Posted on 07/10/2009 11:38:59 AM PDT by WhiteCastle
The push for conversion to plug-in electric cars will do nothing to stop carbon emissions, a report by the GAO warns, throwing cold water on a push by Democrats to get more plug-ins on the road. In fact, the problem could be made worse as demand goes up at coal-fired electrical plants. Plus, the need for batteries may just have the US changing the dictators to which we’re chained, as IBD reports...
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
I’m not one to discount the potential for technological advancement, but given the current state of battery technology, there is no way we are even anywhere close to being able to replace liquid-fueled cars with purely battery powered ones.
Not only is range ridiculous, but recharging is a serious issue. I simply do not see how they will ever be able to compress a recharge cycle into the amount of time it takes to pump 10 gallons of gas.
Maybe this would be somewhat workable for city commuting. But frankly, if I wanted to live in an urban setting where the limitations of a battery-powered car might be acceptable, I’d be more likely to not bother and use public transportation.
As though the radical left really cares!
Where are we going to dispose of all of these monster worn out batteries?
What’s the environmental impact of this disposal?
Has there been comprehensive studies on the subject?
It can't be monopolistic when you can generate your needs on your roof.
I would be proud to drive a car powered by domestic coal.
And remember, CO2 produced by American coal does not cause global warming.
That's more like it. With enough nuke power to make hydrogen production practical, this is a far better alternative to battery-powered cars. Still huge hurdles to overcome though to setup nation-wide distribution for liquid hrydogen though, not to mention retrofits for storage and transfer at fueling stations.
I still like it better than battery-powered cars though, which IMO is just silly.
Gee, what a surprise.
“Not only is range ridiculous, but recharging is a serious issue. I simply do not see how they will ever be able to compress a recharge cycle into the amount of time it takes to pump 10 gallons of gas.”
I think the best idea is the plug-in hybrid. You’d plug it in overnight, and then if your daily commute is 20-30 miles or less, you could do it all on batteries.
For longer trips, the gas (or better yet, diesel) engine kicks in.
On the fast-recharge front, the use of carbon nanotubes in capacitance style batteries may compress charge times to just a few minutes. A group at MIT is working with that technology.
On the fast-recharge front, the use of carbon nanotubes in capacitance style batteries may compress charge times to just a few minutes. A group at MIT is working with that technology.
Very cool, didn't know about that. Although I'm a bit terrified to think of the voltage/current required to fast-charge a capacitor capable of powering a car. O.O
Molecular Battery Technology has produced batteries which can hold double the charge (or more) in 1/5 the charging time. Another Breathing battery technology did a similar thing recently.
I'm believing that making these batteries survive rugged use and the heavy recharging involved is the current challenge.
Like most inventions. It may take a little stumbling on. Like Edison with Tungsten or Alexander Graham bell with Sulfuric acid. The components are there, but needs to be made practical.
Solar power is about to make similar leaps as well.
And Brushless generators have been made. If these can be produced at a personal level... It would be nice to get off the Grid, before Obama blasts Energy Prices through the Roof!
Or to get off the Grid.
FYI, they just figured out how to make a nearly four fold increase in hydrogen yield from a given amount of electricity.
Turns out that if you hydrocrack urine (i.e., process city sewage through a reactor) you get hydrogen frighteningly easily.
They still have a bit of an explosion/meltdown problem.... and even if they didn’t, you would require at least a 480V drop to every house to recharge them.
Well, batteries would be great if there are enough improvements in the batteries, so that we aren’t having to replace them so often or recharge every 100 miles.
But I think batteries are still in the not yet viable category. While Hydrogen is actually implementable.
Yeh....Start at $50,000....I’ll get two!!!
Hydrogen powered flying pigs.
Doesn’t electricity just magically come out of the wall? < /DUmmie mode>
I tried my best to explain that to a liberal. She was so dense, I finally gave up. Her neighborhood has underground utility wiring.
Her argument was: "There are NO electric poles and wires on my street."
Why else do you think they're pushing "cap & trade?" They want to make the cost of coal-fired electricity impossibly high just as demand spikes due to plug-in hybrids, so that they can funnel money to their cronies in wind and solar.
Car prices??? NEVER!!!!
Does the definition of convenient include affordable and reliable? I can make electricity by rigging a generator up to a stationary bike but has a couple drawbacks such as being unable to supply much power and, well I am too far out of shape to run my air conditioner and 52" LCD TV simultaneously...
I would like to hear at least one feasible idea for replacing 2,000 billion kWh of electricity with even a combination of hydro, solar, and wind. That's before a few million people start plugging in their cars.
Given all of this, do you thing the Government (GAO) should tell the car companies Not to make Electric Cars??
I think the government should keep their noses out of it alltogether and let the companies make the products that the companies want to invest in. The market will decide whether they chose well or not.
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