EV vehicles

[Bumblebee]

I'm sold that our next evolution in transportation will be away from fossil fuels. Big oil will put up a huge long fight obviously. But it's going to happen. Might not be in my lifetime, but soon.

Elon was brilliant in seeing he could get energy credits paid out by the govt. Like the man or not, he used that brilliantly. Tesla would be insolvent if it weren't for that revenue component.

EV just doesn't have enough political clout yet. Big Oil is heavily entrenched. Leaving Elon to go it alone. And he has done amazingly well.

What I don't understand is that lithium and the other metals required to build batteries are a renewable resource and the process to develop lithium is quite nasty. There's still the requirement for the use of petroleum products to build these EV for plastics and rubber, etc.

Then there's the whole power grid thing along with the billions of vehicles currently running around the planet. If we take our main hiway here in Canada which is the 401 which has over 400,000 vehicles driving on it daily including 41,000 transports, if even a percentage of those need to be charged en-route, it would overwhelm a power grid in a real hurry.

All the big car producers are all building EV and pouring trillions of dollars into R&D, and they all have political clout.

Perhaps one day we'll be ready for them but that day is not soon.

 

[TallTom]

What I don't understand is that lithium and the other metals required to build batteries are a renewable resource and the process to develop lithium is quite nasty. There's still the requirement for the use of petroleum products to build these EV for plastics and rubber, etc.

Then there's the whole power grid thing along with the billions of vehicles currently running around the planet. If we take our main hiway here in Canada which is the 401 which has over 400,000 vehicles driving on it daily including 41,000 transports, if even a percentage of those need to be charged en-route, it would overwhelm a power grid in a real hurry.

All the big car producers are all building EV and pouring trillions of dollars into R&D, and they all have political clout.

Perhaps one day we'll be ready for them but that day is not soon.

We will never be free of petroleum based products. And there is no way that we can use electric cargo ships which nake TONS upon TONS upon TONS more greenhouse gases. But if we shift our consumption patterns to intracontinent consumptions, we could greatly reduce shipping loads.

Feasible, but currently not cost effective. And a whole new economy would have to be created.

So not in our lifetimes.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

You can fill a car in a few minutes
Average gas station can service 2000 cars a day
Where is everyone gonna park when they want to get that 20 minute charge?
Or will they just line up on the highway? Five cars down the line will be 100 minutes away from the charger? Are they gonna have five hundred chargers lined up? What about EV trucks that are towing something? How many chargers will they block?
It’s all a fantasy.

 

[Bumblebee]

You can fill a car in a few minutes
Average gas station can service 2000 cars a day
Where is everyone gonna park when they want to get that 20 minute charge?
Or will they just line up on the highway? Five cars down the line will be 100 minutes away from the charger? Are they gonna have five hundred chargers lined up? What about EV trucks that are towing something? How many chargers will they block?
It’s all a fantasy.

I think the government plans of mainly home charging, I wonder about people who live in apartments, condos or have no driveway.

I overthink things sometimes but I wonder about a vulnerable person sitting at a charging station for 20-30 minutes and if this will attract a criminal element which will take advantage of the situation...

 

[jellyrug]

You can fill a car in a few minutes
Average gas station can service 2000 cars a day
Where is everyone gonna park when they want to get that 20 minute charge?
Or will they just line up on the highway? Five cars down the line will be 100 minutes away from the charger? Are they gonna have five hundred chargers lined up? What about EV trucks that are towing something? How many chargers will they block?
It’s all a fantasy.

It will be a slow process, a lot can happen in 20 years.

I did a 3 month work assignment in Lubeck Germany, recently. It is way North in Germany, close to Copenhagen. Around 65% of the population did not own a car or anything working with a ICE. They don't need it, as the way the city has been developed, there is a small convenient store just about every 3rd block. Their refrigerators are the size of what we call a little beverage cooler, as they walk to the store if they need something. Then there are trains, running with electricity. There were bicycles everywhere, some with electrical motors.

How many folks living in New York City actually own a car?

NYCEDC | Building Strong Neighborhoods. Creating Good Jobs.

New York City Economic Development Corporation's mission is to encourage economic growth in each of the five boroughs of New York City by strengthenin

edc.nyc

Blanca, in short, sell your car, buy a Busa and change your handle back to what it was.
Then, post some more videos of how to dismantle the plastics on a Gen3

 

[TallTom]

It will be a slow process, a lot can happen in 20 years.

I did a 3 month work assignment in Lubeck Germany, recently. It is way North in Germany, close to Copenhagen. Around 65% of the population did not own a car or anything working with a ICE. They don't need it, as the way the city has been developed, there is a small convenient store just about every 3rd block. Their refrigerators are the size of what we call a little beverage cooler, as they walk to the store if they need something. Then there are trains, running with electricity. There were bicycles everywhere, some with electrical motors.

How many folks living in New York City actually own a car?

NYCEDC | Building Strong Neighborhoods. Creating Good Jobs.

New York City Economic Development Corporation's mission is to encourage economic growth in each of the five boroughs of New York City by strengthenin

edc.nyc

Blanca, in short, sell your car, buy a Busa and change your handle back to what it was.

This is in most European countries.

As well as the Central and Southern America's. Cars are not only luxuries, but fuel has been heavily taxed for decades in them. I know I am right up there biotching about fuel prices when they heat the highs we had. Because we don't have easy alternatives to get around like those countries do.

We are SPOILED with cheap gas. Don't sling stones at me. It's true. It becomes easier to ignore if you don't have to use much of it. But our economy is based on it. It's not easy to use PT if it doesn't exist very well.

 

[Bumblebee]

This is in most European countries.

As well as the Central and Southern America's. Cars are not only luxuries, but fuel has been heavily taxed for decades in them. I know I am right up there biotching about fuel prices when they heat the highs we had. Because we don't have easy alternatives to get around like those countries do.

We are SPOILED with cheap gas. Don't sling stones at me. It's true. It becomes easier to ignore if you don't have to use much of it. But our economy is based on it. It's not easy to use PT if it doesn't exist very well.

We have zero public transportation around this area and fairly long commutes for workers, owning a vehicle here is a necessity.

I can honestly say if I lived in a large urban centre, I may really consider not owning a vehicle as they are more of a liability than asset.

Europe has great public transportation compared to North America and always will.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

It will be a slow process, a lot can happen in 20 years.

I did a 3 month work assignment in Lubeck Germany, recently. It is way North in Germany, close to Copenhagen. Around 65% of the population did not own a car or anything working with a ICE. They don't need it, as the way the city has been developed, there is a small convenient store just about every 3rd block. Their refrigerators are the size of what we call a little beverage cooler, as they walk to the store if they need something. Then there are trains, running with electricity. There were bicycles everywhere, some with electrical motors.

How many folks living in New York City actually own a car?

NYCEDC | Building Strong Neighborhoods. Creating Good Jobs.

New York City Economic Development Corporation's mission is to encourage economic growth in each of the five boroughs of New York City by strengthenin

edc.nyc

Blanca, in short, sell your car, buy a Busa and change your handle back to what it was.
Then, post some more videos of how to dismantle the plastics on a Gen3

You cannot compare ANY country to this one. Americans are independent by nature. If they can have a car they will. 20yrs? 20yrs ago Al Gore said I’d be under water. Didn’t happen.
What will happen in 20yrs? A newer technology will be discovered that’ll render electric cars useless.

I got an itch for another bike like you can’t imagine.
But SoFla is just too BUSY to be able to enjoy the ride. I’d buy one tomorrow if I thought I’d last a week.

 

[hayabuser]

Europe has great public transportation compared to North America and always will.

The biggest difference is that most European cities were founded before the automobile was invented and are therefore more conducive to life without cars again. North American cities, on the other hand, were mostly built around the automobile and would suffer greatly without personal transportation.

Then there's the fact that European cities are generally pretty close to each other whereas in Canada and the US, the distances are far greater. Where I live, the closest major city is just over 1000kms away from the next one to the east....

 

[jellyrug]

You cannot compare ANY country to this one. Americans are independent by nature. If they can have a car they will. 20yrs? 20yrs ago Al Gore said I’d be under water. Didn’t happen.
What will happen in 20yrs? A newer technology will be discovered that’ll render electric cars useless.

I got an itch for another bike like you can’t imagine.
But SoFla is just too BUSY to be able to enjoy the ride. I’d buy one tomorrow if I thought I’d last a week.

I believe 5" is all you got under water so far, but others are not that lucky, being Venice, Jakarta, Mumbai, Bangkok, Rotterdam etc.

You mean work, or traffic?

We have a cycling group in Clermont Florida, around 150 of us from all over the country every February. Most of us are lucky to get back home alive, with the way the cagers behave down your way. Crazy, they seem to hate anything on two wheels, especially if it does not have a motor.

 

[pcs]

americans aren’t necessarily more independent that other developed nations but we do tend to be closed minded in certain aspects, examples: some of us dont want to accept that our economy is interconnected to the global market.
we want “american made” products and “support” american manufacturers unless it come to tesla bc they make EVs SMH.
the irony is some people here want to argue about american independence yet we are all on a forum dedicated to a japanese made motorcycle
naysayers always want to point out how much faster it is to go to a gas station and fill up vs charging stations (which is true for now) but fail to look past their personal biases and see the bigger picture if you want to talk about time. for daily commutes, you might never need to go to gas station at all. you just charge at home over night. let the car juice up while you eat, sleep, and take care of house duties and skip the gas station on your way to work. for daily use or weekly work commutes, you can avoid gas station completely.
for long road trips it does take longer charge vs a fill up but not everyone is driving hundres of miles daily.
people also fail to take into account time for periodic maintenance. oil changes on engines, transmission, differentials, spark plugs, air filter, etc. EV dont need any of that. more time saved throughout the years.

 

[fallenarch]

Great conversation @TallTom and @jellyrug . Informative! I think there are electric cargo ships, or will be soon: Crewless cargo: the world’s first autonomous electric cargo ship

 

[Bumblebee]

What I really don't get is the need for an E-bike.....people who tell me they are worried about the planet and own an E-bike are hypocrites......just get a regular bicycle and pedal the darned thing.

 

[TallTom]

What I really don't get is the need for an E-bike.....people who tell me they are worried about the planet and own an E-bike are hypocrites......just get a regular bicycle and pedal the darned thing.

Come on B, that requires work. You can't be serious.

 

[jellyrug]

What I really don't get is the need for an E-bike.....people who tell me they are worried about the planet and own an E-bike are hypocrites......just get a regular bicycle and pedal the darned thing.

I don't have one, but have been riding competitively on and off my whole life.

We ride in a big social group, all ages and it is very competitive, the top riders put in around 20 hours of training a week. So every Saturday we go out for around 60 miles plus in a big group. At some point it always turns into a race. When the youngsters start putting the power down, some of us older guys have a tough time keeping up. So some of the older riders stay at the back, but they have electrical assistance so they don't get left behind. I have an issue with that, but at some point in my life I will have to accept either not to be able to ride with the group any longer, or get an e-bike.

Link below:

Domane+ ALR

www.trekbikes.com

 

[Bumblebee]

I don't have one, but have been riding competitively on and off my whole life.

We ride in a big social group, all ages and it is very competitive, the top riders put in around 20 hours of training a week. So every Saturday we go out for around 60 miles plus in a big group. At some point it always turns into a race. When the youngsters start putting the power down, some of us older guys have a tough time keeping up. So some of the older riders stay at the back, but they have electrical assistance so they don't get left behind. I have an issue with that, but at some point in my life I will have to accept either not to be able to ride with the group any longer, or get an e-bike.

Link below:

Domane+ ALR

www.trekbikes.com

A neighbor two doors down has a garage based bicycle shop and sells a variety of bicycles including E-Bikes.

His biggest seller are the "big wheel" bikes which people ride almost all year, his wife included.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

I believe 5" is all you got under water so far, but others are not that lucky, being Venice, Jakarta, Mumbai, Bangkok, Rotterdam etc.

You mean work, or traffic?

We have a cycling group in Clermont Florida, around 150 of us from all over the country every February. Most of us are lucky to get back home alive, with the way the cagers behave down your way. Crazy, they seem to hate anything on two wheels, especially if it does not have a motor.

Too busy as far as people and distracted drivers goes. This far south it’s a grid pattern. I drive an F150 which lets me look down and in cars of others. At least half the people are driving around with their phone in one hand on some site doing what they’re not supposed to do. It’s almost daily I see a hard rear ender or some idiot drove thru a red light right into crossing traffic. Years ago when I sold Blanca it was getting sketchy. Now here it’s just too much risk to be riding around exposed like that.
This is all not mentioning how FLAT it is and devoid of curves. I enjoyed cruising to the keys and back. But nearby there just ain’t much to enjoy on two wheels. Even the ‘way out’ straight away roads that were miles and miles long I used to go hammer it on now have developments on them.

 

[hayabuser]

 

[Bumblebee]

Lots of stories regarding Teslas like this out there:

The guy I know that has one says that it is a nightmare in the winter......it is so bad he carries an in car heater that he plugs in to keep the windows clear, he said sometimes when he's at work and can't near a plug in to use his in car heater, he has a bear of a time getting the windows clear enough to drive as the system the car has isn't adequate enough to clear freezing rain.

Man Sells Tesla He’s Locked Out Of Because It’s Ultimately “Cheaper” Than Dealing With It

 

[Bumblebee]

The same guy I know who owns a Tesla S was out with his wife at a movie theater the other day and when they came out, the car was updating its software and wouldn't let them drive...he said it took 35 minutes before they could drive home....there is a daily scheduled software update and he said it is usually after midnight but this was an unexpected one...

When he called Tesla to ask if this could happen while driving, they didn't know at that time....they called him back an hour later and said the car would realize it was driving and schedule the software update when it was shut down unless it was an emergency update and then the car would go into limp mode so he could get to a safe place to stop...

Yikes...!