Electric Cars -- anyone own one?

[Brians356]

The First Self-Propelled Scraper

Although not as successful as other LeTourneau designs, the first self-propelled scraper featured technologies that would years later become industry standards.

www.oemoffhighway.com

Electric powered equipment is nothing new. I was in Vegas in 1994 at the Concrete and Aggregate show. Caterpillar unveiled the 988F Rubber Tired Endloader. Over 100,000#, 8 cubic yard bucket, and a Joy Stick to steer and manage bucket controls. ...
I'm sure there are more Electric powered construction equipment available today.

How are the electric motors energized?
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[fn1889m]

I do not want to get into a pxxxxxx match over electric vehicles. But I have lived through the landing on the moon, watched the evolution of cell phones, and advancements in medicine such as gene modification and heart transplants. Electricity is a great form of energy that we have been using for about 150 years. We have figured out electric motors. When I was a kid the entire Seattle bus/streetcar system was electric. My point is that I think this is a good, (and better than ICE,) technology and we will figure out how to make it work. As will China and Europe. It is important for the US to be involved in innovative technologies. So the govt should support innovation.

I bought my EV without receiving a government subsidy. I paid cash - my retirement present to myself. It was my money and my choice. I drive about 500 miles a month - most trips average about 30 miles. I charge at home with relatively cheap electricity. I expect to keep it for 15 years. It works for me. You buy whatever you want.

It’s an interesting discussion, but not one to be come emotional about. We don’t know how it will end up. I am optimistic. If you dont want to buy an EV, just do t buy one.

 

[jimmymac]

Of course it is an emotional issue. Many Americans are tired of government intervention in places where they have no business. If you think we are saving the planet by going to electric cars, I have some high ground in Florida you may be interested in.

 

[BlueWater]

I do not want to get into a pxxxxxx match over electric vehicles ... It’s an interesting discussion, but not one to be come emotional about. We don’t know how it will end up.

A key aspect worthy of strong concerns is having the whole of a thing crammed down everybody's throats as though it already were a "solution." As you say, we do not know how it'll end up, or whether innovation in key areas will occur on the schedule being forced, or a dozen other things. Lots of things still need figuring out, if it's to scale, if it's to have further benefit than merely tailpipe emissions.

I'm hopeful most (perhaps all of) these aspects will eventually get figured out. When that occurs, quite possibly it'll be the solution some imagine.

 

[jimmymac]

But I agree with you that expansion of clean electricity generation is an essential component of our future economy and a sound natural environment. I don’t think that the economy and healthy environmental conditions can be separated on this issue. More electricity is good for both.

I never said anything about clean energy. Of course I'd be happy to have it, but I'm all in on coal fired power plants, gas fired power and nuclear energy. If and when something better comes along, I'll be on board for that too. I'm not looking for a zero emission power generation utopia. Everything comes at an environmental cost. I do like my lights on and heat in the winter. Plastic bottles cause me more pollution concern than generating power.

 

[KMart]

Funny that the "Spotted Owl" fiasco turned out to be BS!!
The Spotted Owl population loss was blamed on the loggers ??

Come to find out it was the BARRED OWL running the Spotted Owl out of it's territory. But we'll just blame it on the logging business anyway. (follow the agenda)

Sounds like the Owls left for similar reasons that people are leaving the inner city. The Spotted Owls just couldn't stand their trashy new neighbors. We are looking at racism in the animal world.

 

[D Coots]

How are the electric motors energized?
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Not positive but probably a diesel powered generator just like the JD end loader had.

Maybe there is a trade off in efficiency when you do away with a trans and all the planetary drives. Concerns about the JD back then was life of the electric planetary drives and replacement costs as I recall.

 

[SGK]

Show me a household with nothing but battery-powered vehicles.

My neighbors, on either side, only have battery-powered vehicles. (Each two per household.) Do I need to keep checking the rest of the street for you? Tons around here.

 

[markT]

I will own one soon. Pulled the v6 / 4.3 L out and going back with electric motor.

 

[M-61]

We have electric locomotives, electric boats/ferries, electric submarines.

We sure do. You left out a part.
Those locomotives, boats ferries, and ships
all have diesel engines powering the alternators that make this beloved electricity.
The submarines, well we can’t use the word as it’s so bad….. they are NUCLEAR!!
The horror.

 

[JoeDuke]

 

[D Coots]

I will own one soon. Pulled the v6 / 4.3 L out and going back with electric motor. View attachment 1501420View attachment 1501421

Should be plenty of room in there to change the oil....

 

[rr2030]

My neighbors, on either side, only have battery-powered vehicles. (Each two per household.) Do I need to keep checking the rest of the street for you? Tons around here.

I also have neighbors with electric only vehicles, one has several plus a hybrid or 2.

I just purchased a new vehicle. It's propelled by the Suck-Squeez-Bang-Blow method.

 

[Mudeat]

I will own one soon. Pulled the v6 / 4.3 L out and going back with electric motor. View attachment 1501420View attachment 1501421

Shade tree mechanic - don’t kill yourself on a 600v battery.

 

[fn1889m]

How much do you pay per KWh (kilowatt-hour) of electricity?

How many miles does that $10 worth carry you?
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I pay ≈10 cents ($.10) per kilowatt-hour for electricity at home. (The closest L3 charger costs $.35 per KWh, so I charge at home.) My estimate is that I get something over 120 miles for $10 in the summer. But this is based on the vehicle computer guesstimate of range in miles to % of charge, and its more efficient in the summer than in the winter. If I run the heater fan, the miles per charge drops by at least 20%, based on the vehicle computer guesstimate.

I was paying $.25 per mile (fuel) to drive my PU truck. I now pay about $.07 per mile (electricity) to drive an EV in the summer and $.10 per mile in the winter. (I also pay an annual EV tax in lieu of gas tax, which is not reflected in the cost estimate. And I need to wear a sweater when I drive in the winter.)

 

[fn1889m]

We sure do. You left out a part.
Those locomotives, boats ferries, and ships
all have diesel engines powering the alternators that make this beloved electricity.
The submarines, well we can’t use the word as it’s so bad….. they are NUCLEAR!!
The horror.

My point is that we pretty much solved the problem of electric motor technology. Electric motors work great in cars. Much better than ice engines. Batteries - not so much. The unequal status of these technologies makes it difficult to make broad categorical judgments about electric vehicles today. They work well if you drive within the parameters of battery technology, and they perform poorly if you don’t. It’s not that we don’t have BEVs with 500 mile range. It’s just that they cost too much. But so did home computers and cell phones.

 

[M-61]

The unequal status of these technologies makes it difficult to make broad categorical judgments about electric vehicles today.

No it doesn’t. It fact the “ unequal status” makes it easy to make ‘broad categorical judgements’.
Electric vehicles are basically impractical.
Battery technology may one day give us a light weight, long lasting, quick recharge system. That’s not only a mouthful, it’s al long ways away.
Additionally I’ll never get past the US government telling me what to drive. There is no end to the reach of their tentacles.
From what drugs to take to what the water capacity of your toilet can be. Who the fuck asked them?

 

[therifler]

family members own them great until something goes wrong . the people that think i can't live without one are the people that have no issues . if i was running local under a 100 miles a week traveling in a flat area i would consider one, hills play hell on the battery .a friend came from Va. for a visit 350 miles stopped 3 times to charge said the radio shut off and air shut off . when the battery starts getting real low the car shuts off non essential equipment . i asked him what do you do when you head across country . he takes the yukon . i believe they have their place but right now not in my driveway.

 

[SGK]

Battery technology may one day give us a light weight, long lasting, quick recharge system. That’s not only a mouthful, it’s al long ways away.
Additionally I’ll never get past the US government telling me what to drive.

It exists now. Just maybe not in your neighborhood yet.
When did the US government tell you what you had to drive? ICE are still available for sale.

 

[ebb]

My neighbor bought a Ford Lightning about a year and half ago. He told me what a great work truck it was going to be, i don't think it worked out. He just bought a new Mercedes 3/4 ton van with a diesel and 4 wheel drive. From the greenest to the worst polluter in one step! My wife wants the van so bad she can't stand it.