Electric car question

[curly_kate]

There was a show on last night about California's efforts to reduce their pollution. There was a lot of talk about electric cars, but there's something I don't understand about it. If you need to plug in electric cars, and in many parts of this country, our electricity comes from coal, don't we still run into the same problem of relying on a finite resource? I can see how electric would still be better than gas-powered cars, and also I understand that they don't really pollute, but power plants pollute a lot. Has anyone ever heard this issue discussed when it comes to electric cars?

On this show, they did show a solar/wind powered charging station, and that was pretty cool.

 

[Homesteadmom]

I wondered the same thing!

 

[patandchickens]

Sure. The argument is that the amount of coal burned at the power plant (or whatever your local grid's sources of power are) still pollutes LESS than an internal combustion engine in the car. The numbers I've seen do seem to bear this out.

In my mind it is kind of like recycling packaging. It is better to recycle packaging than to just chuck it all in the landfill -- it is probably lighter on the environment to use electric cars (at least if you're just talking about the power to run them) than gasoline-powered. However it would be a whole lot BETTER to use less packaging in the first place, or drive less in the first place.

Still, I guess something is something

Pat

 

[curly_kate]

That's kind of what I was thinking, but I think it's interesting that I've never heard it mentioned before. You'd think SOMEONE would say,
"yes, electricity usually comes from coal, BUT...." Again, in this show, scientists were talking about how the BEST option is to expand mass transit, but of course no one wants to do that. There was a car salesman in Texas who was saying that as Americans, it is in our genes that we want to buy big cars. Schwarzenegger was talking about how strange it was when he came here that Americans couldn't give up their cars.

One of the things I have the highest hopes for in the new administration is for a COMPREHENSIVE energy policy. If we could invest in other sources of energy for our power plants, and electric car would be perfect. We need a major shift in attitude and policy, not little piecemeal things here and there. Pat, I agree that every little bit helps, but I still think the public at large has a long way to go in our attitude towards conservation of resources.

Dr. Chu was on here, and this was filmed before he became energy secretary. That, to me, was a good sign!

 

[dacjohns]

One of the things I read is that the highest usage for electricity is during the day. Power plants produce all the time. Electric cars will be plugged in night when use is down so it balances out. No real increased demand on the grid.

 

[FarmerChick]

As good as they can help city driving etc. ---the technology is not up to snuff for long term driving. I know people won't be able to go on long long trips without hotels to plug in while parked. Doing this at home is one thing, bringing it to the masses for real long term is questionable...at least right now.
Kinda like you need a hitching post for your horse in the old days in front of every saloon...LOL---well plug ins will be needed everywhere for travel then. And tractor trailers hauling their loads, etc.

 

[enjoy the ride]

There are two things about electric cars, beside the limited range, that worry me.
One is that replacing the batteries, when they fail at about 7 years, would be a hiuge expense. Like $3000. And you really can't replace one that is failing- if they are just wearing out, then all need replacing.
The other thing is the pain and expense of repair with electical devices. It is very hard to determine expactly where an electrical problem is- it needs careful following of the wires and testing as you go- it could be a failed connector, a bad wire, a short or the dreaded circuit board . That is one of the reasons getting a fix on the electrical system on your gas car can be sooooo expensive- frequently a cheap replacement part but lots of time finding.

I remember once I had a worn spot in the insulated covering to a wire on my horse trailer- it would shourt out but only when the wire brushed against the body in a certain way- too hours of testing to find it because it was at the license plate light.

Also, I hate to say this but frequently rechargiing is a risk- gases can collect and single spark can cause an explosion of the battery- That is why I always wear ear and eye protection when charging up a battery.

 

[Homesteadmom]

One of the things I read is that the highest usage for electricity is during the day. Power plants produce all the time. Electric cars will be plugged in night when use is down so it balances out. No real increased demand on the grid.

Just curious, but if everyone started plugging in their cars at night to charge then wouldn't the demand for elec go up? So there would be a real increased demand on the grid at night. JMOT.

 

[FarmerChick]

You sure are right Pam.
Just putting that type of demand on power at night would be very interesting. I am sure it would effect power companies somehow!

Electric cars sound wonderful in theory, I just think true use is way way way off.


I saw a tv show that said if every company in America who has computers for their buiness, would just power them down at night and turn off the monitors, WE WOULD decrease the need of like, 4 nuclear power plants. Amazing isn't it. And that would mean less power used to make electricity. So simple to conserve then to constantly try to make alternatives some times.

 

[Homesteadmom]

I cringe everytime I drive by the schools around here at night as they are lit up like a Christmas tree! What a waste of elec. If businesses & chools would shut everything off at night just think how much elec would be saved every day. I know someone is going to say they do it to knock down theft & damage but if the lights are off & lights are seen inside then I would be suspicious. If the lights are on then it is actually easier for vandals & theives to see what they are doing & trying to break into. And new housing developments have the lights on in the models all night long too!