Energy 101: Electric Vehicles

This edition of Energy 101 highlights the benefits of electric vehicles, including improved fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and lower maintenance costs.

[TheBitGuy]

Pretty basic info here.. Probably nothing most folks didn't already know. At least they did show a lot of different vehicles, Tesla, Leaf, Volt, Coda, Prius Plug-in.

[Blodslav]

Electric motors have a fairly high efficiency, actually over 80% not "up to" as stated in the video. You can also improve the efficiency of electric motors by making them brushless and by using neodimyum magnets instead of ferrite. Also, local geothermal power production would reduce line losses as opposed to centralized modes of production. In terms of energy storage, advances in capacitor technology should eventually replace reaction-dependant batteries.

[lupus]

Nope. The Volt's motor can connect directly to wheels, just like in Prius. This is because it's just so much more efficient. Here's a quote from a recent MIT technology teardown report: "A complex transmission system also allows the gas engine to connect directly to the wheels."

[JMToriel]

Less need for pipelines and dirty oil, less emissions, less air pollution, less negative impacts on climate, less noise, less maintenance and less dependence on foreign oil. Cleaner, better smarter.

[akashjainsvnit]

Just because you dont understand the concept of Hybrid cars doesnt mean that it is complicated and is going to be a fail.Hybrid cars have a huge potential.Currently some technologies are being developed that will make your Hybrid car almost completely maintenance-free for limited period.You wont even need to recharge your battery by plugging in.and forget battery now we have even more advanced storage technologies i.e. Ultracapacitor.Believe me, I have studied it and i know that it is the FUTURE.

[Autarch]

@SuperPianojack: As an owner of one of these cars, yes it does have a solar panel on it. However, even if you covered the car in solar panels and sat it in direct sunlight all day, that wouldn't generate enough energy to roll the car forward. Solar alone just doesn't generate enough power, basically. You'd need way more surface area. The solar panel (on my car) simply recharges the battery which is used to power the radio and other accessories like that.

[AlexSUN]

I think it's really important to help both natural gas cars and EVs. In the long run as batteries get cheaper, EVs will be perfect for short commute, but for longer trips, busses and trucks people will use natural gas

[fernsemer]

Batteries are expensive, , are you sure you want nothing less than 400 miles of range? Since most people need a pit stop every 2 to 3 hours anyway a good 300 mile range seems quite adequate.
I think when we see the 100Kwh battery for a 300+ reliable mile range, , at a reasonable cost, , we'll see the ICE go the way of the steam engine.

[WTFuxWrong]

Sorry to break it to you but the only way an electric vehicle will even be close to helping this environment is if your power grid get all its power from a renewable source (common practical ones out right now are wind-turbines and hydroelectric dams) but those area are SO remote or SO FEW that the benefits do not out weigh the loss.

[CatShot]

Is any thing being done in the area of Electric Powered Vertical Takeoff and Landing Personal Aircraft. Right now their range is limited to short range flights but the minimization of power sources plus weight aka nuclear power ICs when they finish scaling up to provide the power required for these aircraft is really going to be a huge leap in range and reliability without the temperature swings of lithium batteries.

[akashjainsvnit]

Well that is simply because this technique is new.we have been using Natural Gas cars from many years.Enough innovations have been made in that area.and the advantages it gives are countless.for example - smooth driving, Low pollution, less noise, more sustainable than conventional vehicles.give it some time and you will be amazed to see these things working.and of course we cant suddenly replace all conventional cars by these, it will take time.

[geraquiroz]

actually not always. there is a mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels.
the first 35-40 miles are PURE battery

[TheJosephPrice]

In terms of what you called them, you were wrong. You weren't wrong about most people in China and India using Bikes.

I agree, they are the cleanest and most effective ways of combating carbon emissions..at the moment. We should always strive to find new ways to be more eco-friendly, while also more effectively transporting items.(Transporting large shipments via bikes or walking, simply isn't plausible).

[geraquiroz]

And as I said: I HAVE NO NEED to seat more than 3.

Questions: Do you still use incandescent light bulbs? Wood burning stove?
or have you upgraded to CFL or LED lighting? Do you even know what these are?

[TheDaikashido]

the alternator doesn't start the car, the battery does. The alternator charges the battery with a pulley off the crank which causes resistance. Meanwhile, more power is used to cool the motor by running a water pump the same way, then additional heat leaves the exhaust. This is incredibly inefficient. Exhaust heat could and should be used as power either with steam or a newer device called a tec cooler or peltier junction that would replace the alternator.

[rstevewarmorycom]

Yes, but the internal combustion engine is very inefficient compared to the electric motor. It uses 1/5th of the energy to travel the same mile. And petroleum takes considerable electric power to refine, which is not always considered properly. Oil and gas-powered power plants are more efficient because they use less refined petroleum fuel oils and run at a constant maximally efficient rpm, rather the changing load and torque milieu of the automobile, tremendously increasing efficiency.

[electriciandallastx]

Thanks for the thoughts you have contributed here.

[JBofBrisbane]

@klemenc123 - A catalytic converter only takes the gases coming down the exhaust system and converts them into oxides of nitrogen that do not contribute to photochemical smog. It does nothing else - no reduction in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide.

[TheJosephPrice]

Natural Gas is a limited resource. We cannot rely on resources that will eventually dry up, especially considering how much of it we will use. A combination of Biofuels and electric is the future. Hybrid cars may seem complicated now, but give them a chance and you will see they are a pleasure to drive and not nearly as complicated as they seem.

[geraquiroz]

Enlighten me.
What is this magnetic motor?
A poly-phase AC induction motor???