What would convince you to buy an electric car?

[OWC Jamie]

A smaller more spartan version of the Volt would fit nicely in my garage.

Would be nice to have my own wind generator and/or solar panel(s) to charge the batteries, too.



As a responsible citizenry we're really not doing too bad recycling batteries, especially car batteries.

[Trouble]

mattkime wrote:
[quote=Dakota]
[quote=mattkime]


I think one of the biggest selling points of an electric car is not needing to stop for gas.

How is stopping to recharge any different? Remember that a 40 mile charge is really a 20 mile range because you have to spend the other 20 just to get back home.
the vast majority of trips are within that limit.
In retrospect they are. Excuse the fumbling language. What I am trying to say is that while a majority of those trips are, in reality being limited to a 20 radius miles is crippling. Having to plan everything out and making sure that no way the car discharges completely. No "Hey, let's go over here" or "An emergency just popped up. I have to go pick up my kid." situations. As long as everything stays perfectly normal, a 20 miles radius, back and forth, isn't too much of a limitation. But if something happens, it is a huge limitation and a tow charge.

[sekker]

Trouble wrote:
[quote=mattkime]
[quote=Dakota]
[quote=mattkime]


I think one of the biggest selling points of an electric car is not needing to stop for gas.

How is stopping to recharge any different? Remember that a 40 mile charge is really a 20 mile range because you have to spend the other 20 just to get back home.
the vast majority of trips are within that limit.
In retrospect they are. Excuse the fumbling language. What I am trying to say is that while a majority of those trips are, in reality being limited to a 20 radius miles is crippling. Having to plan everything out and making sure that no way the car discharges completely. No "Hey, let's go over here" or "An emergency just popped up. I have to go pick up my kid." situations. As long as everything stays perfectly normal, a 20 miles radius, back and forth, isn't too much of a limitation. But if something happens, it is a huge limitation and a tow charge.
This is why a plug-in hybrid right now is a good mix. Right now, a retrofitted Prius is the best thing out there. It can be reasonably sized, covers these shorter trips on almost all electrical power, but has a full tank of gas for longer trips.

I just sat in a Chevy Volt. It is MUCH smaller than the Prius - basically, it only holds two adults max plus 2 kids. When you put someone like me in one of the front seats (6'2"), the seat goes back so far that the leg room in the backseat only fits a child. My 13year old daughter (who is 5'4") could not fit.

The good news is that the Prius is proving the technology CAN work. I do not think the Volt is going to have the same success, at least as a version 1 product.

[Mac1337]

mattkime wrote:
[quote=Dakota]
[quote=mattkime]


I think one of the biggest selling points of an electric car is not needing to stop for gas.

How is stopping to recharge any different? Remember that a 40 mile charge is really a 20 mile range because you have to spend the other 20 just to get back home.
the vast majority of trips are within that limit.

i don't know the limit of current electric vehicles but they'd clearly need to be able to go 90-95%+ of the majority of trip distances. macphanatic excluded since he's on the road far more than joe average american.
I suppose you have never gotten lost. I don't think I want to be worrying about my batteries going flat in the middle of a flash mob on Broad Street.

[mrlynn]

If you converted all of the vehicles in the USA to electric power, it's been said that you'd have to build a LOT more power plants (and their associated distribution systems) to make up for the energy provided by liquid fuels now. It wouldn't make a lot of sense, when gasoline is relatively cheap (compared to much of the world), diesel equally (and more efficient), and we are sitting on huge supplies of natural gas (not to mention coal, which can be converted to oil and gasoline).

That said, the main impediment to a practical electric car is battery range. Invent a better battery, and the world will come a-knockin'. I wonder sometimes about some kind of bio-technology, but probably what we need is to get more micro than chemistry. There's all that empty space between atoms, after all, to store electrons. . .

In the meantime, I'm still hoping for a Mustang GT convertible. . .

/Mr Lynn

[Bill in NC]

Rather than swapping batteries (several hundred pounds) more electric vehicles need to be able to be quick-charged (under 30 minutes for 80% charge)

Problem is we don't have a quick-charge standard yet (e.g. CHAdeMO)

And most EVs can't take a quick charge (the best they're designed for is Level II, 220V charging - still takes several hours if close to empty)

Until we get the above I doubt the mass market will be comfortable with sub-100 mile range EVs.

[cowboyxjon]

For me, it's an issue of price and size. I have nothing against fuel efficiency or alternative energy, but I don't care for little cars. If I could get something a bit larger that wouldn't cost $50K, I'd be interested.

[Speedy]

People seemingly aren't that interested in conservation or mileage. If they were, we would have all been driving Diesels for years. Our two cars are Diesels but when we get rid of one its replacement will be all-electric. Of course, we'll need to be able to buy an all-electric because they aren't being sold in Minnesota. A good heater isn't likely but I can fix that.

[blooz]

The ability to drive from western MA to NYC and back without a "fill-up."

[lazydays]

So Speedy, what would you do about the heater?