Alias Electric Sports Car

[housertl]

Don't make any sense to me at all .... need to charge it up... and where does that come from? ...A Power station that pollutes just as much as an automobile. Where's the gain? Sorry if I'm missing something... and yeah that electric tricycle is hideous... wouldn't be seen dead in one, unless it made a cheap coffin!

Here's my thought on electric cars...they don't work for everyone, but they should work for most. 95% of people in the US drive 35 miles per day or less, and drive by themselves about 90% of the time. So, small short range cars work well for most people.

On the pollution front, yes, the electricity comes from coal, whatever, but, we have developed non polluting ways to generate electricity. We have NOT figured out a way to make a solar/wind/hydro powered car. So, the logical thing is to push battery powered plug in cars and simultaneously push for renewable energy plants, to solve both sides of the problem. Plus, I have a hard time believing that coal/NG fueled power plants actually pollute as much as cars on the road.

Here's the real kicker. Your wallet. If you are inclined to drive in a car that costs $30-40k anyway, this one is a winner. No oil changes; in fact, virtually no maintenance. Electricity costs about $0.15 to $0.20 per kwH, I think. The battery pack capacity in this car is 32 kwh, so, even if you drain the battery to zero every day and charge it up, it will cost you about $5-6 per day to drive your 100 miles. If you assume an average of 20mpg and $4 gasoline, that means the average person in an average car driving the same commute would save about $421 per month.

The average person will save about $700 per month if they completely ditch their car, meaning that if you take the cost of all maintenance, payments, and insurance and amortize it over a year, this is what the average person spends to drive their car. Since the range of this car is 100 miles, it seems safe to assume that 1 mile should equal around 1% of the battery pack's capacity. Most people would use about 11.2 kwh to do their 35 mile per day commuting. At $0.20 per kwh, this translates to $2.24 in electricity to drive. Compared to $7 per day in the same hypothetical 20 mpg car at $4 per gallon. Comparing the monthly energy costs for these two, gives a total savings per month of around $147 for the average driver. Take that off of the $700 and you get $553. Since the car requires basically no maintenance, you can probably scrap another $50 per month off of that, conservatively.

So figure you will save $200 per month by using this car for 95% of your driving. Is it worth it to you? Only you can answer that.

Oh, and remember, many people think the VX is ugly. Eye of the beholder, and all.

Personally, I want one.

[circmand]

You compare a 3 seater with no cargo to the gas mileage a full size pick up gets that can haul 1000 pounds of cargo and 3 people. With a 3 year limited warranty my guess is they aren't standing behind your guess that zero maintainance will be needed. What they dont have parts that wear, need greased etc. I notice you also add maintainance for the gas vehicle but mention no figure for insurance on a $38,000 piece of plastic. I would love to see how that vehicle handles in a crash test first.

Now as to the gas vs electric cost if everyone switches electricity demand goes through the roof and cost expands to cover the new needed electrical demands. You cant build power plants for free. Following the law of supply and demand the kw goes up. Plus your car sits out all day unplugged and all the little devices sap the power. Are you going to pull over and charge your car for 10 hours before getting home? uld the government take more tax dollars than they already do to support these vehicles and build charging stations for them?

In addition, I do not know about you but I often drive my car for other things besides work. Got a date? Sorry honey cant take you out tonite I have to charge up my car.

[Osteomata]

Now as to the gas vs electric cost if everyone switches electricity demand goes through the roof and cost expands to cover the new needed electrical demands. You cant build power plants for free. Following the law of supply and demand the kw goes up. Plus your car sits out all day unplugged and all the little devices sap the power. Are you going to pull over and charge your car for 10 hours before getting home? uld the government take more tax dollars than they already do to support these vehicles and build charging stations for them? .

I agree with your point about the unfair math comparison, but this supply and demand argument is missing some critical aspects and I think arrives at a false conclusion. Electricity production costs are closely tied to fossil fuel prices. If everyone switches to electric cars per your scenario, then a major user of fossil fuel goes away, which vastly increases the supply of avialable fuels to the elecric plant purchases, which then lowers electricy prices. This would be a greater impact on price than the demand increase from the new electricity users because of the previously mentioned greater unit efficiency of electric cars vs gas cars.

As for the 10 hour charge after work concern: this is just nonsense. Its almost as if you think all the electric car engineers are morons that will be astounded to learn of this fatal flaw you have discovered. The electric car batteries are very big, and compared to the miniscule trickle demand of the car's electronics when not in use duriung the course of a day, it will have a very tiny effect on the power reserve avaiable when you come out of work to drive home. This is simply a non issue.

The lifestyle choices argument I get, as well as the range concerns, which is why I think we will be increasing hybrid market for a long time while pure electrics will continue to languish in a very niche market.

[circmand]

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit, sought to clarify matters by doing a lifecycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions that includes energy inputs from start to finish, not only during drive time.

It finds that charging an all-electric car, such as the Nissan Leaf, in regions dominated by coal results in global warming emissions equivalent to a car with a mileage rating between 31 miles per gallon to 40 mpg.

The coal-dominated regions are in the Midwest, representing 18 percent of the U.S. population. In this case, a hybrid Prius, for example, which gets about 48 mpg, would be less polluting than an all-electric car.

Electric vehicles charged in areas with cleaner sources of electricity yields the equivalent of over 50 miles per gallon, better than the most fuel-efficient gasoline or diesel cars today. Those areas include most of the western states and most of the states on the eastern seaboard, which rely more on hydropower, natural gas, or nuclear. These regions as "best" for plug-ins cover about 45 percent of the U.S. population.

"This report's analysis shows that consumers should feel confident that driving an electric vehicle yields lower global warming emissions than the average new compact gasoline-powered vehicle," according to the report.

The authors note there are other benefits to driving plug-in electric vehicles, including lower costs per mile and reducing oil consumption.

Plug-in electric vehicles come with a higher price tag, but the Union of Concerned Scientists study estimates that over the life of the car a driver could save over 6,000 gallons of gasoline and $13,000 by driving an all-electric vehicle, compared to an average compact gasoline car. That assumes $3.50 per gallon gasoline, the U.S. average for electricity prices which is 11 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 15,000 miles a year for 15 years.


Now my addition if you have to drive the car for 15 years at 15000 miles a year that is 225000 miles. At $13,000 savings over 225,000 miles that is a savings of 5 cents a mile. Now ask yourself would you rather drive 225,000 in a comfortable hybrid with no worries about running out of juice or take the risk in an all electric vehicle with over estimated range and a 3 year limited warranty?

[Osteomata]

Good article, would love to have a link if you get the chance. I think we are in agreement on the utility of a hybrid vs the all electric, at least for now. Which is why I think the OP should at least compare his offbrand electric to the Chevy Volt and other hybrid options.

T

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit, sought to clarify matters by doing a lifecycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions that includes energy inputs from start to finish, not only during drive time.

It finds that charging an all-electric car, such as the Nissan Leaf, in regions dominated by coal results in global warming emissions equivalent to a car with a mileage rating between 31 miles per gallon to 40 mpg.

The coal-dominated regions are in the Midwest, representing 18 percent of the U.S. population. In this case, a hybrid Prius, for example, which gets about 48 mpg, would be less polluting than an all-electric car.

Electric vehicles charged in areas with cleaner sources of electricity yields the equivalent of over 50 miles per gallon, better than the most fuel-efficient gasoline or diesel cars today. Those areas include most of the western states and most of the states on the eastern seaboard, which rely more on hydropower, natural gas, or nuclear. These regions as "best" for plug-ins cover about 45 percent of the U.S. population.

"This report's analysis shows that consumers should feel confident that driving an electric vehicle yields lower global warming emissions than the average new compact gasoline-powered vehicle," according to the report.

The authors note there are other benefits to driving plug-in electric vehicles, including lower costs per mile and reducing oil consumption.

Plug-in electric vehicles come with a higher price tag, but the Union of Concerned Scientists study estimates that over the life of the car a driver could save over 6,000 gallons of gasoline and $13,000 by driving an all-electric vehicle, compared to an average compact gasoline car. That assumes $3.50 per gallon gasoline, the U.S. average for electricity prices which is 11 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 15,000 miles a year for 15 years.


Now my addition if you have to drive the car for 15 years at 15000 miles a year that is 225000 miles. At $13,000 savings over 225,000 miles that is a savings of 5 cents a mile. Now ask yourself would you rather drive 225,000 in a comfortable hybrid with no worries about running out of juice or take the risk in an all electric vehicle with over estimated range and a 3 year limited warranty?

[circmand]

Good article, would love to have a link if you get the chance. I think we are in agreement on the utility of a hybrid vs the all electric, at least for now. Which is why I think the OP should at least compare his offbrand electric to the Chevy Volt and other hybrid options.

T

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles...tric-cars.html

[Paul_A]

Lol! Now I'm Impressed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ukLgsGEzs