Pushing Volts Along a Highway
There has been recent press discussion about the movie "Who killed the electric car," focusing on the demise of the General Motors EV1. I was always a large fan of the EV1, and personally thought that it would have helped the environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It would not be too far fetched to invision a world with nuclear reactors generating power for the cities, and electric cars and trucks keeping society functioning.
People do have problems with a nuclear reactor nearby and immediately become NIMBY (not in my backyard) at the proposition, but if you tell them that on a 100 degree F day that they cannot run their air conditioning I think they would quickly change their opinions. The GM EV1 has problems. It had a very limited range, two seat capacity and would only be leased to customers, not purchased.
The EV1 despite its problems, was still a car that would have been perfect for the short trips that the majority of Americans drive each day. The market didn't exist partly to the lack of marketing on GM's part, and the low price of oil. People were not going to pay $500/month for a car when others could be purchased or leased at the time for $300/month, and give a substantial increase in comfort level.
Long after the remaining EV1s have been crushed by GM, and destroyed forever we have a new electric car that pushes the envelope in range, styling and efficiency. It is the Tesla Roadster from Tesla Motors. The sleek two seater has a top speed of 130mph, a sleek carbon fiber body, and range of 250 miles. This is far greater than any previous electric car that will be practical for replacing a segment of the automotive market.
The Tesla Roadster is new and may little has been proven regarding its longevity, but it will be available in 2007 for $100,000 and cost zero in gas costs. This is relative like many things in the world, since it doesn't require gasoline fuel, but electric fuel. If you live in an area that gets a reasonable amount of sun, you may be able to equip yourself with a solar panel system , generating additional power to charge a Tesla Roadster.
The car is very fast and in a recent test drive of a prototype given to the Governor of California, it proved to win him over. The car will initially be available in major markets in California, and may reach other areas. One problem that I see now is the extreme colds that can be found in various areas that will adversely effect battery life. Despite the company saying that the batteries are heated, they will still lose continuous power if they have to run a heater to keep the batteries warm in a cold climate. This isn't a problem if you take into account that even if the range drops to 100 miles, the car would still be more than practical.
I think that the cost of $100,000 will be the only detrimental aspect of the car. The world will still have to wait for an alternative electric car for the masses. If an electric car would cost $25,000 if could possibly find its way onto many highways and roads around the country.
There has been recent press discussion about the movie "Who killed the electric car," focusing on the demise of the General Motors EV1. I was always a large fan of the EV1, and personally thought that it would have helped the environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It would not be too far fetched to invision a world with nuclear reactors generating power for the cities, and electric cars and trucks keeping society functioning.
People do have problems with a nuclear reactor nearby and immediately become NIMBY (not in my backyard) at the proposition, but if you tell them that on a 100 degree F day that they cannot run their air conditioning I think they would quickly change their opinions. The GM EV1 has problems. It had a very limited range, two seat capacity and would only be leased to customers, not purchased.
The EV1 despite its problems, was still a car that would have been perfect for the short trips that the majority of Americans drive each day. The market didn't exist partly to the lack of marketing on GM's part, and the low price of oil. People were not going to pay $500/month for a car when others could be purchased or leased at the time for $300/month, and give a substantial increase in comfort level.
Long after the remaining EV1s have been crushed by GM, and destroyed forever we have a new electric car that pushes the envelope in range, styling and efficiency. It is the Tesla Roadster from Tesla Motors. The sleek two seater has a top speed of 130mph, a sleek carbon fiber body, and range of 250 miles. This is far greater than any previous electric car that will be practical for replacing a segment of the automotive market.
The Tesla Roadster is new and may little has been proven regarding its longevity, but it will be available in 2007 for $100,000 and cost zero in gas costs. This is relative like many things in the world, since it doesn't require gasoline fuel, but electric fuel. If you live in an area that gets a reasonable amount of sun, you may be able to equip yourself with a solar panel system , generating additional power to charge a Tesla Roadster.
The car is very fast and in a recent test drive of a prototype given to the Governor of California, it proved to win him over. The car will initially be available in major markets in California, and may reach other areas. One problem that I see now is the extreme colds that can be found in various areas that will adversely effect battery life. Despite the company saying that the batteries are heated, they will still lose continuous power if they have to run a heater to keep the batteries warm in a cold climate. This isn't a problem if you take into account that even if the range drops to 100 miles, the car would still be more than practical.
I think that the cost of $100,000 will be the only detrimental aspect of the car. The world will still have to wait for an alternative electric car for the masses. If an electric car would cost $25,000 if could possibly find its way onto many highways and roads around the country.
Labels: electric car tesla roadster
posted by Steven at
6:39 AM
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