Posted on 01/17/2012 3:45:48 PM PST by landsbaum
Electric car enthusiasts those who want someone else to subsidize their extravagances and then pretend that the electricity they use isnt created with fossil fuel anyway may at first find something to cheer about in this news from England.
There are now more charging stations than electric vehicles on the road, reports the MailOnline.
. . . But we need to read a bit more in that Mail story. The reason there are more electric charging stations than electric cars isnt because there are so many stations. Its because there are so few electric cars.
(Excerpt) Read more at orangepunch.ocregister.com ...
Three electric cars. Four charging stations.
It seems that the British government is way more excited about electric cars than the British consumer.
How much do they charge and how long does it take and what sort of electric car is there?
Since I pay a total tax burden of 53% I can't afford an electric car BUT so I can feel good in doing my part, I purchased a 1972 Plymouth Barracuda in Lime Green to make me feel a part of the green movement.
In the US, electric is soooo yesterday.
Nat gas is the future for transportation.
Commercial fleets will pave the way, basically about half the cost of diesel per mile.
Suck it, Mahmoud Imawhackjob!
You're fooling no one. It's to make us green with envy.
Not so fast. Europe is going towards NatGas too...and their natgas comes from partly from Iran, I believe.
But even more importantly, if we don’t buy OPEC petroleum, then china will. We are much better off buying OPEC fuel and starving the chicoms than to not buy OPEC fuel and let china have all it needs and then some.
Fuel is a fungible commodity.
It’s going to sell to us or China or whoever is willing to pay the market price at the time.
Anyone else see this as a problem?
well duh!
I think that’s my point.
However, if enough fleets convert to NatGas, the price of diesel will drop. NatGas doesn't even have to approach a takeover of the commercial vehicle fuel market to cause a drop in diesel prices, just enough of a percentage that the diesel market eases.
Jeff I think you’ll even see some OTR guys going with it if this price advantage holds. Especially the big fleets.
At least there’s a lot of discussion of it in the industry.
The problem is if an OTR driver requires service to his vehicle in an area where there are no specialized NatGas mechanics or stores of parts, not to mention fuel stations. A taxi fleet, a waste management fleet, a grocery chain fleet, a local P&D fleet, etc. operate with centralized garages and fuel supplies, so it would make sense for them long before it makes sense generally. And if enough local fleets converted, the diesel market would respond with lower prices due to lower demand.
All that being said, I've talked to local fleet NatGas mechanics and they tell me that the maintenance costs for the systems are prohibitive at this time. They say that the NatGas systems are prone to breaking down and a general pain. But who knows--maybe they're making advances.
Like anything else, the technology will have to develop.
Cummins here in Indiana has a jv with a company called Westport to do nat gas versions of diesels.
http://www.cumminswestport.com/
I’d guess most folks are waiting to see if the price increment holds over several years. If it does, the savings are pretty big long term.
ALL liberal governments are more excited about electric cars than consumers.
Sweet!
Naaa. Limited range.
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