nissan leaf, chevy volt

@Rockhead,

Im not saying solar panels would run the car, just the air con when stationary, parked up.

@xris,

I understand what you are saying.

it is impractical with today's technology and "styling" of autos.

how many panels do you think it would require?

I am not a solar power expert, but we do use them a lot here on the prairie. they are cumbersome for the power return.

current A/C is made by a belt driven compressor. it takes about 25 hp to run it on high.

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@xris,

youll need bigger solar PV units to run an AC compressor and all. I dont think a little solar unit on a car roof will be able to handle it (YET). They are working on sevral "layered " PV unists where the power production is several times greater than the present ones.

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@farmerman,

the reason for my smile.

google prius plywood and go to #5 on the prius chat forum page. Shocked

I see a lot of that kinda thing out here...

ChaiTea2, I think you should wait and see how the rubber hits the road with these things, regardless of how much money Uncle Barrack wants to give you for doing it.

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In Israel 42 fleet managers have pre-purchased 32,000 electric cars, equal to a fifth of Israel's annual car sales.

Quote:

I am not a solar power expert, but we do use them a lot here on the prairie. they are cumbersome for the power return.

Polymer (read flexible) solar cells based on the technology used to create polymer banknotes are being developed.

I'm Imagining a car completly covered in solar cells instead of paint.

Battery change over stations will become common place. With the co -operation of manufacturers it ought to be possible to design a drop in - drop out drive over a pit style replacement
Chinese automakers Chery and BAIC are both showcasing switchable-battery electric cars at AutoChina 2010.

Parking meter style charging stations will also florish.

What came first mobile phones or towers?
what came first google or fibre in the ground
Chai someone has to go first.

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There is a fair bit of blue sky in the below link but so there was with the IT revolution
http://australia.betterplace.com/our-plan/

The founder of "better place" is referenced in this news artical
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/well-plugged-charging-ahead-with-electric-dreams-of-a-greener-motoring-future-20090724-dw88.html

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@dadpad,

I was thinking about the same tech that we use to change our printer cartridges to pop batteries in and out.
How about microwave charging stations?

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@chai2,

Sounds cool (just read your initial post and nothing else) - I'd go for it, too. You're right about the 100 mile thing, too, but here's a question: Why can't we be charging a spare battery while we're driving?? That would make sense to me.

Or charge two or three batteries and just replace it if you need to go over 100 miles.

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And speaking of cars, I have another intelligent question:

Why aren't car bumpers rubber anymore? You get rear-ended and your car is smashed in. What happened to bumpers? Wouldn't that be more practical than metal and fibreglass?

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@Mame,

Mame wrote:

Sounds cool (just read your initial post and nothing else) - I'd go for it, too. You're right about the 100 mile thing, too, but here's a question: Why can't we be charging a spare battery while we're driving?? That would make sense to me.

Or charge two or three batteries and just replace it if you need to go over 100 miles.

The batteries weigh like 500 pounds, I think.

Go for it Brumhilda

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@Mame,

Mame wrote:

And speaking of cars, I have another intelligent question:

Why aren't car bumpers rubber anymore? You get rear-ended and your car is smashed in. What happened to bumpers? Wouldn't that be more practical than metal and fibreglass?

Yeah, what the **** is up with that?

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@chai2,

chai2 wrote:

Pan, I have a question for you, about something you wrote. You said you'd have to replace the batter in a just a few years. Why, if it is being charged up completely every day?

Those batteries have a limited lifespan. When they die, they need to be replaced, and they are not cheap.

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@Pangloss,

Ive heard the secondhand car trade would die with the batteries.

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@xris,

I believe you are right. Even if they get battery life up to ten years and price down to two thousand, that's a lot of freight to be carried by most buyers in the ten year old used car market.

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@roger,

It comes down to economics again. Guzzle I hope will be more expensive.

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@xris,

I would definately tax the guzzle, though in general, I am pretty much against sin taxes.

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@xris,

Gas-burning engines will be around for a long time. You can't run a farm, trailer your boat, or even haul a few kids via interstate to Grandma's for the weekend, with an electric car.

The thing is, most Americans don't want to sacrifice size and horsepower for fuel efficiency. And this is how it will be until gas prices really skyrocket. You can make incredibly fuel-efficient gas car engines, it's just that they're not powerful enough to appeal to American auto buyers.

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@roger,

Im waiting for the tank I dump in every morning, to power my day. Gas is a wonderful fuel and so renewable, try taxing that.

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@roger,

the Prius's are going to suffer the same fate.

the battery packs on them are over $1000 last I knew.

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@xris,

Gas is a wonderful fuel, it isn't renewable, and they do tax it already.

Oh, that kind of gas. Shocked

1 Reply

nissan leaf, chevy volt

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