Monday, January 08, 2007
Who Resurrected The Electric Car?
After being slammed for killing the EV1, it appears GM has leapfrogged to the front of the electric car craze. This little number gets 150 MPG!
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But as a concept car...will we actually be able to buy one sometime soon??? I am willing to guess that the government will do anything they can to stop it. Look at Smart Cars - unless something has changed in the last year, they aren't legal to drive in the U.S.
Here are some quotes from autobloggreen.com regarding production:
"In GM's development process, a program isn't considered a real production intent vehicle until a vehicle line executive is assigned. The Volt has a VLE in the person of Tony Posawatz, so it is intended for showrooms, not just the show circuit. The only thing that isn't quite real at this point is the timing. The hold-up is that darned battery. At this point no car-maker in the world has yet publicly committed to building a car powered by Li-ion batteries in any significant quantities (Tesla has announced plans, but until they actual start delivering soem production roadsters, I'll withhold judgement). Regardless of the claims of battery makers, the technology to build an affordable battery that will last 100,000 miles, with minimal degradation of performance has yet to be demonstrated. GM is looking at a number of potential suppliers, but so far hasn't committed to any. No pricing is available at this point, but the base price is almost certain to be more than a comparable Cobalt or Focus. However, they want to price it so that total operating cost of the vehicle and fuel costs are comparable or less than current cars. Given, the efficiency of such a vehicle that should allow quite a bit of latitude, as long as customers buy into that concept.
The car on show here in Detroit is a runner, and hopefully GM will let AutoblogGreen behind the wheel before too long. GM made sure to emphasize that the Volt and E-Flex are not science fair projects or PR stunts. For the sake of GM and the domestic industry as a whole, they better bring something like this to market sooner rather than later."
"A technological breakthrough required to make this concept a reality is a large lithium-ion battery. This type of electric car, which the technical community calls an "EV range-extender," would require a battery pack that weighs nearly 400 pounds (181 kg). Some experts predict that such a battery - or a similar battery - could be production-ready by 2010 to 2012."
Have you seen Tesla's roadster? That is one cool car.
In Discover Magazine, they were talking about a new kind of energy storage device that is much better than a battery because the stored energy can be immediately withdrawn with no need for a chemical reaction, and can be almost instantaneously be recharged. The problem is that, first of all, the name for these things escapes me, and second their storage capacity is a problem, if I recall correctly. It's been some time since I've read the article.
One problem with battery powered cars is that production of them is very pollutant heavy. Are we moving on to a better way to power our moving society, or just jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire? If that is true, it is unacceptable.
David, you are absolutely right. It is no more eco-friendly if the production process generates as much or more pollution or resource usage than the actual use of the vehicle.
I think the key to being "eco-friendly" with transportation lies with how we live our lives. First, owning a car with good fuel economy (like my Corolla which gets 35 mpg), and driving it as little as possible. Living near our work so that we can walk or drive very little. Taking public transportation when possible (this is where living in the CITY comes in handy, with subways/elevated trains). Positioning yourself to live near amenities so you can walk a block or two to the grocery store or a fruit market instead of driving a couple miles. Being eco-friendly is a way of life.
Maybe instead of using Steve's blog as my soapbox, I should get my own... ;)
I tried to start my own, but it was weird...I couldn't get it going. That, and I figured no one would bother to listen to my stuff anyway.
DAVID HYNES - YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN BLOG!!! I CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY... ! THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!!
When I become a famous rockstar, you can have season tickets.
Then, when I become Lord Exemplar of the Universe (a title I'll make for myself when I rise to power), I'll give you a pardon on any crimes you commit.
I'll also accelerate Global Warming so Steve won't have to move away from Delaware on account of your dislike for cold weather ;)
...So unfortunately, I'll have to 'silence' anyone who advocates non-coal powered technology.
It's more than just the cold weather... it's the smog, the crime, the awful Northern attitudes (which can be excused because no one can be expected to be polite when it's that cold outside), it's people who had parents that obviously did not teach them to open doors for ladies, the Eagles, the high prices of gas, expensive real estate, the absence of Bojangles, and worst of all... the close proximity to New Jersey and the truly wretched New Jersey drivers.
The south is warm. It is beautiful. People are polite and have cool accents. There is a church on every street corner. Gas and real property are cheap. I, in fact, own my own home. We are the home of John and Elizabeth Edwards and the #2 banking town in America, and I just plain cannot help that Steve appreciates all that the fine things the south has to offer. He's a very wise man our Steven.
It's more than just the cold weather... it's the smog, the crime, the awful Northern attitudes (which can be excused because no one can be expected to be polite when it's that cold outside), it's people who had parents that obviously did not teach them to open doors for ladies, the Eagles, the high prices of gas, expensive real estate, the absence of Bojangles, and worst of all... the close proximity to New Jersey and the truly wretched New Jersey drivers.
The south is warm. It is beautiful. People are polite and have cool accents. There is a church on every street corner. Gas and real property are cheap. I, in fact, own my own home. We are the home of John and Elizabeth Edwards and the #2 banking town in America, and I just plain cannot help that Steve appreciates all that the fine things the south has to offer. He's a very wise man our Steven.
How did my comment go through twice? I guess I needed to make sure I reiterated my point.
I wouldn't count being the place where Mr. Edwards resides something of a badge of honor.
Having a church on every street corner doesn't mean people have their heads more screwed on straight than anywhere else, and while the People's Republic of New Jersey is a wild and dangerous place, use Delawareans are tough enough to deal with them.
Personally, I want to go west. Arizona or New Mexico, wherever I can get a good education regarding volcanoes. So that when I take over the world, I can learn to spawn them under cities that displease me.
Dude, you are seriously cracking me up.
"it's people who had parents that obviously did not teach them to open doors for ladies"
Well, the "Hold the Door or Die" ordinance should put an end to that. It's chapter 3, part F, subsection iv of the "Class Enforcement Act" I'm going to put into effect.
1. When I return to the land of Delaware next month around Valentine's Day, I intend to meet you Hynes. I'll even buy you some food or a slurpy.
2. We are very proud of John Edwards and since the Yankee's keep trying to steal the airplane and that just leaves us with Dale Earnhardt... let us dream of having a president, would you?
3. I'm pretty sure that threatening to spawn volcanoes under New Jersey could be seen by some as a terror threat. CODE ORANGE!!!!!
It isn't a terrorist threat when it's the Lord Exemplar of the Universe (that would be me) doing it. America AND the People's Republic of New Jersey would become one of my many territories, and I could do with it what I pleased. Which includes spawning volcanoes under it. And there would be no terror code. Why would I want to warn them of their impending doom?
All Hail Lord Exemplar of the Universe!!!
(Steve, Hynes wigs me out when he ponders his power... I feel afraid that he may actually achieve world domination, but I think Yasser and Fidel can over throw him so I'm not too afraid.)
Paula:
Know that the Future Lord Exemplar of the Universe has seen he is on the top of your list, and is well pleased.
Bwahaha! Both of them are on their way out or already dead...leaving a vacuum for me to rise to power! The world is mine! Or at least the PLO and Cuba.
Actually, Yasser and Fidel are my kittens. Yasser Aracat Yost and Fidel Catstro Yost. I'm also hoping to someday add Winston Churchdog to my family. I think my boys could easily overthrow your political empire. Though, I fear Fidel is a Republican. He attacks my stuffed donkey all the time. He'll knock it down from off my television and body slam it from at least five feet. I don't know where he obtained his political beliefs. I mean, he was named after the Communist leader of Cuba.
Speaking of Fidel Castro, I'm deeply disturbed by the fact that he was given an artificial anus and the entire world was informed of this. If I'm ever given an artificial anus, that is something I want kept on the down low.
Fidel is no longer in power, due to his illness.
And if you think a few wanna-be fuzz balls will stop me, you are sorely mistaken, my dear, for you live in some southern province far from here, which means that I am safely out of your reach, and free to grow unchecked. You can only watch helplessly as I take over *grins wickedly*.
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