tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post7044784635497011612..comments2024-03-29T10:51:27.752+13:00Comments on Not PC: To dream the unsustainable dreamPeter Cresswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-72471300194756768122010-08-13T14:35:26.134+12:002010-08-13T14:35:26.134+12:00I recommend the comment section that follows my PJ...I recommend the comment section that follows <a href="http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/the-gm-volt-fascism-strikes-the-auto-industry" rel="nofollow">my PJM article</a> where many of these issues are discussed in detail.Jeffrey Perrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841019772535869442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-629985223495292332010-08-13T10:50:40.319+12:002010-08-13T10:50:40.319+12:00"Electric cars are expensive, sluggish, unres..."Electric cars are expensive, sluggish, unresponsive and suitable only for short distances in the city. When you include manufacturing and generation of electricity, their carbon footprint is higher than a Hummer's."<br /><br />Not true, or at least, not necessarily so (except the distance thing, but not actually an issue for most people).<br /><br />Most standard cars today can easily be turned into electric cars and if electric cars were produced at a scale comparable to internal combustion cars they would be/should be the same price, if not cheaper.<br /><br />The only real problem is the batteries. <br /><br />I think they are inevitable, just not perceived necessity at present.goofeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-35799348121271696282010-08-12T20:33:38.173+12:002010-08-12T20:33:38.173+12:00Meanwhile, the latest petrol and diesel engines ar...Meanwhile, the latest petrol and diesel engines are the most fuel efficient for the kW power produced and the cleanest burning.<br /><br />For example, the Greens tout a claim that rail freight is 4x more fuel efficient than road freight. The evidence for this was a 1981 trial done between Wellington and Auckland. Since then, the biggest change has been in diesel truck engine technology, so this gap is now about half what it was.<br /><br />Of course if the peak oil doom merchants are right, electric cars will take off, yet you see so few peak oil doomsayers investing in such things, which says a lot about their own lack of personal belief in what they say.Libertyscotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12741049550997300680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-33115688165701849322010-08-12T17:29:34.276+12:002010-08-12T17:29:34.276+12:00FOr those who see a massive rise in electric cars ...FOr those who see a massive rise in electric cars just around the corner and use that as a justification for expensively redesigning the power network (eg the Parl Comm for Environment saying everyone needs smart meters now to charge electric cars) I'd draw their attention to the sales curve of hybrids in NZ.<br /><br />After 10 years on the market only about 3 or four models are for sale and they account only for about 700 in a new car sales market of 70,000.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-45205984341599988142010-08-12T14:36:26.208+12:002010-08-12T14:36:26.208+12:00Peter,
Our consultancy company actually undertake...Peter,<br /><br />Our consultancy company actually undertakes Total Cost of Ownership modelling of motor vehicles for clients. <br /><br />Running costs of Prius are higher than new diesel vehicles (even allowing for RUC. This is due to battery costs, parts, etc). <br /><br />Best to buy a VW Golf if you want to save the world.Uwhonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-77028238198985056272010-08-12T13:00:52.151+12:002010-08-12T13:00:52.151+12:00I think the key problem with arguing we should all...I think the key problem with arguing we should all switch to electric cars (a la a grand cash fro clunkers scheme) is that they only consider the incremental effect for each mile travelled, not the life cycle costs. We know that a prius can have a greater total environmental cost due to manfacturing and disposing of there battery and all the chemicals contained in. All in all, silly uses of figures by people who dont understand numbers.TS Elroynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-57135230421005890382010-08-12T11:04:02.698+12:002010-08-12T11:04:02.698+12:00Let's see. Electric cars are expensive, sluggi...Let's see. Electric cars are expensive, sluggish, unresponsive and suitable only for short distances in the city. When you include manufacturing and generation of electricity, their carbon footprint is higher than a Hummer's.<br /><br />What's not to like?MacDoctorhttp://www.macdoctor.co.nznoreply@blogger.com