Getting an electric car soon.

[Nilsen]

NOT ONLY that, but the price also offsets(for the most part) your savings in gas cost.

Just remember that we are the worlds third largest oil exporter so our gas costs 2-3 times what you pay for it

If you had to read that sentance twice, then dont bother.. you did read it correctly the first time

[CAP1]

Just remember that we are the worlds third largest oil exporter so our gas costs 2-3 times what you pay for it

If you had to read that sentance twice, then dont bother.. you did read it correctly the first time

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooo.........nevermind... ......

[mipoikel]

Just remember that we are the worlds third largest oil exporter so our gas costs 2-3 times what you pay for it

If you had to read that sentance twice, then dont bother.. you did read it correctly the first time

I knew it, I just never really understand why it is that way... Do you have any elections there?  

[Nilsen]

I knew it, I just never really understand why it is that way... Do you have any elections there?  

Yeah and the party that always wants to reduce all kinds of taxes and spend more keeps losing (right wing conservatives). Between elections they rank high but when people actually go to vote they go for the alternatives that are serious and have a proven track record for getting it right.

oops.. lets stop here before the thread gets locked.

[VonMessa]

 

[Angus]

Nilsen: do you have any Watt consumption figures pr km?
AFAIK, where I live it would be 1/5th or less of the ´petrol costs, so if one is doing short distance driving, this is very very interesting. Would gladly trade some space for extra batteries for an endurance of some 200 miles, and where I live the energy is clean.
Then there is the question of charging time. With seperate battery "tanks" it wouldn´t have to be so bad, charging many at a time....
I am quite positive towards electric cars.
BTW, in my country the KW goes for about 5-6 euro cents, while the petrol is about one euro or even more.
Come to think of it, in countries like ours, who use clean energy for smelting etc, a society where most of the cars were electrical would provide power buyers paying vastly more than the big industrial corporations, ´i.e. you, me and the rest....

[Nilsen]

Keep in mind that in colder climates you also need a cupe warmer of some sort using diesel or whatever to stay warm inside your car. Still way cheaper.

No idea of watt consumption but a "full tank" in a Think costs about 4NOK to charge. Thats just over 50 us cents.

[Baitman]

Nilsen

I am also from a large crude oil producing country where we pay more for our gas & diesel. Gas ~$1.00 CDN and diesel ~1.15 CDN. Have looked at getting a pure electric car but bateriers for me don't last long. Constant charging and use and I have to change cell phone battries every year (use ~600hrs/year). My concern was always with the battries in the car wouldn't hold up to the constant charging and use too.

Wish I didn't need to travel distance (~9,000 km / month) or I would have an pure electric too.

Electricity here is produced in Hydro electric dams, wind, and run of river, so there is no burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity.

[Nilsen]

Most of ours is hydro too but as a part of the european grid we get coal, nuclear etc power too when we produce less than we need, and export pure power when we use less.

Anywho... I belive that several of the electric car producers guarantees their batteries and when you buy a car you also get a battery service plan. That means that the first couple of years or so the battery is their problem until you buy a new pack that also comes with the same service. They are expencive when you have to replace them, but devided over the miles you drive + power the cost is still low. If i buy now i would also think that battery technology will have improved and gotten cheaper before the first replacement cycle. But yes.. it is a risk (after the warranty/service period is over)

[Wingnutt]

I remember an episode of top gear where they broke down the process of making a Toyota prius, by the time they added up everything from mining the nickle, shipping it oversees to be converted to nickle "foam" or whatever, then back somwhere to be converted to a batter, then have the battery shipped around to the plant .. etc etc all that crap.   After it was all said and done, it was determined that only after 300,000 miles would a prius have a smaller environmental footprint than a land rover, and under 150,000 it actually has a bigger one due to the mining of the nickle and all the other nasty chemical byproducts that come out of making the battery..  the punchline being that Toyota only expects 100k max before the battery needs to be replaces.

granted this was a car show, not a scientific convention, still the argument is compelling.

[CAP1]

I remember an episode of top gear where they broke down the process of making a Toyota prius, by the time they added up everything from mining the nickle, shipping it oversees to be converted to nickle "foam" or whatever, then back somwhere to be converted to a batter, then have the battery shipped around to the plant .. etc etc all that crap.   After it was all said and done, it was determined that only after 300,000 miles would a prius have a smaller environmental footprint than a land rover, and under 150,000 it actually has a bigger one due to the mining of the nickle and all the other nasty chemical byproducts that come out of making the battery..  the punchline being that Toyota only expects 100k max before the battery needs to be replaces.

granted this was a car show, not a scientific convention, still the argument is compelling.

that episode was just on bbc america a couple days ago

[sluggish]

hmm I guess a tesla is not practical then...

LPG may still be the cheapest way to go (although its better for longer journeys as then engine needs to be warmed up before you switch from petrol to gas)

That is an interesting concept but there is NO WAY the average person will / will be able to pay $60k for an electric go-cart.

If they could cut that cost by 2/3 they wouldn't be able to make them fast enough.  I'm sure a large portion of that $60k is going to go to battery development since right now there is no feasible viable economical way to create a battery that can deliver the performance that Tesla boasts.  I wish them luck.  Businesses like this with vision and foresight have been and always will be what makes the free market the best way to run an economy.

[indy007]

Nilsen, a few important things I didn't see mentioned...

1) Charging time. Takes all night. If you run it down, then have an emergency, you better have a gas engine car for backup. Think about this... wife brings it home with 10% battery left, one of the kids breaks his arm. You're not exactly going to be able to top it up from the hospital parking lot.

2) Resale. Do you plan to buy or lease? If you're going to buy, what's the market like for used vehicles? Do you plan on having it longer than the warranty? What is the warranty, and do you have 10k+ USD laying around to replace the battery when it dies (it does, they all do) out of warranty?

3) Total Cost of Ownership. How many dealerships does it have? How fast are the repair times? How easy are parts to get? How does the cost and quality of those parts stack up against traditional brands like Toyota?

An electric car would fit my driving habits perfectly. Unfortunately, they're really far from being a viable product to actually buy and live with.

[Angus]

Bear in mind that most of the car is...just a car. It+s probably slightly simpler than a conventional one if anything.
Brand is brand, service is service.
Now, for the half empty car in the garage, my mind goes again to an extra battery pack. Isn't that how the Tesla car works?

[john9001]

just saw today, Mini (BMW), is coming out with a all electric Mini, range 120 miles, 3 hour recharge. regenerative braking.