The Electric Car Revolution is on

[AltinD]

Temporary diversion? Hydrogen powered vehicle experienting has been going on for decades, and back then people were as optimistic as now their grown up childrens (or even grand childrens) are about the electric car.

[AltinD]

Originally Posted by VelesHomais

Technology for cars to drive themselves has arrived, it's used by U.S. Military and NASA. It will be available to us in ten years.

Meh, a certain automaker have been doing that for many years.

[VelesHomais]

Are you insinuating that electric cars won't be mainstream in the very near future?

[AltinD]

Define 'very near future' ... but yeah, they will not.

[Turknology]

I am somehow getting a feeling that you are against alternatives to petroleum feuled vehicles. Am I wrong?

[dark_shadow1]

Originally Posted by VelesHomais

I know Israel wants to be completely covered with them in just 3 years, they expect to abandon gas powered cars by 2020. Hawaii has similar goals.

Yes, that entire process is supposed to be started by Better Place in 1 year. Everything about it here:
http://www.betterplace.com/

Originally Posted by AltinD

Define 'very near future' ... but yeah, they will not.

Why not? All of the required technology already exists- all that is needed are companies to start the process and governments to support it.

[Suburbanist]

I think that electric propulsion for personal cars is gaining traction and becoming mainstream. As it happened with other industries, once a COUPLE (: BILLIONS potential unit sales are at stake, and not just mere few millions, research and development of things associated with cars will dramatically increase, and as it happens, it will accelerate development of the electric car.

As for the range issue, I don't think they need to be able to drive 1600km on a row. The key would be fast-charging or replaceable-rechargeable-interchangeable batteries that can be exchanged by charged ones at stations. Better Place is working on this project.

Of course, the electric car will put some additional strain on electricity transmission systems, which will be the much-needed push toward smart grids and so. Then, people will be able to choose things like paying more for the electricity that charges their cars' batteries if they are feeling guilty of burning coal to charge them or so.

[VelesHomais]

Originally Posted by AltinD

Define 'very near future' ... but yeah, they will not.

10 years in general, but it varies between regions

[AltinD]

I very much doubt that. Is practically impossible to do the switch in such a short time.. It costs billions for the automakers to upgrade their production lines, let alone to make them from scratch.

It takes at least 5 years to develop the next generation of an existing model for a manufacturer, and you believe they will build a completely new type of mass-produced vehicles in 10?

Israel can put forward as many goals as they want but without controlling any of the top car manufacturers, there's little they can do, except becoming the testing ground for the new technologies and products.

[Mr.Kittehs]

I refuse to buy a car until I can afford an electric one in like 2012 or so when im 16 years old. I already manage the Networks at my dad's company, so I'm hoping to get money from that. I also want to convert all my piggy bank to Euros b4 they Euro goes up again.

[AltinD]

The EUR went up ... and you already drive electric powered cars

[Mr.Kittehs]

oh i havent had one of those in 5 years. i once put my cat in it and drove him around. hes dead now thow.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Personally, I'm leaning more toward Altin's point of view on this. I like the idea of electric cars, but I'd like to see more R&D developing batteries that can handle the same loads and drives current cars and trucks make, like a pickup truck for a construction company that has to drive 100 miles each day. In the meantime, start developing more hybrid models in the interim. I like Ford's hybrids. I've got a 2007 Escape Hybrid and it's great. So, give it a decade, focus on developing affordable hybrids in different models (I know there are some hybrid SUVs, but right now, they're just lame) while putting R&D money into long-lasting, durable batteries for electric cars.

[VelesHomais]

Originally Posted by AltinD

I very much doubt that. Is practically impossible to do the switch in such a short time.. It costs billions for the automakers to upgrade their production lines, let alone to make them from scratch.

It takes at least 5 years to develop the next generation of an existing model for a manufacturer, and you believe they will build a completely new type of mass-produced vehicles in 10?

Israel can put forward as many goals as they want but without controlling any of the top car manufacturers, there's little they can do, except becoming the testing ground for the new technologies and products.

Nonsense. Nissan Leaf alone (fully electric) is going to produce 150000 cars annually in U.S. and more in UK and Japan by 2012. American government is subsidizing plant coversion and modernization. Renault,Volkswagen and Ford are going to begin mass production at the same time. After that it's going to be a snowball effect. Millions will be produced as early as 2014-2015. Cars powered by dead plants will still exist in masses by 2020 but they're going to be quickly disappearing and will vanish by 2030.

[AltinD]

The same was said for hydrogen 5 years ago.

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by AltinD

The EUR went up ... and you already drive electric powered cars

good one, love the choice of a PUGSHITE

Originally Posted by Turknology

Also Turkey has been working on Hydrogen feul cells for quite some time now. As a country dependant on petroleum importations electric cars are a way out of our dependance on foreign countries for feul.

easier said than done, how will you get the electricity, fuel/gas/coal needs to be burned to get the power. solar electricity is not enough at the moment, neither is hydro electric to power all the cars.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

I remember seeing an article in the local paper here about a "crazy" idea someone thought of to generate alternative energy to help displace fossil fuels: wind turbines in the medians of freeways. The theory was that the traffic would go by the turbines fast enough and frequently enough that there would be a near constant source of wind powering these turbines. Personally, I love the idea. Turbines in the freeways, send that electricity to recharging stations: cars powering cars.

[Get Smart]

one day in the future for sure, but definitely not at the moment. also speaking from experience, it be better to get rid of bad drivers from driving who cause mess and traffic jams before jumping on to electric cars and all that.

[VelesHomais]

Nuclear Power Plants.

[VelesHomais]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

one day in the future for sure, but definitely not at the moment. also speaking from experience, it be better to get rid of bad drivers from driving who cause mess and traffic jams before jumping on to electric cars and all that.

That doesn't make any sense at all.