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Electric cars head toward another dead end

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No mentioned of Tesla? WTF?!?! Tesla has just turned in healthy earnings, announced expansion plans and analysts expect growth in its profits. This article seems under-researched.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2013/02/08/tesla-motors-cruises-into-earnings-with-better-margins-and-model-s-sales/

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Lots of great ideas are great only in theory. Once you use existing technology, and see how much they are to maintain, product, etc, they ain't so great.

Fueled by government subsidies and tax incentives, hybrid sales in Japan have rocketed to 40 percent of the industry total, with the Prius a top seller. Hybrids, however, have been far less popular with consumers in such major markets as Europe and China.

Until a company can make consistent profits WITHOUT government tax money, this is nothing but a government funded pipe dream.

As far as TESLA is concerned, they sell about 13K cars a year, for a VERY expensive price ($65K+ per car). The people that buy them are kind of in the "ego" market, not really the "I'm buying an electric car because it's cheaper than a gas car" market. It's likely more of a "green" status symbol than anything else.

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JeffLee..How realistic is it If you want to drive from Seattle to Los Angeles on a $60K Tesla electric car for 1100 miles straight? Do you know any recharging station in Washington state, Oregon, or California, if there is any after 100-200 miles, and have to stop frequently. And how long will each recharging take? If Tesla had efficient gasoline powered small internal combustion engine, then it might be possible. Then, you don't need to recharge. But then again, GM Volt tried to do that with 1.4 engine and it failed in the market.

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Why is no car manufacturer building an electric/flywheel hybrid? The flywheel stores the energy from braking or slowing down and applies it to accelerate or go uphill. A good flywheel can recover and reuse 80% of this energy. It can store it by spinning for up to 2 hours after stopping. The electric motor only has to power the initial acceleration, and then maintain cruising speed, which puts little strain on the engine and means it can be quite small. Such a power system makes good sense for stop and go city driving, and for long hauls up and down through hilly country. Cars, trucks, and buses could be powered this way. The maintainance costs would be low, particularly the savings on brake systems and motors. And it would require no combustion at all. My 1990 Toyota 4Runner is becoming very expensive on gas, please don't make me wait much longer for an inexpensive electric flywheel hybrid!

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On U tube, the inventor of the battery for the first GM electric, said he gave GM a battery capable of 200 miles between recharges, but they never used it. He also was almost finished on a 300 mile rechargeable, but GM never used either one. The man is now about 93. So as always, any company will only do what they can do to make the most profit possible.....and it will stay that way until the public is much smarter than they now are. What the car makers could actually make if they wanted to, will remain unknown to us.

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I want a leaf but they are really out of my price range. Leaf in the UK is around 30,000 I think or maybe a bit less. I wouldnt consider buying a new car anyway, though might one day if something like the Leaf was 50% of its current cost

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Prius is my favorite car. I don't really see a future for the hydrogen car, unless we find an efficient (and clean) way to generate the hydrogen. Storing hydrogen is of course out of the question. Electrolysis of water is the lead idea, but at the moment it just doesn't work efficiently. Chemical generation requires a good reducing agent, again too dangerous. I would bet on the electric car.

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We should concentrate on Hybrid technology first. The advantages of electric motors low end torque coupled with the gas engines range is a good mix. While appears to be the silver bullet we are searching for, current electrical generation relies heavily on fossil fuels and nuclear. PV efficiency needs to get out of the basement and higher power densities on the batteries. Then we can make some real EV progress. I converted my kids go-kart from 5HP gas to 2HP electric, and then realized I am charging the batteries with power generated from fossil fuels and nuclear. OUCH, a kick in the gut.

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@ pondscum - existing solar panel technology is quite sufficient to charge your kids go-kart batteries. I have 500 watts of PV (just four 124 watt roof panels) at my off-grid summer cottage, and the batteries are fully charged by 11 am. on sunny days. For more than half the day the solar power is wasted because I have no need for it.

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Electric cars head toward another dead end

I don't think it will. If EV manufacturers could only bring down the price and maintenance costs , EV's will push through and planet earth and populace will benifit big time. Bad for oil company syndicates too hehehe.

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By the way, what happened with biofuel batteries based in methanol to be used in laptops and cars?

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Bologne. My money will be on wireless electric charging on the fly. The local buses in Sendai City will be using them first in 2015. There is a silver lining after the March 11th disaster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YZQn_hc3o8

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I drove the first electric car in Hawaii in 2000 and loved it. A big issue is that the Leaf and other EVs.. are not very high tech looking as to make them a cool ride. The roof of all cars should be electric panles.. what's up with that.. especially in desert places.. If VW made and "electric bug" the "firefly".. or Fiat Prego people would buy it.

Comments above are right on about CITY TAXIS being front line for selling fleets of ONLY electric vehicles, taxi users must start blogging and tweeting .. this would be ideal way for consumers to also ride in an electric car and see how quiet and fun it is not to spew waste and do your part to stem global warming.. plus you have all seen drivers sleeping while parked and the engine on. Cars should be able to recharge when driving.. perpetual motion. Yes Sendai should be an all electric city and make money by building solar panels.

But only last year did the state want to be on the path to totally energy self sufficiency.. and put in free charging station in prime parking spots for electric cars. Solar canopies in places like a Costco parking lot provide shade and electricity for recharging parked cars. When people are at work they can recharge the car in a few hours. Most people do not drive 40 miles one way? I understand desire for hybrid and that is a natural step. EV's should be the cheapest car available through lease and target young drivers and suburban housewives who only go to short distances each day.

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