You never know what' bullshit and what isn't these days....
http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/15/tech...biz2/index.htm




You never know what' bullshit and what isn't these days....
http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/15/tech...biz2/index.htm





turning towards some indisputable facts ...
one gallon of gasoline contains 125,000 btu and costs say $2.50
one kWh of electricity contains 3413 btu and costs around $.08 - therefore the 36.6 kWh needed to equal the energy in one gallon of gasoline costs $2.93.
true that gasoline engines are only 37% efficient in converting the BTU value in the gasoline to torque at the driveshaft on the average, while the electric motors and drive electronics in electric cars are reputed to be 86% efficient.
So the real crux of this automotive financial equation boils down to something that has nothing to do with autos ... i.e. the source of the electric power. If that electric power is produced by hydro or nuclear, then indeed the electric vehicle has a higher overall efficiency. However, if that electric power is produced by natural gas or oil, these generators are at best 50% efficient. Thus the overall efficiency of an electric vehicle indirectly powered by natural gas or oil fired generators is on the order of .5 *.86 = .43 ... minus another 4% electric transmission system losses ... which is essentially the same as the gasoline engine directly powering the car !
The bottom line is that electric vehicles can be cost efficient and can reduce overall pollution levels IF the source of the electric power used to indirectly power these vehicles comes from hydro or nuclear. Coal fired electric power is cost efficient but does not reduce pollution. Natural gas fired electric power reduces pollution but is not cost efficient. Solar and wind generated electric power eliminate pollution but are not cost efficient by an order of magnitude. Since practical hydro power sites have essentially already been developed to their near maximum potential, the REAL question of whether or not people want cost efficient non-polluting vehicles then boils down to a simultaneous commitment to these people allowing a nuclear power plant to be built somewhere near where they live to provide the extra electricity supply that will be required to charge their electric vehicle's batteries / capacitors (along with 1 million + other electric cars owned by their fellow citizens) !




Solar power is misunderstood. Solar cells are nowhere near as efficient as a mirror array and a collector.Originally Posted by Melonie
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