coal-powered electricity to recharge their vehicles” claim – that’s a tired old worn-out right wing talking point.

Do you really need someone to explain why it’s bogus?

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:23:00 +0000

because general transportation requirements involve driving up the coast?
subsidies: because oil wars and hundreds of billions of dollars a year in health costs only involve monopoly money?

less than half the nation uses coal now. and that’s declining fast. furthermore, one can easily go solar and EV and make bank on that within a few years. even if they don’t though, their car will have better gas mileage and create less pollution.

for the perspective of someone who’s actually gone EV, check this post: http://cleantechnica.com/2012/03/23/new-leaf-owner-more-fun-than-a-van-full-of-cheerleaders/

By: fletch92131

fletch92131 — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:15:00 +0000

Electric vehicles are not suitable for more than a few dedicated commuters, not general transportation requirements. Try driving up the coast of CA, for example, and one would be stopping every 1.5 hour for a recharge. That’s why Car and Driver mag didn’t recommend all electric when they compared them to high-mileage cars. Plus the cost, once subsidized with tens of thousands of dollars, is not economical for the nation. Besides, many owners would be using coal-powered electricity to recharge their vehicles.

By: Muchos Huevos

Muchos Huevos — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 21:14:00 +0000

We need to go electric!!! so much American wealth is being transferred to America’s haters that is not funny, again, we need to go ALL ELECTRIC, and if a Co is already selling electric delivery Vans to businesses, some other Co could start producing electric cars and trucks, while the EPA may approve we could use LP gas vehicles.
BUT we have to do something.

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 20:31:00 +0000

Bob’s point is well-noted. But yeah, a solar-powered home where you charge your EV would offer that, essentially.

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:45:00 +0000

There’s not enough surface area on a normal car to allow an adequate number of solar panels to do much charging.

If you look at the experimental ‘solar cars’ they are very lightweight, very aerodynamic, and have a lot of hood/roof/space for solar panels.

My solar array is 1.2 kw and would cover the tops of 3-4 Nissan Leafs. 1.2kWh (the amount of power produced in one sunny hour) would drive a single Leaf about 3.4 miles.

By: electric38

electric38 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:23:00 +0000

Wouldn’t an electric car (or bike) with a quick change battery using a solar charger offer “infinite” miles per gallon?
By raising the price of gas, consumers purchasing solar are kept out of range economically. This should continue as utility, coal and oil companies keep raising prices. .