Like Graham, (#14) we opted for a plug-in hybrid, after deciding it was a good compromise given the current fluidity of EV development.
As he said, the 30 mile electric range is very convenient for all the normal local travel, and the gas range is only limited by gas station availability, and gas alone it still gets around 50 mpg.
We already had a small solar array (10 panels) on the roof, which balances our normal household electric usage, and are thinking of adding some more panels, when we work out how much the car consumes.
I view the state of EV development along with its integration/acceptance as somewhat similar to the early days of the automobile.
Here in the states, steam and electric vehicles were the popular form of automobile, till IC engines got enough of their teething issues worked out to be viable.
At that point, the fledgling big 3 automakers went to Washington and said; we got this great product that everyone will buy but there's nowhere to drive them, we need roads.
Up to that point most automobile usage was limited to in the towns and cities; intercity travel was still mostly accomplished by train.
The politicians answered; roads cost money and money comes from taxes and nobody wants taxes.
Then Thomas McDonald, who headed the Bureau of Roads came up with a plan.
The BoR was the forerunner of the DOT (dept of trans) in Washington, up to that point only minded the streets of Washington itself; paving and filling potholes, etc.
He sent special trains around the countryside, loaded with steam shovels and other equipment, and the trains stopped in every podunk town, and built a short (1/4 or 1/2 mile) stretch of paved road.
Locals loved the short pieces of paved road and wanted more, the politicians said but they cost money, and the people said so tax us, and the federal highway system was born and IC engined cars were sold.
(the downside is, of course, that rail travel as the most widespread form of public transport was back burnered)
McDonald later (in the middle of WWII, and at the prodding of FDR) designed the US Interstate Highway System, which was implemented by Eisenhower in the 50s.
(and with the interstate began the decline of rail travel in general in the US)
So I see the current evolution of the EV, and the infrastructure it needs, as going through some kind of similar or parallel process; and who knows what direction it will take.
Will charging stations systematically appear through private/public/combined efforts?
Will batteries become standardized, (like cassette/8 track) and somehow become quick-changable, (like multi-CD players) or their range somehow increased tenfold? (like digital recordings)
Or will EVs disappear as fast as they appeared, being replaced by some other, yet to be understood, form of energy-power?
My primary concern in the present is tracking EV safety.
I've looked at NTSB (nat'l traffic safety board) stats for EVs, and one of the things they track is car fires.
They list car fires in terms of per 100,000 vehicles-
Gasoline powered 1,500
EV 50
Hybrid 3,500
They say car fires are trending up in general. (interestingly, in the US that means we average about 20 car fires per hour nationwide)
For gas powered cars it's down to the more extensive wiring as well as fuel systems being pressurized. (sources of sparks and fuel when damaged or lack of maintenance)
For the hybrid, same problems as the gas cars, coupled with even more wiring systems involved, and not much history to learn about mistakes yet.
For the EV, the low number of fires is probably down to the extreme simplicity of the system.
But both the hybrid and the EVs have more extreme problems once the battery is involved in the fire, as firefighters in general are not yet experienced in dealing with lithium fires.
My apology for droning on; it snowed again last night and I'm exploring all avenues to forestall having to finally go outdoors...
Best-
George
As he said, the 30 mile electric range is very convenient for all the normal local travel, and the gas range is only limited by gas station availability, and gas alone it still gets around 50 mpg.
We already had a small solar array (10 panels) on the roof, which balances our normal household electric usage, and are thinking of adding some more panels, when we work out how much the car consumes.
I view the state of EV development along with its integration/acceptance as somewhat similar to the early days of the automobile.
Here in the states, steam and electric vehicles were the popular form of automobile, till IC engines got enough of their teething issues worked out to be viable.
At that point, the fledgling big 3 automakers went to Washington and said; we got this great product that everyone will buy but there's nowhere to drive them, we need roads.
Up to that point most automobile usage was limited to in the towns and cities; intercity travel was still mostly accomplished by train.
The politicians answered; roads cost money and money comes from taxes and nobody wants taxes.
Then Thomas McDonald, who headed the Bureau of Roads came up with a plan.
The BoR was the forerunner of the DOT (dept of trans) in Washington, up to that point only minded the streets of Washington itself; paving and filling potholes, etc.
He sent special trains around the countryside, loaded with steam shovels and other equipment, and the trains stopped in every podunk town, and built a short (1/4 or 1/2 mile) stretch of paved road.
Locals loved the short pieces of paved road and wanted more, the politicians said but they cost money, and the people said so tax us, and the federal highway system was born and IC engined cars were sold.
(the downside is, of course, that rail travel as the most widespread form of public transport was back burnered)
McDonald later (in the middle of WWII, and at the prodding of FDR) designed the US Interstate Highway System, which was implemented by Eisenhower in the 50s.
(and with the interstate began the decline of rail travel in general in the US)
So I see the current evolution of the EV, and the infrastructure it needs, as going through some kind of similar or parallel process; and who knows what direction it will take.
Will charging stations systematically appear through private/public/combined efforts?
Will batteries become standardized, (like cassette/8 track) and somehow become quick-changable, (like multi-CD players) or their range somehow increased tenfold? (like digital recordings)
Or will EVs disappear as fast as they appeared, being replaced by some other, yet to be understood, form of energy-power?
My primary concern in the present is tracking EV safety.
I've looked at NTSB (nat'l traffic safety board) stats for EVs, and one of the things they track is car fires.
They list car fires in terms of per 100,000 vehicles-
Gasoline powered 1,500
EV 50
Hybrid 3,500
They say car fires are trending up in general. (interestingly, in the US that means we average about 20 car fires per hour nationwide)
For gas powered cars it's down to the more extensive wiring as well as fuel systems being pressurized. (sources of sparks and fuel when damaged or lack of maintenance)
For the hybrid, same problems as the gas cars, coupled with even more wiring systems involved, and not much history to learn about mistakes yet.
For the EV, the low number of fires is probably down to the extreme simplicity of the system.
But both the hybrid and the EVs have more extreme problems once the battery is involved in the fire, as firefighters in general are not yet experienced in dealing with lithium fires.
My apology for droning on; it snowed again last night and I'm exploring all avenues to forestall having to finally go outdoors...
Best-
George
