Plug-in cars question
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Elder User
Joined: May 2005
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From: Chaparral, NM
Plug-in cars question
I wonder how much it ups ones electric bill to recharge these plug in cars and why this is never mentioned on TV when talking about how much one will save at the pump with owning one of them.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,221
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From: Cow Town, CA
becasue you can get them charged for free at many places....also some power companies put in a second meater so at night you get charged like a 4th the regualer price and that is when you charge the car....but places like Costco and other places will let you plug in for free....we have a ford building by me that has about 6 or 8 plugs in the parking lot for people to use and they are free too....
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Running Springs CA
Ive seen calculations of roughly $5 per "tankful" equivalent, but I dont remember how many gallons that was. Probably a 10-12 gallon economy car, still quite a savings. Also dont know where, as electric rates vary by region, just like gasoline.
Jim
Jim
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Cornelius, Oregon
What I wonder is why no one mentions where that power is coming from? Seems like the majority of electricity in this country is produced by coal fired plants, how "green" are you really when you just replace your internal combustion engine with power you're getting from a dirty coal plant? Not to mention that coal is a non-renewable resource similar to oil...
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Elder User
Joined: May 2005
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From: Chaparral, NM
What I wonder is why no one mentions where that power is coming from? Seems like the majority of electricity in this country is produced by coal fired plants, how "green" are you really when you just replace your internal combustion engine with power you're getting from a dirty coal plant? Not to mention that coal is a non-renewable resource similar to oil...
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Rhode Island
My biggest issue with plug in cars is : What do you do when you are driving on a long trip and your battery ones low? Doesn't exactly take 2 minutes to charge them up.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: The Big, Oregon
Many of the "city car" style electrics can charge in 15mins at dedicated stations. Dump charging is also possible, but then your talking 1000amps at 300+ volts for 25-30seconds. Usually only used for drag racing.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Rhode Island
Anyways NiMHs don't appreciate huge charge currents like that, builds up tons of heat. Li-ion handles currents that high better, but they also need good cooling.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
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From: The Big, Oregon
Currently, those are your options. If you don't want to stop every two hours or so for 20-30minutes, then don't take an electric car.
On the other side of that, I am working on a true hybrid that once I have the money to build will be a full size SUV touching 30mpg, with about 500miles range, and common fuels- no hydrogen, no atomic water splitting technology, just less fossil fuels. Of course, the conversion costs about $40k due to the materials and labor involved.
Now, you have to ask- Would you spend upwards of $80k on something that gets nearly triple the mileage it -should-, spend $35-40k and put up with the limitations of an electric, or spend $25-30k on something that goes as far as you want when you want and just complain about the price of gas?
On the other side of that, I am working on a true hybrid that once I have the money to build will be a full size SUV touching 30mpg, with about 500miles range, and common fuels- no hydrogen, no atomic water splitting technology, just less fossil fuels. Of course, the conversion costs about $40k due to the materials and labor involved.
Now, you have to ask- Would you spend upwards of $80k on something that gets nearly triple the mileage it -should-, spend $35-40k and put up with the limitations of an electric, or spend $25-30k on something that goes as far as you want when you want and just complain about the price of gas?
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: None of your business
What I wonder is why no one mentions where that power is coming from? Seems like the majority of electricity in this country is produced by coal fired plants, how "green" are you really when you just replace your internal combustion engine with power you're getting from a dirty coal plant? Not to mention that coal is a non-renewable resource similar to oil...
Probably pretty green. A lot of coal plants have upgraded to be clean coal plants that are fairly green. Not only that, but if I'm not mistaken, most power plants can run around 90% efficiency vs the 30% or so of your internal combustion engine.
I'm all for more nukes though. But if we have to burn fossil fuels, I'd much rather burn up coal that we have a crap load of here vs oil. Not only would we not be sending fortunes over seas and creating domestic jobs, but we need oil for so much more than fuel. As far as I know, coal isn't really good for anything else but burning.
Mike
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Frequently frozen MN
I roughed out some charging calcs, and it seemed as if the power grid would really get loaded if plug ins get reasonably popular. (say 25% of all vehicles)
With current prices, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper to run. I don't know what might happen, if we had to build a lot more electric capability to accomodate them.
With current prices, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper to run. I don't know what might happen, if we had to build a lot more electric capability to accomodate them.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,077
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From: None of your business
I roughed out some charging calcs, and it seemed as if the power grid would really get loaded if plug ins get reasonably popular. (say 25% of all vehicles)
With current prices, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper to run. I don't know what might happen, if we had to build a lot more electric capability to accomodate them.
With current prices, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper to run. I don't know what might happen, if we had to build a lot more electric capability to accomodate them.
Think about this though for a sec. What if every new home had to supply itself with at least 50% of it's annual power draw with solar power? After a period of time, even if one area was overcast, there would still be power generation from other areas and we wouldn't be so dependant on main lines.
Mike
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Elder User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 579
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From: Chaparral, NM
I roughed out some charging calcs, and it seemed as if the power grid would really get loaded if plug ins get reasonably popular. (say 25% of all vehicles)
With current prices, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper to run. I don't know what might happen, if we had to build a lot more electric capability to accomodate them.
With current prices, they do seem to be quite a bit cheaper to run. I don't know what might happen, if we had to build a lot more electric capability to accomodate them.
And this is also another point I wanted to make. Thanks Ford2go. Electricity is going up as we speak, and as more plug ins are used it will go up even more. Eventually complaints about high electric bills will replace complaints about high gas prices... and of course, all the free plug in places mentioned earlier will have to start charging as well.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,221
Likes: 6
From: Cow Town, CA
ok right now if you buy a electric car you can have (at lest in my area) the electric company come out put a second meter for late night early morning use that will charge you one fourth the normal rate....here it is $0.07 a kwh when it is normaly in the 20 to 40 cents depending on your level......