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How Permies.com Works (lots of useful links)
Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com
Ask me about food.
How Permies.com Works (lots of useful links)
Julia Winter wrote:I understand many things! Yes, I will never try to eat a battery, or compost it. Similarly, I advise never trying to consume the exhaust of a petroleum burning car.
None of these transportation strategies are ideal, but you do what you can.
Max has gotten over a thousand miles on a tank of gasoline, and when we took him on a multi-day road trip, he averaged around 33mpg. That was fully loaded with 4 people, a 90lb dog and a car top luggage carrier.
Ideally we would all live within muscle-powered reach of our workplace, but until then, electric cars are part of the solution.
Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com
Works at a residential alternative high school in the Himalayas SECMOL.org . "Back home" is Cape Cod, E Coast USA.
'Theoretically this level of creeping Orwellian dynamics should ramp up our awareness, but what happens instead is that each alert becomes less and less effective because we're incredibly stupid.' - Jerry Holkins
Dale Hodgins wrote:Even if your electricity comes from a coal-fired power plant, your car will still pollute far less than one that burns gasoline or diesel fuel.
Dale Hodgins wrote:Here's what the Sierra Club has to say about it. I tend to believe more of what they say then I would from anyone within the car industry or the power generation industry.
https://content.sierraclub.org/evguide/myths-vs-reality
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: MYTHS VS. REALITY
Myth 1: Switching to an electric vehicle will just mean that the same amount of pollution comes from the electricity generation rather than from the tailpipe — I'll just be switching from oil to coal.
Reality: According to a range of studies doing a ‘well to wheels’ analysis, an electric car leads to significantly less carbon dioxide pollution from electricity than the CO2 pollution from the oil of a conventional car with an internal combustion engine.[1][2][3] In some areas, like many on the West Coast that rely largely on wind or hydro power, the emissions are significantly lower for EVs. And that's today. As we retire more coal plants and bring cleaner sources of power online, the emissions from electric vehicle charging drop even further. Additionally, in some areas, night-time charging will increase the opportunity to take advantage of wind power -- another way to reduce emissions.
A caveat to consider is that when coal plants supply the majority of the power in a given area, electric vehicles may emit more CO2 and SO2 pollution than hybrid electric vehicles. Learn where your electricity comes from, what plans your state or community has for shifting to renewables, and whether you have options for switching to greener power.
Myth 2: Plug-in cars will lead to the production of more coal and nuclear plants.
Reality: Even if the majority of drivers switched to electric, the existing electrical grid's off-peak/nighttime capacity for power generation is sufficient without building a single new power plant. Studies have shown that electric vehicle owners will largely charge their vehicles at night when there is plenty of capacity on the grid. In some areas, new "smart charging" allows you and the utility to set up a system by which you and other electricity users distribute the load evenly during charging so that the system is not overwhelmed by increased demand.
Ask me about food.
How Permies.com Works (lots of useful links)
Works at a residential alternative high school in the Himalayas SECMOL.org . "Back home" is Cape Cod, E Coast USA.
“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein
This does look cool! Sadly, three years later they are still taking deposits for future vehicles.
Dale Hodgins wrote:Derek, that is not an electric car and it has nothing to do with electric cars.
“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein
I have spoken to many people who have never tried an electric car but exhibit extreme bias against them. Some of these people cite the fact that it might be difficult to traverse the entire length of the Trans-Canada highway due to a shortage of charging facilities. I always ask whether they actually intend to do this, and when was the last time that they did it. The majority of people who I meet, work within 10 kilometres of home. Many families have two or more cars. If they really need to hop in the car and drive 5000 miles,they can use their old gas model. I like to ask people how far have you traveled out of the city in the last month. Most have not taken their car to anywhere that would exhaust the batteries on an electric model. Range anxiety is something concocted in their minds and not closely related to the reality of their daily driving experience.
'Theoretically this level of creeping Orwellian dynamics should ramp up our awareness, but what happens instead is that each alert becomes less and less effective because we're incredibly stupid.' - Jerry Holkins
Dale Hodgins wrote:I'm interested to know how many people here have traveled in an electric car or driven one. I have driven two and been a passenger in one. They're a very common site here in Victoria. Nothing is very far here, being on the tip of an island.
I was immediately impressed by the initial torque when I rode in a Nissan Leaf.
Ask me about food.
How Permies.com Works (lots of useful links)
"I use my solar panels to charge Nelly up, so "fuel" is free. The batteries are tested every year with her service and are still at 100% or 12 cells. Depending on the speed and gradient you can get about 85 miles. But if you are whizzing up a hill on a motorway it will be less. Nelly regenerates electric when she is slowing down or going down hill. Charging at home (slow charge 3kw) from empty takes 8hrs, but on a motorway (50kw) takes 35 mins. Every service station has a fast charge. Electric cars dont pay road tax. And from my personal experience I would never buy a petrol/diesel car again. You can charge an electric car anywhere where there is a normal plug socket. Nelly is 5 years old next month.
Her nose is where she charges up. Her name is cos she looks like a elephant when she is plugged in"
How permies.com works
What is a Mother Tree ?
“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein
John Weiland wrote:And although it's not an EV issue, does Canada allow sale of the more fuel efficient Toyota and Nissan (and other make?) light-duty diesel pickups like the Hi-Lux?
Part of the reason I'm asking, and getting back to EVs, is that it seems that there are almost more EV retrofit kits for the small pickups than there are for sedans.
'Theoretically this level of creeping Orwellian dynamics should ramp up our awareness, but what happens instead is that each alert becomes less and less effective because we're incredibly stupid.' - Jerry Holkins
Living in Anjou , France,
For the many not for the few
http://www.permies.com/t/80/31583/projects/Permie-Pennies-France#330873
David Livingston wrote:I hear what you are saying about Hybrids but then there is this http://www.autotrader.com/car-news/nissan-shows-another-use-for-the-electric-car-emergency-power-170267
David
Eric Hammond wrote:Using a hybrid or electric vehicle as a battery for your house is not feasible. I'm the hybrid specialist at our dealership. You'd be surprised at how small the batteries actually are. For example a new fusion hybrid has a battery capacity of only 1.3 kw that's the same size as a t 105 golf cart battery! It relys on the regenerative braking and gas engine to quickly charge it.
Hybrids and electrics are a disaster. The parts and service costs are astronomical.
One example of the dozens I have working on hybrids. I had to put an abs module on a hybrid escape. The module was 4000 dollars. It took a literal 2 GALLONS of brake fluid to bleed the system out. Just wasted fluids.
Just the fuse for the battery is 700 dollars!
I would never own one. Way too costly
How permies.com works
What is a Mother Tree ?
Living in Anjou , France,
For the many not for the few
http://www.permies.com/t/80/31583/projects/Permie-Pennies-France#330873
David Livingston wrote:http://www.iea.org/ieaenergy/issue6/volt-utilityvehiclesgarage-basedgrid.html
This is interesting as it shows people using this system now so obviously these controlers must exist in some form.
I must admit since cars can be charged up at home and since you can use Sunshine to power your home I dont why you think this is such a big problem
David
'Theoretically this level of creeping Orwellian dynamics should ramp up our awareness, but what happens instead is that each alert becomes less and less effective because we're incredibly stupid.' - Jerry Holkins
Ask me about food.
How Permies.com Works (lots of useful links)
Tomorrow is the first day of the new metric calendar. Comfort me tiny ad:
rocket mass heater risers: materials and design eBook
https://permies.com/w/risers-ebook
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