Living with a Tesla
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 65,603
Likes: 4,836
From: Smalltown
You'll appreciate this, Dave and other car peeps....I was reading a book the other day and one of the characters was happy to drive her sister's Tesla and totally enjoyed the sound of the engine.....
I think someone needed a research assistant.
I think someone needed a research assistant.
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
Likes: 629
From: Houston/Durango
Durango has rows of charging stations in front of some gov buildings downtown. I see e-cars charging up there all the time. Wow Tesla stock is up. Is it that they have decided to build more cars in China?
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 46,044
Likes: 5,495
From: Loveland, CO
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 46,044
Likes: 5,495
From: Loveland, CO
Trending Topics
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 8,055
Likes: 3,545
From: Foothills East of Sacramento
The devil is in the details.
Tesla type cars have an inconvenient truth:
1) The true total "environmental cost" is quite high, higher than dino autos, considering the manufacture of batteries. On top of that you have the cost (financial and real) of the required infrastructure cost for charging.
2) Current infrastructure for households only allow 2 full charging stations in a block area. You must rip out and replace electrical infrastructure to support every house having a charging station.
3) No long distance travel. You get to wait not just for charging but for others waiting for an available charger. Article on this problem during Thanksgiving travel in electric friendly California. Some Tesla owners waited for hours.
4) Where is the power coming from? Dino? Solar? Good old coal and gas have a 80% efficiency rate compared to 30% for solar and wind. Power is going to come from somewhere. Why not have it in the most efficient form: the car.
The best bang for the buck, the least pollution considering ALL factors of production and supply, all point to natural gas. Yep, good old CNG is the least polluting, least expensive, lowers impact on infrastructure, instant refill, and lowest impact to mother earth.
Byproduct of combustion? Water.
Huge amounts of natural gas are burned at the wellhead (environment anyone?) because earth wackos have a knee jerk reaction to pipelines, CNG port terminals, and autos. We need to use this abundant, currently wasted, unlimited natural resource. Cheap, easy, plentiful, environmental. We are talking centuries.
Do we have to live again the Tesla/Ford tussle? Direct current is inefficient. The cost comes from power production and the requirement for large, heavy, polluting batteries.
Tesla type cars have an inconvenient truth:
1) The true total "environmental cost" is quite high, higher than dino autos, considering the manufacture of batteries. On top of that you have the cost (financial and real) of the required infrastructure cost for charging.
2) Current infrastructure for households only allow 2 full charging stations in a block area. You must rip out and replace electrical infrastructure to support every house having a charging station.
3) No long distance travel. You get to wait not just for charging but for others waiting for an available charger. Article on this problem during Thanksgiving travel in electric friendly California. Some Tesla owners waited for hours.
4) Where is the power coming from? Dino? Solar? Good old coal and gas have a 80% efficiency rate compared to 30% for solar and wind. Power is going to come from somewhere. Why not have it in the most efficient form: the car.
The best bang for the buck, the least pollution considering ALL factors of production and supply, all point to natural gas. Yep, good old CNG is the least polluting, least expensive, lowers impact on infrastructure, instant refill, and lowest impact to mother earth.
Byproduct of combustion? Water.
Huge amounts of natural gas are burned at the wellhead (environment anyone?) because earth wackos have a knee jerk reaction to pipelines, CNG port terminals, and autos. We need to use this abundant, currently wasted, unlimited natural resource. Cheap, easy, plentiful, environmental. We are talking centuries.
Do we have to live again the Tesla/Ford tussle? Direct current is inefficient. The cost comes from power production and the requirement for large, heavy, polluting batteries.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 46,134
Likes: 8,544
From: Mish-she-gan
Current infrastructure for households only allow 2 full charging stations in a block area. You must rip out and replace electrical infrastructure to support every house having a charging station.