[MMike]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/25/paul.commentary/index.html

There really is no reason not to pursue this technology. Electric motors stomp all over ICE's when it comes to torque.

 

[Old Man G Funk]

There was something in the Post yesterday about an electric sports car:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/21/AR2006072101515.html

The company is Tesla Motors and is a Silicon Valley company.

http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1

 

[MMike]

http://www.tm4.com/eng/tm4transport/

I've known a couple of people who work(ed) here...

 

[Tenchiro]

I never understood Electric cars. Either you put fossil fuels in the tank or plug it into an outlet that likely gets its energy from fossil fuel. I would think a Hybrid would be better, since it generates it's own power for the electric motor.

Can anyone else, feel the smug coming off that pic in the article?

 

[MMike]

She loves the smell of her own farts?

But as they say, yes you are using fossil, but you are using it more efficiently than burning in an ICE....

Around here it's all hydro electric. Our big problem is the winter. Batteries are not keen on the cold.

 

[Silver]

I never understood Electric cars. Either you put fossil fuels in the tank or plug it into an outlet that likely gets its energy from fossil fuel. I would think a Hybrid would be better, since it generates it's own power for the electric motor.

You can move the emissions away from the cities.

Sure, it sucks if you live in the sticks beside the power plant, but otherwise it's a neat idea.

 

[kidwoo]

The solution to pollution is dilution.

 

[Changleen]

NZ gets 60% of it's power from renewables and that percentage goes up every year.

Did any of you see that movie "Who killed the Electric Car?"

 

[blue]

I never understood Electric cars. Either you put fossil fuels in the tank or plug it into an outlet that likely gets its energy from fossil fuel. I would think a Hybrid would be better, since it generates it's own power for the electric motor.

Can anyone else, feel the smug coming off that pic in the article?

More diverse fossil fuels, for the time being (before fuel cells are useable). Like coal. We have a whole ****load of coal to go through before it runs out.

Or, heaven forbid, we use nuclear energy to power our cars...WHAT A THOUGHT!

 

[Tenchiro]

More diverse fossil fuels, for the time being (before fuel cells are useable). Like coal. We have a whole ****load of coal to go through before it runs out.

Or, heaven forbid, we use nuclear energy to power our cars...WHAT A THOUGHT!

Personally I want a Mr Fusion.

 

[MikeD]

That's IT! Hydroelectric cars...all we need to do is put a waterfall in there...endless energy!

What baffles me most, esp. in light of the California energy binge here, is why air conditioning isn't solar-powered?! I mean, have it connected to the grid, but supplemented with solar panels to use when the sun is out...and it's hot...

Just seems to be a nice dovetail of technology, whereas usually you have to give something up to get something in return.

MD

 

[Changleen]

That's IT! Hydroelectric cars...all we need to do is put a waterfall in there...endless energy!

What baffles me most, esp. in light of the California energy binge here, is why air conditioning isn't solar-powered?! I mean, have it connected to the grid, but supplemented with solar panels to use when the sun is out...and it's hot...

Just seems to be a nice dovetail of technology, whereas usually you have to give something up to get something in return.

MD

Sounds like a great idea. It would at least contribute to the energy the AC uses.

 

[MikeD]

Got capital?

AC is a HUGE drain out here in the West where the nice, cool areas are super-inhabited and expensive, and people in search of more house/less expense push into less and less hospitible climes with more and more square footage to keep habitable. The designs of the houses favor space over economy, and there's no real design going into them to help them suit their environment. Clear the brush, level the ground, put up a huge box with central AC and no shade in sight.

Without A/C, there would really be no summer power crisis.

 

[Changleen]

Personally I want a Mr Fusion.

 

[MikeD]

Personally I want a Mr Fusion.

Then you wouldn't need roads, either.

 

[Tenchiro]

Then you wouldn't need roads, either.

Not where we're going!

 

[Changleen]

Wikipedia has some great stuff on Photovoltaics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell

At the equator the sun provides 1000 watts per square meter. Currently we're pretty far from being able to capture that.

Silicon solar cell efficiencies vary from 6% for amorphous silicon-based solar cells to 30% or higher with multiple-junction research lab cells. Solar cell energy conversion efficiencies for commercially available mc-Si solar cells are around 14-16%. The highest efficiency cells have not always been the most economical -- for example a 30% efficient multijunction cell based on exotic materials such as gallium arsenide or indium selenide and produced in low volume might well cost one hundred times as much as an 8% efficient amorphous silicon cell in mass production, while only delivering a little under four times the electrical power.

 

[Silver]

What baffles me most, esp. in light of the California energy binge here, is why air conditioning isn't solar-powered?! I mean, have it connected to the grid, but supplemented with solar panels to use when the sun is out...and it's hot...

Just seems to be a nice dovetail of technology, whereas usually you have to give something up to get something in return.

MD

Hell, you don't even have to clear land. Put solar panels on your roof.

This seems to be an area that could use a little kickstart from government (tax credits anyone? Get rid of the ones for hybrid cars, they aren't needed anymore with gas at $3+ a gallon...)

 

[MikeD]

Hell, you don't even have to clear land. Put solar panels on your roof.

This seems to be an area that could use a little kickstart from government (tax credits anyone? Get rid of the ones for hybrid cars, they aren't needed anymore with gas at $3+ a gallon...)

Well, yeah...I was talking about current building practices when I mentioned clearing land...

I also think houses out in the desert heat should look more like the houses on Tattooine than they currently do...super-efficient evaporative coolers, interiors deisgned for max airflow with minimum effort, insulating, heat-reflective concrete outer shells, built low and into the ground, you name it.

MD

 

[reflux]

Hell, you don't even have to clear land. Put solar panels on your roof.

This seems to be an area that could use a little kickstart from government (tax credits anyone? Get rid of the ones for hybrid cars, they aren't needed anymore with gas at $3+ a gallon...)

Well, there actually is a tax credit for just what you mentioned. I don't exactly recall how and what it applies to, but I will look up the details after work or tomorrow morning.

Btw, the current vehicle tax credit is lame imo. The one from prior years however, was pretty good (a couple g's).

 

[blue]

Well, yeah...I was talking about current building practices when I mentioned clearing land...

I also think houses out in the desert heat should look more like the houses on Tattooine than they currently do...super-efficient evaporative coolers, interiors deisgned for max airflow with minimum effort, insulating, heat-reflective concrete outer shells, built low and into the ground, you name it.

MD

Is it so hard to ask for a picture of the Bluth model home off of Gewgle Images?

 

[MikeD]

Is it so hard to ask for a picture of the Bluth model home off of Gewgle Images?

Along with the model WMDs, of course...

 

[blue]

OH NOES! SADDAM'S MINI-PALACES!

blah. No luck.

 

[MMike]

That show should NOT have beeen cancelled

 

[valve bouncer]

NZ gets 60% of it's power from renewables and that percentage goes up every year.

Did any of you see that movie "Who killed the Electric Car?"

Don't need to, I already know how it happened

 

[ohio]

They haven't hit the commercial market because they require slightly different habits than fuelled cars and no company is willing to risk/invest in educating the consumer and changing behavior and expectations.

On a technical level, there's no good reason. They have as good or better road performance, reliability, and cost compared to a fuelled car. Downsides are shorter range (if you want to keep cost reasonable and performance high), and time to recharge. For people that drive less than100 miles a day (or commute less than 100 miles each way to work, as you can recharge while at work) these are non-issues.