Chevy Volt to get 230 mpg

[csb]

Plug in your electric cars! My state needs to sell more coal!

 

[Dleg]

IMO, it's not about saving the individual any money (but if it did, would be a bonus). It's more about reducing dependence on oil (both foreign & domestic).

Yeah, but.... probably less than 1% of the US population will do something that cost more, for the sake of "the greater good". To really make anything like this work, it has to directly benefit people: by costing less, in most cases.

It's all just a shuffle of resources. All will eventually come back and bite us in the butt. Great we aren't importing oil, but then the domestic issues are then front and center...vicious cycle.

Not really - it's a long-agreed fact that running an electric by charging it "from the grid" is more energy efficient overall than running an internal combustion engine. If everyone was driving electric cars, our country would be using less energy. And if our energy is primarily produced from domestic sources (nuclear, coal, "solar and wind"), then our use of petroleum from the Middle East is obviously reduced.

But yeah, we'd then have to produce more domestic energy = more coal burning, more nuclear, etc., which would doubtless create one hell of a NIMBY storm.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

NIMBY storm.

Somebody on here introduced me to BANANA (I think it was JR or Supe). Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. People are now "protecting" the back yards of others.

 

[ElCid03]

I was at a BANANA location today. Electricity was reregulated in Virginia about two years ago and we have been Dominion Resources shareholders since 2005. The technology in the volt is nothing new. Locomotives have been powered by electric motors for years, and the diesel engine in them just powers the generator that recharges the batteries. Think about it like this, not only can you help the environment by owning an electric vehicle, but you can also collect a dividend check from the power company every quarter.

A lot of utilities allow to buy their stock directly from them. Plant a little seed capital while the market is down, and let everyone else's Chevy Volts recoup your investment and them some. Our grandchildren will need more, reliable electricity than we can currently comprehend.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Yeah, but.... probably less than 1% of the US population will do something that cost more, for the sake of "the greater good".

I openly admit that I wouldn't, unless there was a less nebulous goal. "Lessening dependance on foreign oil" and "reducing your carbon footprint" don't do it for me.

BTW, the EPa is backing away from GM's claim of 230 mpg.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/11/epa-bac...0-mpg-for-volt/

 

[Supe]

Somebody on here introduced me to BANANA (I think it was JR or Supe). Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. People are now "protecting" the back yards of others.

I think it was JR, but I loved the term when he first said it. Unfortunately, it's all too true, as proven by my residence for the next few years. I am indeed nowhere near anything.

I will second CSB's sentiment. We need to build at least a couple more coal plants so I can mix things up in 2012, rather than me being knee deep in our Nuclear work 100% of the time!

 

[csb]

Thumbs up on BANANA from me too...if the state of California could go back to solving their own problems and quit trying to muss with everyone else, I'd be happier.

 

[Flyer_PE]

I think it was JR, but I loved the term when he first said it. Unfortunately, it's all too true, as proven by my residence for the next few years. I am indeed nowhere near anything.

The scenery for my drive to work at the nuclear plant was: corn field...........corn field........bean field............corn field...........big friggin power plant.

 

[snickerd3]

The scenery for my drive to work at the nuclear plant was: corn field...........corn field........bean field............corn field...........big friggin power plant.

Are you sure you aren't in IL?

 

[Flyer_PE]

^I'm most definitely in Illinois. The plant is one of ComEd's (Now Exelon) finest. Clinton is near you and is pretty much the same, as is Duane Arnonld in Iowa, Wolf Creek in Kansas, Cooper Station in Nebraska........

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Has anyone seen one of these on the road yet?

 

[Flyer_PE]

No sighting here. Not sure I'd notice it if I had though. Looks just like any other little econobox tin-can to me.

 

[humner]

question: How do you convert coal / electric energy to miles per gallon?

 

[Ble_PE]

I saw one for the first time this past weekend. Like Flyer said, I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been behind it and saw Volt on it.

 

[Master slacker]

I laugh at the concept of electric / hybrid cars being worthwhile. When the batteries crap out and aren't covered under warranty, I'll have to foot the bill AND have the stealership install them. When I run out of juice, I won't be able to walk to the gas station and get a gallon of gas to limp in for a full fill-up. When something no longer works, I have no choice but to bring it to the stealership to diagnose the problem and fix it. I can replace an engine, heads, radiators, etc... I cannot translate the mess under the plastic cover in the motor compartment of these "green" cars.

/rant

 

[Capt Worley PE]

question: How do you convert coal / electric energy to miles per gallon?

The EPA has some formula, no doubt, but I think it is more realistic to calculate cost per mile.

I laugh at the concept of electric / hybrid cars being worthwhile. When the batteries crap out and aren't covered under warranty, I'll have to foot the bill AND have the stealership install them. When I run out of juice, I won't be able to walk to the gas station and get a gallon of gas to limp in for a full fill-up. When something no longer works, I have no choice but to bring it to the stealership to diagnose the problem and fix it. I can replace an engine, heads, radiators, etc... I cannot translate the mess under the plastic cover in the motor compartment of these "green" cars.

/rant

You know the hybrids can all run on gas, even with no batteries, right? They just aren't as efficient.

 

[csb]

Well, I imagine I'd gain SOME efficiency, once the giant battery is taken out of the back.

I'd like to reiterate what I said in 2009...buy electric cars! If we sell more coal, I might get a raise!

 

[engineergurl]

question: How do you convert coal / electric energy to miles per gallon?

I read somewhere that it's like about 34 kilowatt hours=1 gallon of gasoline... if that means anything...

 

[envirotex]

Has anyone seen one of these on the road yet?

Yep. I have seen a few...pretty non-descript. The ATX was one of the "demo" cities, so we have several cruising around town.

ATX likes to claim they're "green", sometimes I think it's in name only, but now they are passing a plastic bag ban ordinance that is way out of control...

 

[mudpuppy]

question: How do you convert coal / electric energy to miles per gallon?

I read somewhere that it's like about 34 kilowatt hours=1 gallon of gasoline... if that means anything...

That conversion is correct, 1 gallon of gasoline contains approximately the same amount of energy of 34 kWh. But it does not take into account the differences in efficiency between gasoline propulsion and electric. There will be some losses in the eletric motor and battery, but much much less than the gasoline engine.

Anyone have hard data on these efficiences? I would gues at absolute WORST, the electric drive is twice as efficient as the gasoline, but I wouldn't be surprised if the ratio is much better than that. If I did the math right, that means the electric propulsion costs about half that of gasoline, and perhaps a lot better than that.