Mpg-O-Matic : Chevy Spark E.V.

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Right! That power would probably come from burning more coal...not to mention that we would have to drasticially increase the number of plants producing eletricity!

This at a time when my power utility is encouraging me to cut back on electric use by installing energy saving lightbulbs!

Obviously the people who want us to buy electric cars have not thought this thing out beforehand!

Great point. Our government has banned incandescent light bulbs because of their higher electricity use over fluorescent. Instead of allowing people to make their own purchase decision. Light quality is an important consideration for many people that can only be fulfilled with incandescent but now we don't have the choice to spend more on electricity if we want.

But to your main point, they want us to cut back everywhere we can on electricity while at the same time are pushing impractical expensive electric cars that will consume more electricity to charge than perhaps to power a whole home. This push includes giving $7,500 tax credits to willing buyers. My tax dollars going to people who can afford $30-40K cars. Nice! While there's people paying for these credits who are barely scraping by. Gotta love it.

Originally Posted by Golddeenoh

wind, solar, nuclear, and water turbine, that is how we will continue making power, but yes to make power we have to do something that at some point in time it will involve carbon and someone's foot print.

Wind, solar, and water turbines, ect. create a relative miniscule amount of electricity to what we need, unfortunately. If we put as many electric cars on the road as they're hoping, there's no way around needing more power plants - coal and nuclear. Nuclear has great merits but comes with obvious risks and people don't want to be anywhere around them.



Hey, I wish I could love the idea of electrics. I really do. But there's just way too many drawbacks.

- Too expensive ... They need a 50% price drop - when will that happen?
Imagine spending $28,000 for the micro Spark EV? You kidding me?
- Range! 100 miles, if you're lucky? May be OK for daily commute, but your freedom is limited. I go way further all the time. So now I need one real car, and an electric. No problem
- Not as clean as they're made out to be. They are essentially coal powered cars carrying around toxic batteries. A regular Yaris is more environmentally friendly.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Wind, solar, and water turbines, ect. create a relative miniscule amount of electricity to what we need, unfortunately. .

Not only that, wind turbines cant replace existing fossil/nuclear power plants. You still need machines capable of meeting the demand at any given moment. Wind power is only generated when the winds blow. Wind power doesnt replace conventional plants.

Heres an interesting thing that was done near where I used to live at Gilboa NY. There is a large resevoir there at the base of a 500 foot mountain of limestone. They built a huge lake on top of the mountain connected to the body of water below by tunnels bored in the rock. In the tunnels are electric pumps which at night (when excess power is availible) pump water from the resevoir to to the lake and fill it. During the day (when power is needed) the water runs back into the resevoir running the pumps as generators producing eletricity when needed during the day.

Its a form of poor mans hydro. Its cheaper and (some of) the savings are passed on to consumers.