[fhayek]

I have no problem with new ideas, new technologies. What I have a problem with is having these technologies forced upon me. I live in Buffalo, New York. I am going to let everyone in on a little secret. It gets cold here, and we have snow. Sometimes a lot of cold and a lot of snow. If I am driving an internal combustion engine, the heat from that engine is transferred into the cabin of the vehicle, and I do not freeze to death. In an electric vehicle, the energy that would have been used to provide motion for the vehicle has to be diverted to provide heat. It will cut down on the range. In the middle of a raging snowstorm, when I am desperately trying to get home, I really don't want to have to choose between trying to make it to my destination, or keeping myself warm. This trade off might actually prevent both.

Maybe the technology will improve. Maybe they can find a way to charge an electric vehicle in less than a minute. (I can refuel my ICE in that amount of time). Maybe electric vehicles will have the power and persistence I need to get through a snowy Western New York winter. Maybe it will also be economical. When this happens, we can talk.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

That says it all.

[jonrick46]

I say the answer is hydrogen fuel cells that create the electricity to run the car. Hydrogen gas is produced by renewable electric generation. For instance, a solar farm will create electricity that, through electrolysis, produces hydrogen. This is using hydrogen like you would a battery. Whenever there is enough light (or wind in a wind farm) it creates hydrogen and stores it. It would work great for tidal electric generation-to-hydrogen production and storage. That hydrogen gets pumped into vehicle storage tanks which run it into fuel cells that create the electricity to run the electric drive motors that run the vehicle. The electricity is also stored in an on-board battery that runs the electronics, windshield wipers and a cabin heating/air conditioning system. Simple. Yes?

[Nervous Tick]

>> What I have a problem with is having these technologies forced upon me.

That, and I also have a problem with government subsidies for EVs and other alternative energy. If alternative energy can compete in the marketplace, go for it. If not...

[MulberryDraw]

Charging 50kw in a minute is about 6,900 Amps at 440 volts. That’s some big wiring. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.