Seriously thoughtful Electric Cars : BYD

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

BTW Did you notice the little EV Ford in the latest Bond movie "Quantum of Solace"? It's the scene taking place in the Carribeans where Bond gets out of a hotel with a metal briefcase. A car stops next to him an the heroine beckons him in. Just listen to the sound of that car during the following chases. Sweeeet little ride!!!

And the car was nice, too.

I know, I know, I couldn't help myself. Anything to get us past the disposal of nuclear fuel discussion...

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Something else for us to look forward to.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Something else for us to look forward to.

Cupholders too? I want one of those, do you think the "temporal regulations contract" may be extened?

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by wodin

The bottom line is and will always be; how does this affect me?

The answer, in my case is: not at all since there are significant practical and economic reasons for me to not have an electric vehicle.

Should conditions change, I will re-look the issues.

I'm much the same. Practically, a 250 mile range would be fine for me since I live in a city, have an 8 mile round trip commute to work etc.

But at the same time I live in a condo complex and would have no where to plug in an electric car and can't install outdoor wiring obviously etc.

Also I like the freedom to take longer trips in my car as well.

So for me the plug-in hybrid is the way to go--once I live somewhere I have a garage or outdoor outlet to plug into anyway. Then I'd be using only electric on my daily commutes, but have no worries about being able to take longer trips etc.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I'm much the same. Practically, a 250 mile range would be fine for me since I live in a city, have an 8 mile round trip commute to work etc.

But at the same time I live in a condo complex and would have no where to plug in an electric car and can't install outdoor wiring obviously etc.

Also I like the freedom to take longer trips in my car as well.

So for me the plug-in hybrid is the way to go--once I live somewhere I have a garage or outdoor outlet to plug into anyway. Then I'd be using only electric on my daily commutes, but have no worries about being able to take longer trips etc.

Could you negociate a plugging spot for your car with your employer? Then instead of plugging home where it is not possible, you could do it at work. An EV is like a laptop. If you're not using it, plug it.

When you need a car for an occasional long trip, rent one. Hybrids were invented, like range anxiety, to maintain the populace enslaved in the oil consumption moebius cycle.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I'm much the same. Practically, a 250 mile range would be fine for me since I live in a city, have an 8 mile round trip commute to work etc.

But at the same time I live in a condo complex and would have no where to plug in an electric car and can't install outdoor wiring obviously etc.

It's for people in your situation that, hopefully, the authorities will figure out some way to deliver power to every parking space. It may sound outlandish and unlikely, but stranger things have happened... and for the concept of electric vehicles to be embraced by the U.S., they'll need to come up with something like that to allow everyone in high-density housing to manage it. (Either that, or a removable battery that can be rolled into the apartment and charged overnight...)

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Also I like the freedom to take longer trips in my car as well.

I hear this a lot, and I think there are alternatives that will allow this, like car rentals and Zipcar-type services. (I saw someone take a Zipcar from Washington, D.C. to Rehoboth, Delaware once...) Unfortunately, most people refuse to compromise with the idea of having their own car, waiting for them at every moment, even if it is not practical or financially sensible to have it (ie, you rarely use it for long-distance trips, so it becomes a money-drain).

I can consider owning a short-range all-electric car, because we are a 2-car family, and the other car can provide our long-range driving needs. And I don't need to be anywhere in such a hurry that I can't plan ahead, or make other arrangements. But hopefully, electrics will eventually be able to satisfy the long-range needs as well, possibly with the extended-range trailer I mentioned previously, or with a faster recharge system in-place.

And if not, I'll get used to adding time to my long-distance trips (something else I'm familiar with, having traveled by motorcycle for years).

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by wodin

Cupholders too? I want one of those, do you think the "temporal regulations contract" may be extened?

Couldn't tell you... I had to settle in temporal court--fortunately for me, the salesman and the temporal delivery rep didn't appear, and I was cleared of wrongdoing charges--but I have been forbidden by law to describe the procedures I used to get the V1, or the Weeping Angels will sneak up behind me and take me to 1750, where I'll be forced to live out the rest of my life as one of Thomas Jefferson's slaves. And frankly, I hate soul food. So, I'm keeping mum.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by wodin

Have you ever been involved in "literally unbolt(ing) the thing"? Having been there and done that, I can assure it's not quite that simple.

Yes, I have, actually. I worked for 12 years for the UK Atomic Energy Authority - on submarine power systems. OK, I know it's not that simple, but conceptually that is what is done.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I rather like this one:






That extra wheel puts it in the car driver's license category, instead of the motor cycle driver's license category, over here...

It doesn't look stable to me. I don't even like riding non-motorized tricycles. At one time we had a tricycle at the place I work once. I rode it once, and every time I came to a corner, I felt as if the thing was going to tip over. Unlike bicycles and motorcycles, you can't lean into the curve on a trike.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

It doesn't look stable to me. I don't even like riding non-motorized tricycles. At one time we had a tricycle at the place I work once. I rode it once, and every time I came to a corner, I felt as if the thing was going to tip over. Unlike bicycles and motorcycles, you can't lean into the curve on a trike.

With this one you can. It changes camber so you can lean it. Within reason of course, it's not a foot peg grating superbike.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

With this one you can. It changes camber so you can lean it. Within reason of course, it's not a foot peg grating superbike.

They say it's stable up to a lean angle of 40 degrees. That's a lot!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

With this one you can. It changes camber so you can lean it. Within reason of course, it's not a foot peg grating superbike.

That's good news!

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Could you negociate a plugging spot for your car with your employer? Then instead of plugging home where it is not possible, you could do it at work. An EV is like a laptop. If you're not using it, plug it.

Not likely, I work for an urban university and park in a 5 level parking garage. They aren't going to put plugs in there and pay for anyone who wants to charge etc.

When you need a car for an occasional long trip, rent one. Hybrids were invented, like range anxiety, to maintain the populace enslaved in the oil consumption moebius cycle.

Too much trouble vs. just owning one. I'm not tree hugger, so I don't mind having a gas car that gets decent MPG.

Plug in hybrids seem like a great compromise until hydrogen or some other clean fuel is viable.

100% electric most of the time, but have gas as a fall back when needed.

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

It's for people in your situation that, hopefully, the authorities will figure out some way to deliver power to every parking space. It may sound outlandish and unlikely, but stranger things have happened... and for the concept of electric vehicles to be embraced by the U.S., they'll need to come up with something like that to allow everyone in high-density housing to manage it. (Either that, or a removable battery that can be rolled into the apartment and charged overnight...)

It could happen, but it only works with assigned parking spaces so the outlets can be billed to the residents account. And then you still have problems of people plugging into adjacent spots to steal electric etc.

So that will be a major issue to figure out.

Unfortunately, most people refuse to compromise with the idea of having their own car, waiting for them at every moment, even if it is not practical or financially sensible to have it (ie, you rarely use it for long-distance trips, so it becomes a money-drain).

I definitely fall in that category. Convenience is the main factor driving most of my decisions.

Besides, I buy cars that get decent gas mileage, live close to work etc. so I feel like I'm doing my part.

I'll get a clean energy car when they're more viable and affordable--be it a plug in hybrid, a hydrogen car or some yet to be invented clean fuel source.

I can consider owning a short-range all-electric car, because we are a 2-car family, and the other car can provide our long-range driving needs.

Now that I could see if I was in that situation. But I'm single so it's a 1 car household for now. But currently my g/f and I work for the same University, so we could definitely do that if we got married and have one car for commuting to work and the other for long-range needs.

[PKFFW]

Baring a major break through in EV's I think I'll wait until hydrogen cars come along.

I read recently about a gentleman that had developed a new way of turning water into HHO gas that made the process much more efficient. He had built his own portable blow torch cutter thingy-ma-jig that was water powered and then he coverted his car to run on it too. He uses something like 5 ounces of water for a 100 mile trip. It's all been tested and verified and doesn't seem to be a scam and now he is currently in negotiations with US car makers and is even working with the US military to develop a water powered Hummer.

Of course it probably wont be for another 20 years until these things are available to the public but since I probably wont be able to afford another car for that long anyway I can wait!

Cheers,
PKFFW

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Not likely, I work for an urban university and park in a 5 level parking garage. They aren't going to put plugs in there and pay for anyone who wants to charge etc...

It could happen, but it only works with assigned parking spaces so the outlets can be billed to the residents account. And then you still have problems of people plugging into adjacent spots to steal electric etc.

So that will be a major issue to figure out.

Not so major as you might think. Right now, parking meters are being rolled out that allow people to use credit cards to pay... and they can build one of those for every parking spot, or one box that serves multiple numbered spots. So there is a way to (A) give each spot a charging point, and (B) accurately charge the individual who uses it. You don't need assigned spaces at all.

Further, lot owners would have an incentive to wire their lots, and make them attractive to car owners (ie, safe, fast-charging, etc) if they received a percentage of the charging revenue.