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Post by clarencebunsen on Aug 11, 2021 16:58:07 GMT -5
The White House is having an Electric vehicle event this week. Elon Musk and Tesla are not invited. Musk is the oddest of odd ducks but he also the best engineer of this century. Tesla is the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles and makes them in the US. What gives?
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Post by Clipper on Aug 11, 2021 17:12:01 GMT -5
Check their party affiliation. That probably will answer the question.  |
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Post by clarencebunsen on Aug 11, 2021 20:45:31 GMT -5
I don't know if Musk is a US citizen but he and the UAW do not get along so that probably counts for more than technical brilliance.
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Post by BHU on Aug 11, 2021 20:45:34 GMT -5
Electric vehicles are the wave of the future. Ford will be selling a 1/2 ton F-150 pickup in 2022 powered by batteries that can tow 10,000 lbs with a range of almost 300 miles. Not saying I'd buy one, but battery power is the wave of the future. The technology is there.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Aug 12, 2021 10:25:30 GMT -5
I see people charging their cars at Price Chopper in North Utica. A lot more cars in the past year use it.
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Post by Clipper on Aug 12, 2021 10:41:23 GMT -5
We see people charging at Sam's Club, and at the Pinnacle shopping area. People get off the interstate just to charge their vehicle. It is directly adjacent to the interstate exit. I guess there is a Tesla app that tells a person where all the charging stations are.
Now that we don't have the trailer my next truck will have a smaller more economical engine, but there is no way I will be buying an electric pickup, and if forced to do so, it would probably be a Toyota Tundra or a Chevy. It will be interesting to see how many cars have to be towed because they didn't charge the night before. Ya can't go to a service station and fill a five gallon can with electricity to get you to the nearest charging station. I noticed that the Thruway service plazas had charging stations when we were up there in July. It will be interesting to see how many recharging stations are necessary along the roads to fill the needs as the electric cars become more popular.
I hate to see what a cyber attack on our electric grid would do. If the power were out for a couple of days, trucks and cars would all be down for the count and commerce would grind to a halt.
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Post by BHU on Aug 12, 2021 14:04:03 GMT -5
I like that new Ford Ranger. I think it's a V6. The problem with a small pickup is the bed is usually only 5 ft. Try fitting an 8 or 10 ft. board in a 5 ft. bed. Or a sheet of plywood. It gets interesting. Lol
If I ever bought a full size pickup again it would be a Tundra.
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Post by Clipper on Aug 12, 2021 17:52:23 GMT -5
Even my RAM full size 4 door crew cab only has a 5 1/2 foot box. I have to flip back the first section of the trifold tonneau and let plywood or 8 foot goods hang over the top of the closed tailgate. I missed the 8 foo box on my older trucks but got used to it. My last 8 foot box was on a 97 F-150.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Aug 13, 2021 8:43:27 GMT -5
I would like to see an analysis of what changes would have to be made to our infrastructure if 30-50% were electric. We would definitely need to increase our generating, transmission and distribution capacity. Adding a lot of "clean" generation is problematic. If 50% of the cars in my neighborhood were to be plugged in for charging at dinner time, I doubt that National Grid has the capacity to get that much electricity to keep us on-line at once.
Changes need to be made and some of them will be uncomfortable but plans should be made soon.
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Post by Clipper on Aug 14, 2021 1:59:19 GMT -5
It would be interesting to see. Right now there are some areas that are in danger of power outages or brown outs because of all the power used for air conditioning overloading the grid during the extreme heatwave. With that situation overloading the grid just think how large to load would be with plugging in every car in a particular area overnight so that they would be be charged to drive to work the next day.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Aug 14, 2021 10:09:41 GMT -5
Maybe some system for car charging can be worked out. Like if your license plate ends with a equal number then you charge at a certain time of day or night and vice versa.
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Post by Clipper on Aug 14, 2021 19:55:19 GMT -5
Maybe they will equip vehicles with a back up system of sprockets and drive chains so they can be pedaled home like a bicycle if the batteries crap the bed and leave you between charging stations. lol
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Aug 15, 2021 10:51:22 GMT -5
I think they should all be hybrids.
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