A majority of auto executives still think battery electric cars will fail, survey says

Regarding standardized batteries, weren't laptop manufacturers looking at doing that? We know how that turned out...

 

Some of you might remember Robert Llewellyn from “Junkyard Wars” (the original UK version I think was called “Scrapheap Challenge”).


iPad ? Pro

 

This sort of thing has occurred to me as well, but I concluded that you probably wouldn’t get very many miles from each such suitcase, and each suitcase would be pretty heavy. I expect a trailer would be closer to reality, and I’ve seen suggestions along those lines.

It then occurred to me that, if you have a trailer, one with a gasoline generator might be a better bet (i.e., series hybrid operation).

It then further occurred to me that, *if it can be controlled with sufficient precision* (big “if”), it might be possible for trailer to simply provide gasoline propulsion. Clearly that’s much more iffy than a trailer battery pack or trailer generator.


iPad ? Pro

 

(Ignore; accidentally replied to myself... Talking to myself again!)

iPad ? Pro

 

What ever happened to the Super capacitor or the ultracapacitor technology?

I know they have worked on it but will it be a factor?


Maxwell Technologies Transportation Solutions: Automobile

 

It appears that Toyota is putting considerable ¥¥¥¥ into solid-state Li technology.

It’s important to understand that when GM, Volvo and others speak of this, they often use words like “electrified,” which could include HFC or just Hybrid.

Edit: Soooo, when they express qualms, they might be concerned about lack of HFC infrastructure (hydrogen generation and distribution, to which I say, “well, duh!”), or the cost penalty of hybrids, although that cost penalty far smaller now than 10 years ago.

iPhone ? Pro

 

I haven’t heard much detail, but I gather that there has been research into graphene-based ultra-capacitors. I presume part of the appeal is that the single-atom thickness allows for huge plate areas, very close together. No idea what they have in mind for dielectrics (again, haven’t heard much detail).

iPhone ? Pro

 

If only we had the real Mr. Tesla back, he'd make it work.

 

Caution, it you hold your fingers at the right orientation, it will make a spark-gap receiver:


Example:


Bob Wilson

 

Wardenclyffe.
Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe » Visitor Information

 

we do have him back, his new name is musk.

 

Shocking!

 

I like (and “liked”!) it, but at least in this interview, Musk says he perceives himself as more like Edison than Tesla:

iPhone ? Pro

 

could be, history will judge.

 

My personal take would be that Elon Musk has shades of Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Steve Jobs. He is an inventor to the degree that his name is on some patents, but his main thing is that he is rich and uses his wealth (partly) to inspire people, and finance innovation. Unlike Jobs though, Musk deeply understands the technology he inspires, and works “down in the trenches” with his engineers.

iPhone ? Pro

 

Did he electrocute any animals yet?

 

Seems fair, since Musk's stamp on history has been in industrialization rather than scientific discovery.

 

People like Musk make me fell like I haven't accomplished anything in my life. lol