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This electric car news isn’t as good as it sounds at first
The Orange County Register blog Orange Punch ^ | 1-17-2012 | Mark Landsbaum

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 isn’t 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 isn’t because there are so many stations. It’s because there are so few electric cars.

(Excerpt) Read more at orangepunch.ocregister.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Travel
KEYWORDS: alternativeenergy; electriccars; subsidies; taxes

1 posted on 01/17/2012 3:45:59 PM PST by landsbaum
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To: landsbaum

Three electric cars. Four charging stations.

It seems that the British government is way more excited about electric cars than the British consumer.


2 posted on 01/17/2012 3:52:30 PM PST by FLAMING DEATH (Are you better off than you were $4 trillion ago?)
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To: landsbaum

How much do they charge and how long does it take and what sort of electric car is there?


3 posted on 01/17/2012 3:54:35 PM PST by SkyDancer ("If You Want To Learn To Love Better, You Should Start With A Friend Who You Hate")
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To: landsbaum
There are now more charging stations than electric vehicles on the road, reports the MailOnline.

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.

Photobucket

4 posted on 01/17/2012 4:08:39 PM PST by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: landsbaum

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!


5 posted on 01/17/2012 4:13:00 PM PST by nascarnation (DEFEAT BARAQ 2012 DEPORT BARAQ 2013)
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To: EGPWS
“Green to make me feel a part of the green movement.”

You're fooling no one. It's to make us green with envy.

6 posted on 01/17/2012 4:20:43 PM PST by CrazyIvan (Obama's birth certificate was found stapled to Soros's receipt.)
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To: nascarnation

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.


7 posted on 01/17/2012 4:20:43 PM PST by mamelukesabre
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To: landsbaum
My first electric car was awesome


8 posted on 01/17/2012 4:24:37 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: mamelukesabre

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.


9 posted on 01/17/2012 4:36:31 PM PST by nascarnation (DEFEAT BARAQ 2012 DEPORT BARAQ 2013)
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To: landsbaum
The Department for Transport says that around 2,500 charging points have been installed, although their precise location is not known.

Anyone else see this as a problem?

10 posted on 01/17/2012 4:37:21 PM PST by NonValueAdded (Limbaugh: Tim Tebow miracle: "He had atheists praying to God that he would lose.")
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To: nascarnation

well duh!

I think that’s my point.


11 posted on 01/17/2012 4:51:11 PM PST by mamelukesabre
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To: nascarnation
Commercial fleets will pave the way, basically about half the cost of diesel per mile.Local or limited distance commercial fleets. That's the only way specialty equipment can be economically maintained.

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.

12 posted on 01/17/2012 5:07:05 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati)
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To: Jeff Chandler

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.


13 posted on 01/17/2012 5:11:59 PM PST by nascarnation (DEFEAT BARAQ 2012 DEPORT BARAQ 2013)
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To: nascarnation
Jeff I think you’ll even see some OTR guys going with it if this price advantage holds. Especially the big fleets.

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.

14 posted on 01/17/2012 5:31:55 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati)
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To: Jeff Chandler

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.


15 posted on 01/17/2012 5:50:04 PM PST by nascarnation (DEFEAT BARAQ 2012 DEPORT BARAQ 2013)
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To: FLAMING DEATH

ALL liberal governments are more excited about electric cars than consumers.


16 posted on 01/17/2012 5:53:13 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: EGPWS

Sweet!


17 posted on 01/17/2012 5:54:36 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: Raycpa

Naaa. Limited range.


18 posted on 01/17/2012 5:55:37 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: landsbaum
I saw a row of five or six charging stations installed at a rest area along I-64 in VA, like there were going to be lines of cars waiting.

Leftover unicorns from the Kaine administration, I guess.
19 posted on 01/17/2012 8:13:22 PM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91.)
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