More Electric Vehicles

[Johnny P]

Recently read a piece on the Lucid electric vehicles which aren't exactly grocery getters as base prices run from about $80,000 to over $150,000. The article gave the charging times for the Lucid Air using various chargers from 10% to 90%.

Level 3 (350 volt), 46 minutes (Fastest charger available today)

Level 2 (240 volt), 5 hours plus

120 Volt household, about 4 days.

Charging slows down during the last 10% of charge, and on the 240 volt charger the last 10% of charge to top it off would take about 2 hours.

[Major Tom]

I can think of at least a hundred different realistic ways to spend $80-150 thousand!

[Allen]

The battery technology we have today can not tolerate any type of fast charge w/o damaging the battery.

Who is going to want or can wait at charging stations this long? Also, if a lot of people started driving EV's think of all the long lines waiting for the "plug-in's" to become available. It would compare to a gas pump nozzle delivering a few drops of gasoline a minute. Until drastic changes come about I can only see EV's being useful for very short trips with at home charging being the only/best route.

Solar panels in top of vehicles would hardly be noticed on pickups and SUV's and could supplement battery charging when parked outside but the gov't couldn't tax them so that is out.

I would like to have a EV. "Have", as in given to me. I would never pay so much $ for so much inconvenience but would like to play with one limiting my travels to a 20-50 mile radius.

Great for cities--short commutes--poor for everything else.

[Johnny P]

I can think of at least a hundred different realistic ways to spend $80-150 thousand!

Really wasn't trying to get you to buy one. Just a little information on present technology charging times.

[togor]

As has been said, EVs are not a bad second car option, especially in these days when more work from home.

[lyman]

the idea is not to get everyone doing long distance on them,
the idea is to keep the distances short, and have you use the Train, bus, or whatever for long distance,

[dryheat]

I will never ride a bus if I can at all help it.

[barretcreek]

Virtue Signalling ain't cheap.

[blackhawknj]

I do not understand why they do not have an onboard recharging system. Years ago I was having battery problems with my VW-I was on the 6th years of a 3 year battery.

[lpcullen]

My GF's son in law just bought a Hyundai Ionic 5. I think it cost him around 50 grand. He loves it but I think he spends a lot of time at the charging station. I think he said it only has a range of around 300 or so miles and a thirty minute charge only gives him 80%. Don't get me wrong it's a cool car but I think he jumped the gun getting it. Here in Oklahoma I don't think the infrastructure is in place yet to have a bunch of these EV's. There just aren't that many places to charge them.

[Allen]

My GF's son in law just bought a Hyundai Ionic 5. I think it cost him around 50 grand. He loves it but I think he spends a lot of time at the charging station. I think he said it only has a range of around 300 or so miles and a thirty minute charge only gives him 80%. Don't get me wrong it's a cool car but I think he jumped the gun getting it. Here in Oklahoma I don't think the infrastructure is in place yet to have a bunch of these EV's. There just aren't that many places to charge them.

From what all I read the charging stations are not in place anywhere as needed. Something I brought up before, with a 30 minute charging time think of how many stations a single "gas station" would need. A lot of wasted real estate. Pumping gasoline only takes about 5 minutes so even long lines waiting to fill up will move.

Ideally these type vehicles would work great in cities where short commutes are common but here again, the real estate to supply all those charging stations would not be there. Many (in cities) park on the streets if they can own a car at all so charging at home would be out for them too.

Retiree's such as myself could make good use of one but the added cost would never justify what little gas I use these days plus the electricity needed isn't free either.

So much info is not available yet like depreciation, battery life (which will vary by manf and usage), range at Interstate speeds, a/c and heater drain, battery cost, life of the motors, competent service mechanics and on and on.

Mostly a toy?

[pcox]

the idea is not to get everyone doing long distance on them,
the idea is to keep the distances short, and have you use the Train, bus, or whatever for long distance,

The last time I was on a train, 39 hours from St. Louis to New Port News Va, 1966. All of us GI's were loaded on to the last car. It had wooden benches for seating. That train pulled onto sidings to let freight trains pass us. We were not allowed to use the dining car. Had to eat out of vending machines at the stations where we stopped to pick up and discharge passengers. I'll never get on a train again.

[one shot]

electric cars = electric heat so your mileage will soon be out in the winter

[Allen]

The last time I was on a train, 39 hours from St. Louis to New Port News Va, 1966. All of us GI's were loaded on to the last car. It had wooden benches for seating. That train pulled onto sidings to let freight trains pass us. We were not allowed to use the dining car. Had to eat out of vending machines at the stations where we stopped to pick up and discharge passengers. I'll never get on a train again.

Sorry you guys were treated like garbage. Must have been a free service of the RR or a result of a special price negotiated by the govt'.

Now days you can travel in style on Amtrak which travels at 150mph on 100 year old tracks that were designed for 35mph. You will get to your destination quicker too providing your destination is heaven cause it seems they have wrecks on a daily basis.

[blackhawknj]

In 1969 after completing Jump School those of us who were headed to Fort Bragg were loaded onto busses, IIRC we had a meal stop.
My mother-b. 1913 remembered the Baker Electric owned by a friend of her grandmother. Gave a very quiet ride, but a slow one.
There was the Stanley Steamer, I recall reading in the late 50s that the Turbine Car was the Car of Tomorrow, then there was the Wankel Engine.