The hillarious part of if everyone who owns an electric car with the thought that they’re helping the enviroment….is that they seem to lack the sense to realize that by plugging in their car, the electricity has to come from SOMEWHERE! They’re helping to keep coal-burning plants to stay in operation so that they can have the power to plug in! Short of riding a bike everywhere you go, or walk, you’ll NEVER get away from doing something that you think is helping the enviroment.
The processes for generating and transmitting electricity are very inefficient. With fossil fuels, it’’s roughly 33% efficient – so 2/3 of the power consumed ends up wasted. The more plug in cars we have, the more fuel we will be wasting. I have no idea why the environmentalists don’t mention this. Do a Google search for the phrase “efficiency of power generation” and see for yourselves if you doubt this.
A car is freedom. Serfs ride buses where you depend on them to show up on time, you are subject to the smells of previous or present drunks and dirty people, the grubby seats and take hold bars and liable to assault and robbery if you look too prosperous. It often takes several hours with transfers to reach somewhere that can be reached in a half hour in your car.I see massive buses sucking down $4 Diesel driven by a union pay scale driver carrying two or three people – don’t talk to me about efficiency.
BTW – the difference between using a car and walking/bussing it to where I want to go works out to about 35 minutes. That’s 10 minutes to drive and 45 minutes to walk/bus, if I don’t miss the bus. Miss the bus, add another 15 minutes to that timetable. That car is door to door and parked, up the stairs in the apartment. I don’t have a car.
I think the electric car is not a final solution. I envision something like wind turbines or solar panels producing hydrogen gas (which can be stored efficiently, at least in theory) which can then be used to power vehicles, thereby reducing some of the problems with these sorts of energy, particularly that they don’t always produce power when you want it.
PianoGuy24 and treesareus: don’t like coal-burning power plants? Neither do I, but electricity can come from less polluting sources such as solar panels and wind generators. To be fair, if you are going to consider the pollution made by producing fuel (electricity) you should also the pollution caused by drilling for and extracting oil, as well as refining it and distributing it. NOT cleaner than a coal plant.
RootsIN DM: the efficiency of a modern gasoline engine is around 12%, and that’s before taking into account the inefficiencies of producing and distributing its fuel. An electric motor has around 95% efficiency. Overall the electric car and its fueling system are more efficient.
StoicLion and INGSOC: although electric cars are not ready to completely replace gasoline cars yet, give the technology some time to mature. Gasoline cars have had over 100 years of continual development by thousands of engineers. Electric cars have only had fits and spurts of development totaling less than 20 years, by maybe a few dozen engineers.
Don Winchester Premium Member over 12 years ago
The hillarious part of if everyone who owns an electric car with the thought that they’re helping the enviroment….is that they seem to lack the sense to realize that by plugging in their car, the electricity has to come from SOMEWHERE! They’re helping to keep coal-burning plants to stay in operation so that they can have the power to plug in! Short of riding a bike everywhere you go, or walk, you’ll NEVER get away from doing something that you think is helping the enviroment.
tr.phipps over 12 years ago
Keep in mind that electricity can be generated using natural resources native to a region… Hydro, Solar, Geothermal, Wind, etc.
Charlie Fogwhistle over 12 years ago
The processes for generating and transmitting electricity are very inefficient. With fossil fuels, it’’s roughly 33% efficient – so 2/3 of the power consumed ends up wasted. The more plug in cars we have, the more fuel we will be wasting. I have no idea why the environmentalists don’t mention this. Do a Google search for the phrase “efficiency of power generation” and see for yourselves if you doubt this.
bagbalm over 12 years ago
A car is freedom. Serfs ride buses where you depend on them to show up on time, you are subject to the smells of previous or present drunks and dirty people, the grubby seats and take hold bars and liable to assault and robbery if you look too prosperous. It often takes several hours with transfers to reach somewhere that can be reached in a half hour in your car.I see massive buses sucking down $4 Diesel driven by a union pay scale driver carrying two or three people – don’t talk to me about efficiency.
k.henrick over 12 years ago
we could use wind and solar energy
monawarner over 12 years ago
It amazes me how a little comic can launch such a heated -although lopsided - debate. It’s a good thing I came so late to the party.
Don Winchester Premium Member over 12 years ago
Plus, all that wasted energy to burn coal for an electric car that will get only about 50miles before having to recharge….yeah…that’s effecient….
Hunter7 over 12 years ago
Look Mom! Its a mouse on wheels! (panel 1)
Hunter7 over 12 years ago
BTW – the difference between using a car and walking/bussing it to where I want to go works out to about 35 minutes. That’s 10 minutes to drive and 45 minutes to walk/bus, if I don’t miss the bus. Miss the bus, add another 15 minutes to that timetable. That car is door to door and parked, up the stairs in the apartment. I don’t have a car.
bmonk over 12 years ago
I think the electric car is not a final solution. I envision something like wind turbines or solar panels producing hydrogen gas (which can be stored efficiently, at least in theory) which can then be used to power vehicles, thereby reducing some of the problems with these sorts of energy, particularly that they don’t always produce power when you want it.
ferddo about 12 years ago
PianoGuy24 and treesareus: don’t like coal-burning power plants? Neither do I, but electricity can come from less polluting sources such as solar panels and wind generators. To be fair, if you are going to consider the pollution made by producing fuel (electricity) you should also the pollution caused by drilling for and extracting oil, as well as refining it and distributing it. NOT cleaner than a coal plant.
RootsIN DM: the efficiency of a modern gasoline engine is around 12%, and that’s before taking into account the inefficiencies of producing and distributing its fuel. An electric motor has around 95% efficiency. Overall the electric car and its fueling system are more efficient.
StoicLion and INGSOC: although electric cars are not ready to completely replace gasoline cars yet, give the technology some time to mature. Gasoline cars have had over 100 years of continual development by thousands of engineers. Electric cars have only had fits and spurts of development totaling less than 20 years, by maybe a few dozen engineers.
steelersneo over 11 years ago
I am not my brothers keeper. Who is John Galt!!