Unclean at Any Speed, Electric cars don’t solve the automobile’s environmental problems

IEEE Spectrum ^ | 30 Jun 2013 | Ozzie Zehner

[stremba]

I think another big disadvantage of electrics, beyond mere range, is the time it takes to recharge a battery vs the time needed to fill a gas tank. I think people would be willing to stop every 50 miles or so to recharge the battery if such recharging took about the same time as a current fill up does. However, if I am not mistaken, doesn’t it take several hours to recharge a battery in an electric car? If so, I think that’s likely a deal breaker. Certainly, some might use electrics for their daily commutes if the economics worked out, but for a long-distance trip, that’s certainly impractical.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

stremba :” .. big disadvantage of electrics, beyond mere range, is the time it takes to recharge a battery vs the time needed to fill a gas tank..”

Right ! You hit the main reason : INCONVENIENCE !
We have been conditioned to the ‘quick fill up “

[editor-surveyor]

Electric cars make no sense at all, unless you’re obsenely wealthy, and have numerous vehicles to play with.

An electric car will cost you your life in a real emergency.

[editor-surveyor]

No, the main reason is practical safety for your family.

[-YYZ-]

I wouldn’t want to drive any significant distance in a car if I had to stop and fill the tank every 50 miles, even if it only took 5 minutes. Every 200 miles might be OK, and the best electric cars currently on the market (Tesla) can manage about that, apparently, in ideal circumstances.

There are technologies in the works which may allow charging in significantly less time (i.e. 10-15 minutes), although the mind boggles at the type of electrical infrastructure necessary to support that - we’re talking some very large current flows. Another possibility would be a system of interchangeable batteries.

I still think that, even with all those technological improvements, the net benefit would be very small if not non-existent.

[preacher]

[TangoLimaSierra]

[PATRIOT1876]

Coal powered cars since they plug in.

Therefore Obama’s War on Coal is also a war on electric cars.

[Vince Ferrer]

I suspect that if we had a really comprehensive study, like some of these are attempting, we may find that the most environmentally efficient car would be something like this: a 1925 Doble Series E Steam Car.

[CutePuppy]

Studies from the National Academies point to better land-use planning to reduce suburban sprawl and, most important, fuel taxes to reduce petroleum dependence. Following that prescription would solve many problems that a proliferation of electric cars could not begin to address — including automotive injuries, deaths, and the frustrations of being stuck in traffic.

Even when they are telling you that the Electric Car's greenness is mythical they can't help but tell you that some other nanny state restrictions on freedom will make everything all better.

Yes. But look at the bright side. This bias - along with his unquestionable experience in the technology, economics and politics of electric cars - pretty much confirms the undeniable cred of the author as the "green" environmentalist, yet...

Yet he condemns the electric car as an unacceptable "dirtier" alternative to the internal combustion engine cars on the purely environmental basis.

I don't think you can find many people who the "greenies" would find so difficult to argue with as this author. I'd rather have him acknowledging and proving his bias / "green cred" right in the article that annihilates the "green electric car" myth than 10 equally qualified conservatives or libertarians.

[stremba]

Oh, I personally wouldn’t want to drive such a car either. That would be a huge PITA. I just think there are enough “greenie weinies” out there who might drive the electric cars if it didn’t take hours to recharge, especially the ones who aren’t really doing it to help the environment, but rather to feel morally superior to the rest of us.

[stremba]

I should amend that: I wouldn’t want to drive such a vehicle, unless that vehicle cost half as much as standard car, and was cheaper to maintain and fuel, and this is accomplished without artificial government subsidies. I’d put up with some inconvenience if it saved me enough money. I’m sure there are many others who feel the same way; the free market works.

[Cvengr]

Nobody can afford it.

Charging Station $1400
Extended DistSys in the house say $800
New Panelboard & breakers, for add’l 40A circuit say $2000
Upgrade from 100/125Amp panel to say 200/250Amp panel
Go to a 400A switchgear center and add $7.5k
Possibly upgrade Xformer, say $30k
x2 for labor
About $20k-80k depending on situation.

That assumes the infrastructure can handle it.

Now add a 10k PV power source,..about another $120k +$5-$20k battery maint/annum

Now add the cost of power.
Most players have their usage rate increased, not decreased when they begin to charge the vehicles. Your existing power costs will on average increase between 20% to 120% monthly, plus the new power load of charging the battery.

You might save $300/year in fuel costs, for the initial capital outlay of $20k-$200k.