[geeks] electric cars

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: Charles Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com>
" 
" On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:34:16 -0400 (EDT)
" adh at an.bradford.ma.us (Sandwich Maker) wrote:
" 
" > " From: Charles Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com>
" > " 
" > " 
" > " Alcohol... mileage and power are reduced, but given the relative
" > price " we might not really care about that.  It can be made from
" > recent " biomass too.  
" > 
" > didja know the current price of bulk alcohol is over $5/gal?  now that
" > mtbe is out, it's in very short supply as a gasoline additive.
" 
" Didja know that this is because it isn't produced as a common vehicle
" fuel right now?

oh yeah.  we're essentially burning food-grade fuel.  i'm sure it has
adm laughing all the way to the bank.

cellulosic ethanol will be the saviour, if and when it ever becomes
practical.

" > electrics won't last any longer than current cars, on salty winter
" > roads.
" 
" Why not?

rust.

" The biggest reason cited for vehicle replacement is drivetrain failure.

nationwide, or just in the rust belt?

" > you might reduce pollution, as power plants are more efficient than
" > car engines and easier to fit really bulky emissions control eq
" > equipment to, but you can't eliminate co2 pollution if you don't move
" > to a biofuel and make it a zero-sum equation.
" 
" They should be more efficient, but there is a lot of transmission and
" charging loss in the equation for large numbers of electric cars.

that's true.  i've heard that transmission loss is as much as 50%, and
that gas pipelines transmit power more efficiently than power lines.

" We are also near peak power in many areas.

not around the clock.  cars could be recharged only in off-peak times.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought