Yesterday I saw an electric car -- apparently it will go 100 miles on a single charge and costs roughly the same price as gas powered vehicles. Do any readers know about this? Is this really the way of the future (of course imagine the ramp-up of electric production)?
18 comments:
It will become economically viable only when we remove the current subsidies to the oil industry, and instead subsidize battery and solar panel development. (and I include much of the american defence budget in the oil subsidy category, since much of it goes to defending america's oil supply from the middle east)
OK, but I mean, mechanically, does it work?
Just saw an ad last night for what was described as the first available all electric car. I believe it was a Nissan. I don't think the Volt is in production yet.
http://www.nissan.ca/vehicles/ms/leaf/en/index.aspx
It's possible you saw something about the ZENN Car. ZENN is short for Zero Emission, No Noise. It's basically a battery-operated vehicle similar in nature to a golf cart (but better).
It's actually made in Canada (Quebec, I believe), but Transport Canada has not given permission for the company to sell cars in Canada.
Considering we currently have surplus base load at night and many people drive short ranges requiring just 1 or two charges a week, I've been told we can electrify 5-10% of the fleet before there is any need to build more power generation. Provided of course people charge their rides during the correct times.
The current state of these cars however will not not meet the needs of all those commuters doing the long haul across the 401 each day. Just like there is a niche for 2 seat cars, bikes and buses, electric vehicles are going to be a nessessary part of the mix as peak oil increases energy cost. If I could justify a second car right now I would be looking at an electric vehicle for local use while saving the gas car for cottage runs.
I find it disturbing that the IEA has stated we HAVE reached peak oil and yet it was never an election issue.
Its also disturbing that no one is mentioning that our legal requirment to export oil to the U.S. because of NAFTA could eventually cause us energy shortages despite our riches.
Ummm. What's a mile?
Just a side (some would think snide) comment. As we need to speak with the youth of this country, and as we've been using kilometres rather than miles since April 1, 1975, shouldn't we speak in the language of those who are our collective future, if not the present? The younger generations (I'm 54) know OF a mile but they don't really know WHAT a mile is. To most of them, it's just a term they hear in TV, in movies and music. Ditto for the so-called 100 mile diet. Why not the 150 kilometre (or more precisely 160.9344 kilometre) diet? At least everyone with a vehicle built since 1975 can check their odometer to see how far that really is.
Just a thought about relevance and knowing one's audience.
On the topic at hand, I'd LOVE to have an electric car. Sadly, here in Alberta, our electricity is is coal and oil generated so the carbon signature is just displace from a tailpipe to a smokestack. C'est domage. What ever happened to that talk of a western electrical grid spanning BC to Manitoba?
An alternative that's been dismissed by too many is compressed air vehicles. Worth a look. Hell, if we stopped oil subsidies for one year, the Government of Canada could outright BUY the company, the IP and the process and build them here. Of course, that'll never happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVIwropRMME
http://www.mdi.lu/english/
"What ever happened to that talk of a western electrical grid spanning BC to Manitoba?"
It's never going to happen because it's a stupid idea. BC and AB are already connected by a big line, with another one being planned for the medium term. AB is connected to SK by a very small connection that serves little purpose.
The only reason to build a full east-west sytem would be to allow for wheeling between ON/QC and AB/BC/CALIFORNIA.
The cost would be through the roof to span such a distance for such a marginal benefit. Any drop in electricity cost would be eaten up by the additional transmission costs.
Electric is the future for transit. We can generate enough electricity for our daily drives with rooftop home solar systems.
We NEED Canadian regulators to make this go. How? Like many US constituencies we need to allow Canadians to "sell" energy back "into the grid" when they're not using it. I don't believe any Canadian jurisdiction allows this right now.
We are currently embarked on a substantial solar project at home. We hope to be "off grid" within a few years. In Calgary the "C-Train" runs entirely on wind-generated electricity (brainchild of a young Liberal who resides there and was involved in the process from day one - he also ran for the party).
Liberals would be wise to come out in favor of alternative energy in more than just mere "lip service".
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