Gigafactory

Quote: kenarman

There are actually already 35 hydrogen fueling stations in the US. Almost all of them in southern California.

True. To put it in perspective, the U.S. currently has 15,961 EV charging stations open to the public. Not to mention millions of houses with electricity in the garage.

Quote: reno

Perhaps I'm blinded by my own ideological bias, but hear me out.

I've been leasing a 100% electric Kia since February 2016. In early May 2017, I spent a week in Los Angeles driving a rented 2017 BMW (gasoline engine.)

The Kia vastly outperforms the BMW, it was no contest. Smoother, quieter, quicker response, no vibrations. To be fair, the BMW offered a luxury experience, I'm not disparaging it.

I'm not talking about exhaust pollution or liberals' global warming hysteria-- I'm talking about sitting in the driver's seat and hitting the pedal. Once you spend some time driving an EV, there's no going back to gasoline.

Electric motors respond better than internal combustion engines. This is old news. Refueling remains the issue. It will remain the issue.

While I am typing this some think tank is predicting auto sales to consumers fall to near zero by 2030 and we will all hire Ubers or something. It is not adding up.

Or maybe too gentrified to ever drive anywhere with automobiles being a 'country' think such as horses.

Quote: Fleastiff

Or maybe too gentrified to ever drive anywhere with automobiles being a 'country' think such as horses.

6-8 year

I can see in the cities people using ZipCar and Uber. But these Think Tanks, they never think. The best is how car sharing will cut down the need for cars since the average car sits most of the time. But people mostly need cars at the same time. And to ensure you have a car to use at peak times, more cars must be held in reserve.

My current prediction is Ford has another near-death experience in 6-8 years. They are thinking of themselves as a "mobility" company, not a "car" company. Eyes going off the ball. They did the same in the late-1990s as they tried to get the greenies to "like them" and get away from Trucks. Also bought weird stuff like junkyards to get into more of the entire lifetime chain or something like that.

Cycles repeat.

Quote: AZDuffman

But these Think Tanks, they never think.

If the report is written by a committee, what use will it be?

Quote: Fleastiff

If the report is written by a committee, what use will it be?

I guess it keeps them from doing something in the real world where they can do damage.

Quote: AZDuffman

Refueling remains the issue. It will remain the issue.

So within the next 10 years, you doubt electric car sales will ever crack, say, 5% of the new auto market?

Quote: reno

So within the next 10 years, you doubt electric car sales will ever crack, say, 5% of the new auto market?

10 years is a long timeframe. I will say to break 5% we need the upfront price to fall to be competitive with gas and there has to be huge advances in refueling. It would help to know what part of the population does not have a nice garage to park in and plug in.

That is a big one I see them missing. People park on the street or even outside. Leaves all that equipment exposed and you have to plug in during dark, rain, snow, and cold. Plug in each and every time you park. Will Mr and Mrs America do it? How miuch push to get to the low levels of EV use we have now? And that includes people under the imprtough slog.ession they help the environment.

5% maybe, but a very tough slog.

Quote: AZDuffman

It would help to know what part of the population does not have a nice garage to park in and plug in.

Start by finding out how many people park in their garages? For some reason, my bride parks outside, even with an electric garage door opener? The neighbor on one side parks in her garages but on the other side, the neighbors garage is like most that I see, full of junk.

Quote:

Leaves all that equipment exposed and you have to plug in during dark, rain, snow, and cold. Plug in each and every time you park. Will Mr and Mrs America do it?

The plug in should be like my tooth brush, all you have to do is get close and it connects through magnetism. Shouldn't have to touch a big fat plug, except when charging somewhere else.

Quote: petroglyph

Start by finding out how many people park in their garages? For some reason, my bride parks outside, even with an electric garage door opener? The neighbor on one side parks in her garages but on the other side, the neighbors garage is like most that I see, full of junk.

My guess is half use garages, not a requirement but close.

Quote:

The plug in should be like my tooth brush, all you have to do is get close and it connects through magnetism. Shouldn't have to touch a big fat plug, except when charging somewhere else.

The plug-in needs to be uniform to all EVs. Not sure they are there, I have heard Tesla was a holdout there.

Where my brother used to live the guy next door had a Leaf, charged outside. He traded it when the lease was up. Didn't say why.

But I have to think many people get the air taken out of their bubble. You have to plug it in every time you park at home, rain or shine. Then there is range. People will think, "How often do I go 150 miles in a day?" Then they buy the car and realize how often they really do.