First Ring Daily 1020: Electric Content

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | iTunes | Google Play

Tagged with

• First Ring Daily

Share post

Conversation 7 comments

• ken10

  30 March, 2021 - 5:00 pm

  <p>They are working on rapid wireless charging for cars. You just pull over the pad. You don't even need "the pump". I think Qualcomm has partnered with Formula E racing.</p>

  Log in to Reply

• txag

  30 March, 2021 - 7:19 pm

  <p>Paul said he could see the day when gasoline fuel is gone. I live in Texas, and when I look at west Texas, most of New Mexico, Nevada, most of Utah, half of Colorado, most of Wyoming, most of Montana, and Idaho … I can't imagine battery powered cars being viable in my lifetime. Add most of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South and North Dakota to that list as well.</p>

  Log in to Reply

• factoryoptimizr

  30 March, 2021 - 7:41 pm

  <blockquote><em><a href="#620861">In reply to txag:</a></em></blockquote><p>Flyover states!</p>

  Log in to Reply

• ken10

  31 March, 2021 - 7:09 am

  <blockquote><em><a href="#620861">In reply to txag:</a></em></blockquote><p>One big issue is energy yield and weight. Gasoline energy yield is higher than electric. So gas can be used to ship "itself". Batteries not only have energy yield issues, but also require more energy to even carry the battery itself in the vehicle. We avoid some energy loss issues with electric because energy direct to motor avoids all the energy lost in the "engine to transmission to drive axle" loss that occurs in gas engines. Think of it in these terms, imagine trying to fill a plane with enough batteries to power an electric turbine and fly. The plane would use most of its energy just carrying the batteries, let alone cargo and passengers.</p>

  Log in to Reply

• Craig Smith

  06 April, 2021 - 10:58 pm

  <blockquote><em><a href="#620902">In reply to ken10:</a></em></blockquote><p>I've seen this argument before, and there is truth in it. But…. </p><p><br></p><p>The batteries in my electric car weigh 400kg while a full tank in my wife's standard car weighs about 80kg full (reducing as it is consumed). However, the curb weight of my car is about 100kg *less* than my wife's car, despite being about the same size, due to the smaller electric engine and less drive components (no gearbox and so on). And, an electric car is *significantly* more energy efficient than a gasoline car, even allowing for the energy used to carry that 450kg around in the car. More than 90% of the energy output from an electric car drives the wheels, while as little as 20% of the fuel from gasoline engines is converted to useable energy. Diesel is better at 40%. The energy is lost via the drive train (via mechanisms such as friction), as you indicate, but primarily due to heat loss and the nature of combustion. Gasoline engines have an *extremely* low thermal efficiency. </p><p><br></p><p>Gasoline cars also use energy while stationary (even taking iStop functions into account), and electric vehicles use virtually none while stopped. If A/C is on, an EV will use some, but all other electrical components such as lights use the standard 12V battery, as far as I understand.</p><p><br></p><p>To perform a correct comparison, you also need to take into account the energy used to produce and transport that 80kg of gasoline in ships and trucks (over and over, every week for the life of my wife's car), including the diesel used to run offshore platforms etc etc. Once the batteries are in an electric car, no extra transportation is needed to *refill* them. Charging isn't 100% efficient, but it is far more efficient than refining and transporting a new 80kg of gasoline each week to refill my wife's car.</p><p><br></p><p>You are correct that batteries use some of their energy transporting themselves, but overall they are significantly more energy efficient than ICE vehicles.</p><p><br></p><p>Planes will probably always use liquid fuel for the reasons you outline. </p>

  Log in to Reply

• Paul Thurrott

  Premium Member

  31 March, 2021 - 9:29 am

  What I see is something I never did expect to see in my lifetime, which is major carmakers publicly spelling out a schedule by which they will drop gasoline all together and be all-electric within a short period of time. This came out of nowhere and it’s only going to accelerate.

  Log in to Reply

• t.gill

  31 March, 2021 - 3:54 pm

  <p>Our local Hy-Vee grocery store is doing what you are talking about. They have two electric car charging stations in their parking lot to charge while you shop.</p>

  Log in to Reply