Why aren't battery power vehicles cheaper?

Quote: rxwine

I've noticed they've modeled public chargers much like gas pumps with hose. Seems unneccessary. Getting universal fixed outlets should work so you can just pull up. No fluids to spill. Kinda like my Roomba.

Even if they could figure out a way to get all the manufacturers get on side with standard charging configurations and capacities you couldn't trust the average driver to be able to dock properly. Of course they could do this with liquid fuel if the will was there. They can automatically connect 2 planes to refuel in the air.

Quote: missedhervee

Wal-Mart in particular should jump in on this.

Walmart just purchased 4500 EV delivery vans with a contractual obligation that the manufacturer not sell to Amazon.

Perhaps the charging stations at the stores can be made available to the public during store hours.

As the vans only have a 250 mile range, they don't seem like the best vehicle for delivery van. It seems unlikely that they will last all day.

I had to look up typical fedex or ups drivers response

was the low man on the totem pole. I left the building last in the morning and was one of the last guys back at night. I also had the route that was furthest from the building. Commute to my route was about 30 miles - one way. On route was about 30. Roughy 100 miles/day if everything went OK. If someone needed help or, there was a heavy pick up, a supervisor might bring me a spare package car to finish the day. Starting at 8am and clocking out at 7pm was not unusual. Lunch was bites of sandwich between stops. Upside was that I was paid time and a half almost every day. Being young, single, and dumb, has its advantages.

Quote: Pacomartin

As the vans only have a 250 mile range, they don't seem like the best vehicle for delivery van. It seems unlikely that they will last all day.

250 miles is almost 4 hours of highway driving.

I used to manage a fleet of vehicles. Most of the routes in the city 250 would be enough. Not "plenty" but enough. I would assume the 250 mile range takes load into account as delivery vans could be very heavy some days and lighter some others. Ditto using A/C in hot areas.

Climate controls AC/heater reduce that 250 mile range, Lights and radio reduce it further.

Does anyone know whether EV's will in fact prevent a lot of fossil fuels from burning or nuclear materials from being created?

I ask because most power is from dirty sources.

Just because no exhaust comes from a car doesn't mean you deserve an Attaboy, especially if a lot of pollution was created to generate the electricity used by the EV.

Quote: missedhervee

Does anyone know whether EV's will in fact prevent a lot of fossil fuels from burning or nuclear materials from being created?

I ask because most power is from dirty sources.

Just because no exhaust comes from a car doesn't mean you deserve an Attaboy, especially if a lot of pollution was created to generate the electricity used by the EV.

You shouldn't pull the curtain back like that someone might notice that they are not a real solution.

from the epa website

FACT: The greenhouse gas emissions associated with an electric vehicle over its lifetime are typically lower than those from an average gasoline-powered vehicle, even when accounting for manufacturing.

Some studies have shown that making a typical electric vehicle (EV) can create more carbon pollution than making a gasoline car. This is because of the additional energy required to manufacture an EV’s battery. Still, over the lifetime of the vehicle, total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with manufacturing, charging, and driving an EV are typically lower than the total GHGs associated with a gasoline car. That’s because EVs have zero tailpipe emissions and are typically responsible for significantly fewer GHGs during operation (see Myth 1 above).

For example, researchers at Argonne National Laboratory estimated emissions for both a gasoline car and an EV with a 300-mile electric range. In their estimates, while GHG emissions from EV manufacturing and end-of-life are higher (shown in orange below), total GHGs for the EV are still lower than those for the gasoline car.

Plus, there is the problem of getting rid of the huge old battery packs once they die; lithium e.g. is nasty stuff.

Quote: missedhervee

Plus, there is the problem of getting rid of the huge old battery packs once they die; lithium e.g. is nasty stuff.

They can be recycled.