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To: 300magnum
It takes a huge amount of energy to drive a car 500 miles. Just think what would happen if one of these discharges as a result of a car wreck....

On the plus side, I don't think there would be much blood. Just a nice (ick) barbeque smell.

11 posted on 09/04/2007 10:51:15 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: r9etb
"It takes a huge amount of energy to drive a car 500 miles."

Correct. Now, try to load all that energy into the car in just 5 minutes via a plug.

Maybe a plug into 10,000 volts with cables the size of your arm. Ain't gonna happen. Simple physics gets in the way.

23 posted on 09/04/2007 11:04:03 AM PDT by robertpaulsen
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To: r9etb

Electric motor driven vehicles require only 1/3rd as much stored energy as a gasoline driven vehicle. That’s because the electric motors will convert the stored electricity into motive force at about 90% efficiency compared to 30% (max) for a gasoline driven vehicle.

So there is only 1/3rd as much stored energy to be released as if the vehicle had a full tank of gas.

If the idea of an electric vehicle carrying around enough stored energy to drive 500 miles bothers you, then a vehicle with a full tank of gas ought to bother you 3 times as much, right ?


75 posted on 09/04/2007 12:01:10 PM PDT by Kellis91789 (Liberals aren't atheists. They worship government -- including human sacrifices.)
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To: r9etb
It takes a huge amount of energy to drive a car 500 miles.

Yes, I was thinking this - and they claim to be able to transfer that amount of energy in 5 minutes from a charging station to the car.

I'm dubious even before I perform any calculations.

129 posted on 09/04/2007 2:03:40 PM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: r9etb
Ig their ultracap fails catastrophically, it probably will release all its energy at once

Their press says 280 watt hours per kilogram. That's 10^6 joules per kg. TNT is 4.2 * 10^6 joules/kg. That approaches being impressive

134 posted on 09/04/2007 2:15:57 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (Open Season rocks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymLJz3N8ayI)
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To: r9etb

Just think of what would happen if all that highly-flammable gasoline caught fire in a crash.

Any system that can take a vehicle a worthwhile distance, has enough potential energy of one sort or another, that if things go wrong, it can get ugly. We accept the risk with petroleum-fueled vehicles. Why not with something else?


156 posted on 09/04/2007 7:04:03 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: r9etb

And it would have to make the trip as Texans do - average speed of about 85 miles an hour with at least one stop for some jalapeno cheese snacks, a Slim Jim, and a 32 oz Dr. Pepper.


163 posted on 09/04/2007 9:06:51 PM PDT by Pining_4_TX
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