Prius range/refill time , Leaf range/fast charge time. Newspaper BAY AREA NEWS GROUP | Serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California announced a $120 million deal in California to build 200 fast charging stations along highways and tributaries and 1000's of L2's at restaurants and all. Ok. Paper says it takes about 30 minutes to recharge to 80%, about 70 miles or so in Leaf. Maybe recharge time can be reduced and range greatly increased, but for now, I don't see BEV's for long distance travel. Am I missing something? Here's a bunch of EV info - http://transportelectrification.blogspot.com/p/evs-faqs.html
Three 60 mile trip legs in a Leaf ... with an unexpected overnighter - http://mynissanleafstory.blogspot.com/2011/05/roadtrip-gone-wrong.html "...Using a combination of fast charging during the day and lower speed charging overnight, the (Leaf) ESB team was able to complete the (600 mile) rally in the three day time allotment and become the first electric car to enter and finish a Cannonball Run http://www.autotrader.com/research/...nissan-leaf-completes-600-mile-road-rally.jsp
"...Until a 10-minute system arrives, the thought of "filling up" on electric is still not practical for long-distance travel." http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2011/10/10-minute-charge-for-nissan-leaf-is-far-off.html Here's an interesting Edmunds video, scroll down. 132 miles at 35 MPH 2011 Nissan Leaf: Driving It To The Bitter End
Yea, it is less convenient. Better thousands of dead soldiers and trillions of debt. It makes perfect sense to me. I'm with ya. Stupid EV people.
Hill, I share your frustration at vague assertions of why the EV isn't a workable transportation solution. At this time, I feel strongly that education is more meaningful than sarcasm. Today, the EV is essentially at the point of universal usefulness that the gasoline car, the horseless carriage was a century ago. As was then, and is again, broad acceptance of EVs is dependent on the construction of suitable road systems. Back then it was the roads themselves, today it's the availability of rapid chargers at suitable intervals. Back in the day it took some 27 years from the introduction of the auto-mobile to the first continental crossing. In the interval you can bet there was much discussion, most negative at first I'd bet, about the long term viability of the "stink chariot." I just wish that folks would take the time to do some research about early automotive travel. It's either horrific or humorous depending on your point of view. As to the new EV story, we're only up to the Introduction or the first pages of Chapter One... and that story will be told in future installments, not necessarily linked to the past due on- going battery, charger, and electrical drive developments. One example: Mitsubishi EV Motor System with Built-in Silicon Carbide Inverter Over time every impediment to the acceptance and success of the motor car was overcome by a combination of actions by enthusiasts, the free market, and state and federal action. There are good reasons that this will be the case for the EV as well. I'd say that for right now BEV's are not suitable for long distance travel, depending on the definition of "long." But, for how far into the future that assessment is valid is anyone's guess. My point here is that it is far too early to make sweeping judgements on the future of EV cars. Although the picture isn't always rosy, I much prefer to read about the current status, and prognostications of the future of EVs from current users/pioneers over at mynissanleaf.com Some stuff to read/consider: The Impact of the Automobile on the 20th Century Early Adventures with the Automobile [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Highway]Lincoln Highway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
Hill, I guess US adds to debt with bloated defense budget / sending troops to secure regions for oil? I've read Edmunds reviews and most are thrilled with their Leafs. We go up to Concord, 41 miles sometimes, but could not recharge up there. It wouldn't make the round trip. I could use Leaf most of the time though.
