Author Topic: Took two strange rides yesterday.. (Read 949 times)

lazs2 · « **on:** May 28, 2003, 08:29:34 AM »

First ride... The city I work for just got 3 electric cars. four if you count some golf cart looking cobbled up thing..

California decided that so many cars were to be zero emmisions.. the auto makers complied with electric cars that no one bought... they couldn't sell the damn things.

Big rigs full of the things are going around municpalities and dropping em off on permenant loan.. Our city got 2 mini van like nissan thingies and a little nissan (i think) pickup.

We had to install "fueling stations" since you can't just plug these things in to the wall.

They asked if I wanted one for my guys so I took one for a test. The thing looks like any other nissan minivan inside and out. You turn on the key and hold it to start until a green ready light goes on.. couple of seconds. put it in either d or r (the only choices) and drive off.

The guages are different.. you have a bar graph kinda thing that tells you how quickly you are burning up amps... a remainning charge guage too. everything else is standard digial. The car has climate control ac/heater and a am/fm/cd player cup holdrers, power windows and locks etc..

Ok.. the thing is quiet... real quiet.. It is not all that bad on acceleration if you don't use modern standards... it accelerates about like an old VW beetle.. worst is from say 50mph up... top speed for me was 77mph.. with the ac on an at 65 mph or so it probly will go about 80-90 miles and it takes 5 hours to charge.

So anyway... the car isn't very practical at this point but.. it is a surprisingly, very good, start... there would be some people who could actually use such a thing and... they would not have to sacrafice anything convienience and luxury wise except some acceleration and the occassional inconienence of needing to go somewhere and having forgottten (or put off) charging the thing.
lazs

Swoop · « **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2003, 08:37:24 AM »

So if ya carry 4 spare batteries and don't use the AC.....can ya make it all the way to work in the morning?

Ripsnort · « **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2003, 08:45:26 AM »

I'm seeing a few of the Honda hybred variant showing up around these parts.

Eagler · « **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2003, 08:47:28 AM »

I'd consider one if they didn't cost double/triple a gas guzzler

lazs2 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2003, 08:53:57 AM »

swoop... like I said... it's not for me but if you wanted a car to get around the city in and run errands or if all you drove was say 30-40 miles one way 60-80 both ways to work... It would do the job.

My point is that there isn't any big sacrafice in luxury or acceleration or routine.. it is pretty seamless..... for about 90% of the driving most people do day to day. I was thinking that with this kind of a start ....
lazs

Swoop · « **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2003, 09:05:27 AM »

oh aye.

I'm just taking the piss outta electric cars cos.....well it's an electric car.

lazs2 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2003, 09:53:08 AM »

Yep... I don't like em at all but I was surprised at how far they had come so far as making them like real cars... You could drive one around the city and no one would have any idea it was an electric car. If anything... it would be easier to get around in.

I don't want to be around when the bill comes for a new battery pack or the computer in the car that takes up as much room as most 4 cyl engines... The computer is even water cooled with a little radiator. Two motors drive the front wheels the brakes have valving to charge the batteries as you decelerate.

I can't figure out.... Why in the world don't they have photovoltaic cells on the roof charging the damn things when they sit... not much good in england but here... 8 or ten hours in the sun in the parking lot would extend the range I bet.
lazs

Swoop · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:00:49 AM »

Yup.....and maybe they could even be used in England......for maybe a week in July.

gofaster · « **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:07:05 AM »

The thought of all those huge batteries sitting in the ground in 2 years leaking mercury sends shivers up my spine.

People pushed "non-fossil fuel" engine thinking they were helping the environment. In reality, they're simply exchanging 1 pollutant for another.

Just say no to electic cars!

LePaul · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:11:52 AM »

Electric cars...

I waiting to be at the grocery store someday when one is there, hood up, waiting for a wrecker.

"Problem?"

"Left the radio on...."

Airhead · « **Reply #10 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:31:50 AM »

Lazs, if you have a spare V8 sitting around I'll step and fetchit your tools if you want to yank the 900 pounds of batteries and electric motor out of that puppy and do a swap. Then you can take the electric drivetrain and cram it into one of those electric kiddy cars for your grandkid. It's a win-win.

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #11 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:37:00 AM »

they use mercury batteries ? or lead acid ,if they are lead acid they are completly recylable i believe.

Dowding · « **Reply #12 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:40:29 AM »

We've had electric milk floats in Britain for decades. For that sort of application (small range urban environment) they are ideal. The government should provide incentives for city based small businesses to take them on. Would certainly help the air pollution problem.

Mini D · « **Reply #13 on:** May 28, 2003, 10:50:02 AM »

I like the hybrid idea. And... they aren't "twice the price of gas guzzlers". You can get into one for about 20k, closer to 25k if you want the civic.

They serve to reduce the use of fossil fuels without having to rely on externally generated energy. The only real downside is they are just now breaking 100hp.

MiniD

Hooligan · « **Reply #14 on:** May 28, 2003, 11:19:58 AM »

Deja:

I believe they really are over twice the cost, but their production is mandated by law and the manufacturers sell them at a loss. Also, I am not so sure the zero-emissions thing is realistic either. The electricity they run on comes from somewhere, and that somewhere probably produces emissions. With the inefficiencies of multi-stage energy transferal (i.e. burn hydro-carbons to produce electricity, transmit the power, store it in a battery, etc…) these things may in some cases actually produce more emissions than a car with an 80 hp four-banger.

Hooligan