I have an eGo-I, one of the first 10 made. I’ve only had to replace the batteries once and lube the intermediate shaft bearings.
The issue manufacturers have been working on lately is the same one as since the start of electric cars: the cost, weight and bulk of the batteries.
A gas scooter the same weight as the eGo (120lb) can go faster and further, plus refill faster. But it’s not such an issue going across town on the eGo as going across a state in a car.
America is NOT going to convert to a golf-cart retirement community transportation mode. People LOVE their high-powered cars and they LOVE to drive them. This is not about transportation needs, that part is easy. It’s the love affair with the automobile that’s the hard part…The bigger they are, the heavier, the faster, the BETTER!!
All well and good, and I assume you actually drove one; if so, you are in the minority of those that thought they were viable NOW…but like the satisfaction ration CU does on their cars, the only real opinion that matters were the drivers of the EV1s. They determine the market…and they say ? Or are they just liberal junkies, not to be believed.
Some or the most powerful vehicles in the world use electric drive motors…ICEs are pretenders compared to the electric motor. I trust you’ll be a convert when electricity finds a suitable storage home in the family car, if not EV drivers will be looking at you in their rear view mirror.
I’d be happy to drive an EV if there was one available that could get me to work and back. But there aren’t any. I’m intrigued by the Volt, though. That is one style of hybrid that I might go for, but only if it makes decent economic sense.
this is a perfect example of why all-electric vehicles at a reasonable price are mostly an educational issue… a 40-50 mile range really IS enough for ‘most’ daily use. The expectation that we need more drives the market to WANT 100 mile range, which shifts the solution from a $15k DC Lead-acid solution to a $40k AC Lithium solution.
Yes we would need more daytime electricity capacity, but why not go SOLAR and use daytime PV to charge the EVs, and use the EVs as a night-time energy spring in a smart-grid?!
All electric IS ready to go, but probably just for the ‘around town’ vehicles which represent 70% of daily need nationwide…
not at $40k.
however, LOTS of people would like an ‘around town’ electric if it cost $15k. I have people ask me every day to build them one like mine.
I can build a DC/Lead electric for $8k, that has a range of 40 miles. good enuf?
what are your actual daily miles required?
COULD you plug in while at work?
I drive 27 miles one way, and I do not believe that there are facilities for outdoor electric at work. At least, I have not seen them.
Even today, if you sold two cars, one Electric and one Hummer type. Guess which would get the majority of buyers. Most people are not going to buy a car that is handycaped by a range of less that say 300 miles and then it would need to be able to recharge in little more time than it takes to fill a tank today.
I would not mind having a small electric car. But I would not think it would be worth the cost of the car and the insurance etc, for the limited use I could make of it.
So …you drive more than 100 miles a day normally ? I don’t and it would be welcome. The cost of the electricity is dramatically less than gas to power an EV1 for 300 miles. I could deal with that if it were available.
The high cost is contrived because of the lack of mass production…except for the batteries, it’s an electric motor, stamped steel and electronics. The batteries could be $10K and I feel the cost of a viable 120 mile range 4 passenger car would still be less than $20K if mass produced.
Just like single payer health care, the will isn’t there because the corp. wealth will impeded it’s implementation and we still believe all the corp. press releases on the non feasibility of both. We’re being taken for a ride and paying for our own fuel in inflated gas prices while doing it.
We all worry about the availability of electricity while traveling ? It’s the ultimate in fungibility.
Todays ICE cars require lots of expensive maintenance. People are getting SICK of CEL’s and the repair bills they can generate. We are overlooking the maintenance-free aspect of the electric car. Once the batteries become mass-produced and semi-standardized, replacing them won’t be so frightening or costly. The overall operating cost of a pure electric should be much less than a piston engined car…A quiet, vibration-free ride will win over consumers quickly. The range of these cars can be set by the price you are willing to pay. The more you pay, the bigger battery you get…Except for the battery, these cars will (can) last almost forever. There is very little to wear out…
Caddyman,isn’t that one of the reasons we can’t have an electric? Good grief just think of the people that make exhaust systems and what not for the
ICE powered autos (thinking job loss ) I would like to have a hierloom quality auto,but it doesn’t seem likely.
Yes we would need more daytime electricity capacity, but why not go SOLAR and use daytime PV to charge the EVs
It might be a good match, but it would need to be done at the work destination since that is wehre the car would be most of the day. Would work diestanations have enough sun exposure locations to handle all the employee cars? Also solar power is not exactly ready for prime time yet, but it is getting there and even as it is today, it might work as you suggest for at least some applications.
It is ideas like yours that will ultimatly decide waht is going to be used.Ever thought about a seal failure… hate to think the vapor from LH leak would hit my face,
Take a look at the history of gasoline, or even steam and electric vehicles. The same kind of doomsday arguments were made for each of them.
Caddyman,isn’t that one of the reasons we can’t have an electric? Good grief just think of the people that make exhaust systems and what not for the
ICE powered autos (thinking job loss ) I would like to have a hierloom quality auto,but it doesn’t seem likely.
You got it…
That’s why the progression has to be very deliberate…who wouldn’t buy a series Volt technology car, even if the mileage was just marginally better, just to get traction electric drive motors…eliminate gas engine drive motor, trans, reduce brake maintenance (regenerative braking) and gain outstanding acceleration, traction control and reliability. It’s a no brainer. One of the most efficient and reliable modes of transportation is the diesel electric locomotive; a car/ truck variant would be an outstanding first step with just marginal battery storage for limited in town driving. It will be here…just done hold your breath. We’ll be replacing brains with stem cells before GM replaces their ICEs with traction motors…just to keep making money on repairs and service.
THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM is.
What do you think will happen to the power grid when 20 people on one block=2000 people in one substation=20,000 people in one city all plug in theit EVs at 5:45pm?
WE CAN’T EVEN KEEP UP WITH THE AIR CONDITIONERS that come on at 2:00pm all over town. This will become a real bummer when these things take off in the next couple of years. The grid really needs to be ruggedized, and this infrastructure upgrade will cost us plenty. Also, the carbon tradeoff in coal powered states may actually be NEGATIVE (according to Science Friday NPR). In CA our electrical is powered by Hydro/Natural gas/Nuclear/Renewable and is under great stress.
This all needs to be done. Now, with the govt looking into big projects, the return will be worth it (??)
Many studies have been done and off hour demand can easily be handled by a “sudden” large change over to EVs. But in reality, EV’s will come gradually, the electricity increase in demand which will be offset by alternate energy sources which will keep pace. The grid is being restructured as we speak, by the power companies, stimulus or not. Do you think that 40 million EVs will suddenly appear in everyone’s drive tomorrow ?
The real elephant in the room is…THERE IS NO ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ! The only thing that prevents it from successfully happening, is lack of will and corporate greed.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill …“America always does the right thing; after trying out everything else”.
So it may take a while.
I hope none of you guys are under the impression that you are going to charge these things from a 120 volt 15 amp receptacle.
Think more like at least 30 or 50 amp 240 volt. And you are going to be pushing it at that.