I Couldn't Wait

[ThreeWheelBurnin]

I've known a few people who've carried a gallon of gas around in their trunk.
With the increase in EVs, I guess it makes sense that a few will be hauling a gas compressor.

Good find.

The range extender gas engine (if equipped) in a BMW i3 only adds about 85 miles of range because the gas tank is only about 2.5 gallons. Perhaps an external generator and a 5 gallon Jerrycan might be a better value proposition... Seems like a pain to me.

 

[Sethodine]

In my opinion, all these "range extenders" are just ways to take advantage of people's range-anxiety. EV's are wonderful, clean, quiet, low-maintenance machines, and lugging around a gas generator completely negates all of those things. If your commute is the sort where you have to fill up with gas every day, then an EV is not for you.

Driving my Leaf is like driving on a quarter-tank of gas. Anywhere a sedan can get you on 1/4 of a tank, the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Spark EV can get you there, too. That doesn't sound like much, but since you will be fueling up every night it's really not that bad.

Driving a Tesla (or the up-coming Chevy Bolt) is like having half a tank of gas (maybe a little bit more).

If range is a concern, then the plug-in hybrids like the Volt are a fine option. They still carry with them the added expense of maintaining a gas motor, but at least it is fully integrated into the design of the vehicle.

Driving an EV is like living on a budget: it involves a bit more planning, but you get more value out of it in the long run.

 

[RUCRAYZE]

In my opinion, all these "range extenders" are just ways to take advantage of people's range-anxiety. EV's are wonderful, clean, quiet, low-maintenance machines, and lugging around a gas generator completely negates all of those things. If your commute is the sort where you have to fill up with gas every day, then an EV is not for you.

Driving my Leaf is like driving on a quarter-tank of gas. Anywhere a sedan can get you on 1/4 of a tank, the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Spark EV can get you there, too. That doesn't sound like much, but since you will be fueling up every night it's really not that bad.

Driving a Tesla (or the up-coming Chevy Bolt) is like having half a tank of gas (maybe a little bit more).

If range is a concern, then the plug-in hybrids like the Volt are a fine option. They still carry with them the added expense of maintaining a gas motor, but at least it is fully integrated into the design of the vehicle.

Driving an EV is like living on a budget: it involves a bit more planning, but you get more value out of it in the long run.

IMO you should open a thread specific to EV.s which would provide a haven for you and others have to offer on the topic. I love reading your insights but find them scattered in other locations. ?

 

[Folks]

IMO you should open a thread specific to EV.s which would provide a haven for you and others have to offer on the topic. I love reading your insights but find them scattered in other locations. ?

Be sure to mortgage your house when it comes time to replace those batteries too. I can see Sethodine in movie; Mount Rainier blows, endless traffic Jam trying to get out of town. There' old Sethodine looking for a charging station. Just kidding. If Rainier goes it wont make any difference.

 

[Sethodine]

Be sure to mortgage your house when it comes time to replace those batteries too. I can see Sethodine in movie; Mount Rainier blows, endless traffic Jam trying to get out of town. There' old Sethodine looking for a charging station. Just kidding. If Rainier goes it wont make any difference.

Our budget plan predicts that we can have the remaining $12,000 of the lease on our Leaf paid off within the next 15-18 months. Since we won't need to replace the battery for another 7 years at least, I think we'll have plenty of time to save up for the $5000 to replace it.

...If the battery even still costs that much in 7 years. The price-per-mile for Lithium Phosphate batteries has already dropped to be equal with Lead-Acid, and with ever-improving advances in chemical compositions, getting an equvilant-range battery could be very cheap indeed by 2023 (if we don't simply trade up to a Chevy Bolt in 3 years).

On a seperate note, I was in a traffic jam last weekend (2 miles in 30 minutes). The Leaf used the same amount of battery power as if I had driven the same distance going 35 mph. Electric cars use almost no power while "idle" unless the AC is on, so they do significantly better in traffic than ICE cars.

The big worry around here isn't Mt. Rainier, it's the 9.1 magnatude earthquake that is 50 years overdue. And if that ever happens, not only will most roads be impassible and power infrastructure knocked out, but most underground gasoline tanks will be ruptured as well. It will be a disaster unmatched in the developed world, and will almost certainly happen within the next 50 years. THIS is why I'm interested in moving further inland and becoming more self-sufficient (solar panels and all that). The Elio is part of that equation

 

[Folks]

The big worry around here isn't Mt. Rainier, it's the 9.1 magnatude earthquake that is 50 years overdue. And if that ever happens, not only will most roads be impassible and power infrastructure knocked out, but most underground gasoline tanks will be ruptured as well. It will be a disaster unmatched in the developed world, and will almost certainly happen within the next 50 years. THIS is why I'm interested in moving further inland and becoming more self-sufficient (solar panels and all that). The Elio is part of that equation

Good point. I'm actually razzing you a little about electric. I'm actually a proponent of electric too. Good luck to you and yours. I'm more a fan of Lithium Ion titanate than the Phosphate version.
PS I think they're telling us to move over to the EV section for this topic. LOL
PS Is you family connected to the creation of this new gum sensitive tooth paste that is all the rage?

 

[Sethodine]

PS Is you family connected to the creation of this new gum sensitive tooth paste that is all the rage?

Haha, no.
Years ago, I was signing up for a forum and wanted to create a new Username, rather than continue using the same old handles I had used throughout high school. I guess I was thinking of chemical solutions at the time, like iodine and hydrogen peroxide, because I eventually came up with Sethodine_Paradoxide (Seth being my given name). Later I would drop the paradox bit, and almost every screenname since then has been Sethodine. If you google the name, most of what comes up will be metadata links to various website and online game profiles. All mine.

 

[Neal]

I couldn't wait either. My family vehicle (Kia Sorento) died a slow painful death. I had to replace it and got a new Ford Explorer. But, I still want my "and" car for my daily commutes and retire the Explorer to weekends and hockey nights.

 

[Hotscoots]

 

[Marshall]

In my opinion, all these "range extenders" are just ways to take advantage of people's range-anxiety. EV's are wonderful, clean, quiet, low-maintenance machines, and lugging around a gas generator completely negates all of those things. If your commute is the sort where you have to fill up with gas every day, then an EV is not for you.

Driving my Leaf is like driving on a quarter-tank of gas. Anywhere a sedan can get you on 1/4 of a tank, the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Spark EV can get you there, too. That doesn't sound like much, but since you will be fueling up every night it's really not that bad.

Driving a Tesla (or the up-coming Chevy Bolt) is like having half a tank of gas (maybe a little bit more).

If range is a concern, then the plug-in hybrids like the Volt are a fine option. They still carry with them the added expense of maintaining a gas motor, but at least it is fully integrated into the design of the vehicle.

Driving an EV is like living on a budget: it involves a bit more planning, but you get more value out of it in the long run.

An EV at this time is a special purpose vehicle and not that different from an Elio. It is not your IT vehicle, it is an AND vehicle. It's a bit expensive for me, but for those who can afford it, it seems like a good option.

Getting one of each would seem to maximize the benefits of each. Drive the EV in town and the Elio out of town.