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Thread to talk about EVs

Discussion in 'Other Cars' started by tracysbeans, Jan 20, 2006.

  1. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    There's nothing to prevent an S10 EV from working just fine in the winter. Range will be reduced just like with any other car. If storage is an issue, then obviously the smaller vehicle will be better, yes.

    How can they do 75 miles? Lying would be the easiest way. Did I mention that you can't believe everything you read?
     
  2. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    Ok so do you happen to know ANY NEV that has a longer range than 30 miles?
     
  3. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Nope. Not production ones.
     
  4. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    So far this is what I have come up with for the Pros of an NEV over getting a BEV

    smaller to fit in my warehouse in the winter

    cost would be less

    I can plug in at a friends house
     
  5. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    So what about buying a modified one that does?
     
  6. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Add "availability" and I think you've got them all.
     
  7. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    Yeah I forgot that. (But I know someone right now who have a Checy S10 EV ;) But Darell I need to have a GEM truck. I wonder if it's going to be hard to find one used. I really want to save by buying used if I can.

    Now I'm going to be dealing with a Lead Acid battery with the NEv right? If so how do I make sure I take proper care of it? With my moped battery before I store it for the winter I remove it from my moped give it a full charge and then set it on a shelf. I just want to make sure I take proper care of the battery to make sure I don't end up having to keep buying them.

    Now the tough part is going to be finding a used NEV truck. Do you have any sources for me :huh:

    PS Plugging in at a friends house is really going to help me right Darell?
     
  8. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Yup. Lead acid for sure, until they come out with a high-end modern one. The manual will tell you how best to deal with storage - but for all the ones I've seen, the answer is "leave it plugged in." I'm surprised your moped battery has done so well with no charge for so long. Usually they don't like that!

    None that you don't already have. EVfinder is a great place to keep checking.

    It sure won't hurt!
     
  9. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    You mean I should be leaving it plugged in ALL winter??
     
  10. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    I see Gem has the option of buying a Gel Battery for $445. Is that a better battery than the one it comes with?
     
  11. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    One type isn't necessarily "better" than another. They have different advantages, and each brand is different, etc. You'd have to talk to the folks selling them to discover which would be best for what you want.

    On a proper float-charger, yes.
     
  12. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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  13. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Tracy...

    The V in BEV takes care of the "car" part. :)

    The Solectrias are nice cars. They aren't "Production" cars, but the next best thing. They're conversions, but well done conversions. They're a great size, and drive well. I've driven in one, and know several owners who really like them. As with all conversions, range is somewhat limted, however.
     
  14. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    What do you mean by the V in BEV takes care of the card part :huh:

    It looks like a cheap car to get for someone wanting a car.

    So what your saying is they modifed those cars into Bevs.

    I still want a truck. I just wanted to see what you though of that car.
     
  15. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    I mean that if you say "BEV car" like you did above, you're actually saying "Battery Electric Vehicle Car" which makes no sense. The Solectria, and my Rav4EV, and the Ranger etc, are BEVs. Just trying to reduce redundancy.

    Yup. They're gas car gliders that were professionally modified to BEVs.
     
  16. tracysbeans

    tracysbeans Member

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    Well Darell it looks like were getting somewhere SO far with this Nev law for WI. I just got word at the end of last week that the Senate passed the bill for Nevs in WI. Now it's given to Mr Doyle to (hopefully) sign in.

    Then I have to go to my local city council to get them to enact the ordinance to be able to drive them in my town. (I heard that could take months to accomplish)

    So for now I sit and wait in hope that I can get my Gem EL.

    Today I put gas and oil in my moped and made sure I could fire that up to drive for now. I was worried about the battery but it fired up pretty fast! Earlier today I stopped at a BatteriesPlus store to find out what I could use for long term winter storage for my moped battery. They have a 12volt Battery Tender I can buy. So I will get that before I store it next winter. I want to make sure I properly take care of my batteries. (Picked up some recharage batteries and a battery charger to take care of my wireless mouse that eats up regular batteries in just 2 weeks)

    So I'm ready to be off driving my moped as soon as I can unbury it from inside my warehouse. (I think I need to have some garage door openers installed in order to get it out easier too)

    So hopefully soon I can at least be an NEV driver. I will definatly need to make room in my warehouse to store it but I will find a way so I can have my new cool vehicle to drive.

    I was chit chatting with a guy from Gem and he said if I'm allowed to drive it in WI I'm going to REALLY REALLY stand out amoungst the other cars on the road. He said it will be like I'm driving in a parade. Darell will I be able to go ANYWHERE and not have to tell everyone about my cool secret car? (I just want to be rich NOT famous :unsure: )

    Tracy
     
  17. tripp

    tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it?

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    Yeah, I figured that but was curious about the range specified by the mfg. Good to know abou the 'real world' conditions/expectation. Hopefully with the nano-engineered Li-ion batteries the regen braking will be even more efficient. As you're fond of saying, "one can dream".
     
  18. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Post placed here to avoid dragging another thread off-topic.



    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cmwade77 @ Apr 5 2006, 08:56 AM) [snapback]235280[/snapback]</div>
    I would SO love to debate this with you, as your points are not accurate. Most notably the third one! I recently drove in an EV that does 0-60 in under three seconds. UNDER 3 seconds. These are the things you've been told, yes? Would you like to hear from somebody who lives and breathes EVs? Please come join me in an appropriate thread about EVs: (well, now you're here, I hope.) I'll expand on this if you are interested in learning more than than what you read in the press (or hear repeated). This is the same kind of mis-information that ticks off Prius drivers. "Doesn't have the power." Wooooh. that's a good one.

    Or, to put it correctly, you don't *get* to plug it in; you HAVE to go to the gas station. I fill at home, in the comfort of my garage. You would never "have" to plug in a PHEV. It offers an option. Today you are forced to use only gas. Yes, the car produces very little pollution when running, but we can't ignore the upstream crap that's produced by making gasoline. BEVs *can* be powered cleanly. Today's hybrids cannot.

    There isn't a single plug-in hybrid design that would not work this way. You can choose to go on burning gasoline just like we do in the hybrids now, or you can reduce pollution, increase power, save money and refuel conveniently by just plugging in, the same way you do with your cell phone every night. Considered names for these cars have been: Gas Optional Hybrids, and Plug Optional Hybrid. All depends on how you look at it.
     
  19. ScottY

    ScottY New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 5 2006, 12:29 PM) [snapback]235302[/snapback]</div>
    Oh yeah man, I hear you. When I talk to my friends about my Prius. They are like... these things are slow right? Oh that gets me going. I ask them back, slow compare to what? The Prius' MGs provide 295ft-lb of torque. How about your cars?

    So I did a little research on some common cars that my friends drive, Civic, Altima, Maxima, Camry and Corolla. Just a note, they have the normal version, not the V6. Here some some numbers, 06 Civic Si: 139 ft-lb, 06 Altima V6: 251 ft-lb, 06 Maxima V6: 255 ft-lb, 06 Camry XLE V6: 197 ft-lb, 06 Corolla S: 122 ft-lb.

    That shut them all up. B)
     
  20. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottY @ Apr 5 2006, 09:47 AM) [snapback]235315[/snapback]</div>
    Yeah, once you realize how much ignorance is out there regarding the car technology you are intimately familiar with... you have to take the info you hear about OTHER vehicle technologies with a big grain of salt. I hear the EV crowd repeating the innaccurate detractions of hybrids, and I hear the hybrid owners repeating the same tired innaccurate detractions of BEVs. We all need to avoid this hypocritical situation of expecting all other drivers to know about the technology in OUR cars, and yet not taking the time to learn about the technology of others before knocking it. I'm in an odd situation where I straddle the two highest-tech vehicle types on the road today - so I see it from both sides, and it can get pretty crazy sometimes. Everybody thinks that what they are doing is best. I'm the only one who *knows* it. :)

    The tired concept that EVs are slow must come from thinking "golf cart." But ya know... even golf carts are pretty damn fast from 0-20 (or whatever the top speed is). They'll pop your head back if you floor it. But I guess the capped top speed of little run-aournd, and not even considering a vehicle designed for high-speed travel is what confuses people.



    My EV1, with 135 HP would beat my 250HP Volvo T5 from 0-60mpg. The EV1's motor is about the size of two coffee cans stuck end-to-end. Oh... and it did this all in one gear! 0-80mph without needing to shift. And in the gear it can cruise at 80mph... it can smoke the tires off the line, with NO clutch. Just roll-on power. That's torque.