Electric Vehicles, Hybrids...Battery tech... Land Air and Sea. Let's See 'em.

Is the internal combustion engine doomed to history

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 25.6%
  • No

    Votes: 21 53.8%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 5 12.8%
  • Don't care

    Votes: 2 5.1%
  • ...er... what was the question again?

    Votes: 1 2.6%

  • Total voters
    39
As usual, they're very coy about net gain.
Wouldn't be surprised if it took 10GJ of input from the grid to get that.
Well they didn't exactly shout it, but they did include this in the article...

"Energy gain in this context only compares the energy generated to the energy in the lasers, not to the total amount of energy pulled off the grid to power the system, which is much higher. Scientists estimate that commercial fusion will require reactions that generate between 30 and 100 times the energy in the lasers."
 
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Being skeptical by nature, I'm, well... skeptical. But if most of the claims hold true, this could be a huge breakthrough in batteries... especially the life cycle.
Non-flammable
energy density 2-2.5 times higher than current lithium-ion technology
12,500 charging cycles... and counting.

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/storage/german-startup-develops-the-world-s-first-20231011
 
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Being skeptical by nature, I'm, well... skeptical. But if most of the claims hold true, this could be a huge breakthrough in batteries... especially the life cycle.
Non-flammable
energy density 2-2.5 times higher than current lithium-ion technology
12,500 charging cycles... and counting.

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/storage/german-startup-develops-the-world-s-first-20231011

Hmmm….twice the power in a smaller, lighter battery that will give double the range to an EV. Some pretty big claims there. It sure would be nice though. 😉
 
It has really started. This will make it necessary to buy electric. less than 18 months

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...rs-city-centre-2025-swedish-capital-pollution
Stockholm has announced plans to become the first big capital city to ban petrol and diesel cars from its centre, in an effort to slash pollution and reduce noise.

From 2025, 20 blocks of Stockholm’s inner city area, spanning its finance and main shopping districts, will be restricted to electric vehicle traffic only. A decision on whether to expand the zone will be made in early 2025.
 
Too old to be a plunger. I'm dabbling a toe.
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Hard to find Prius Prime, drove it home 80 miles from a small town dealer that wasn't gouging 3K over MSRP. It went the first 41 miles on battery only then switched seamlessly to petrol. After two hours charging drove another 20 miles around here for Allison all on battery. Suspect it should be about 80-90% electric miles for us. M/L 40 mile range on the battery, 10 gallon gas tank should give another 450 miles of petrol range with a 50 mile cushion. Dealer's tech 'splainer (really, the gal is a how to drive your new car tech, one of two employees doing just that.) spent a half hour firehosing me with howto but Allison just got in and drove it. A high option model with a lot of gimcracks, some figgering out to do. Cool but mighty fancy for us hillbillies.
The (retiring?) 2012 Prius wagon with 157K has a 38.8 MPG life time average. Will look into some home based solar charging for this one.

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:unsure:
 
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The internal combustion engine, huummm. doomed. This probably depends on General Ripper's big plan for atomic war. Assuming Plan R fails, then let us ask also about external combustion engine. Future?

The posited juxtaposition of either or, eg battery or combustion, is imho false.

Batteries do not produce energy, they store it at some loss.

We might say the same for a coal mine or refinery and well and distribution complex.

Which method is better is entirely a matter for big government and organized crime in a dialectic with the physics.

In the long run the oddball Ted Kaczynski's thesis is probably valid, we're screwed... Some say the jabbiethingies and Plan R bring sudden vast depop... does this mean I can chose any boat?

Deagel > https://nobulart.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Deagel-2025-Forecast-by-Country.pdf

If this comes to pass there will be, imho, doom for battery autos, as in no infrastructure support.

Stack wood.

So? That calls for another beer... ;)

Best!
 
Too old to be a plunger. I'm dabbling a toe.
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Hard to find Prius Prime, drove it home 80 miles from a small town dealer that wasn't gouging 3K over MSRP. It went the first 41 miles on battery only then switched seamlessly to petrol. After two hours charging drove another 20 miles around here for Allison all on battery. Suspect it should be about 80-90% electric miles for us. M/L 40 mile range on the battery, 10 gallon gas tank should give another 450 miles of petrol range with a 50 mile cushion. Dealer's tech 'splainer (really, the gal is a how to drive your new car tech, one of two employees doing just that.) spent a half hour firehosing me with howto but Allison just got in and drove it. A high option model with a lot of gimcracks, some figgering out to do. Cool but mighty fancy for us hillbillies.
The (retiring?) 2012 Prius wagon with 157K has a 38.8 MPG life time average. Will look into some home based solar charging for this one.

View attachment 253155
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:unsure:

Hey Gary, I was wondering if you are going to install home charging station for your new Prius. Your older Prius didn’t require one did it? 🤔
 
Hey Gary, I was wondering if you are going to install home charging station for your new Prius. Your older Prius didn’t require one did it? 🤔
Ooh! some interest LOL.
My two previous Prei were gas only, no charging used. There have been plug in Prius with limited range since about 2012.
I'm normally a buy "late model used" kind of guy but the 2023 Prius Prime has doubled the previous "20 mile battery only range" to 40 miles.
Since the battery is not "EV size" it only needs a healthy 110 volt wall outlet for the included charging cord. Charge time from fully depleted to 100% is about 9 hours. But there's a cheap work around. The charging cable (with a transistor based voltage converter) is relatively supply voltage insensitive RE the same cord with a different end is used in countries with 220 volt wall outlets so all that's needed to "halve" the charging time is a 20 amp 220 supply circuit.
The rub is; then the stock cord end must be cut off to install a 20 amp 220 cord end OR you (I) cheat and make a wall outlet (or short "adapter cord") that accepts a 110 volt cord end but supplies 220 Volts. The problem with doing that is obvious. Been there done that long ago. A near guarantee that someone will eventually destroy a 110 volt device by plugging it into the 220 no matter how much red paint and skull and cross bones images are applied.
I'm looking at buying a separate 220 volt charging cord to keep in the garage at home and leave the 110 cord in the car for charging while away use. But with fully automatic switch to gasoline power onboard, charging while away from home will seldom be a thing for us.
The good news is that I have already got several 20 amp 220 volt outlets and extension cords available around the ranch that I use for 220V shop equipment.
The only niggle is do I add: a convenient 20 amp 220 circuit or future proof and install a 50 amp outlet for some later EV car purchase?
Full disclosure it's been wet since the car came home so it's sitting in the garage unused; I want to get it up on ramps and spray every nook and cranny and the entire bottom with Blaster Surface Shield @650Skull , lanolin! ;^) That'll happen today.
Will also start nosing around some sort of solar installation.
 
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Our car will do around 44 miles....at the optimum temperature of around 16 to 20 degrees C
Either side of that the range falls of and in the UK winter can be as low as 29 miles.
What I've learned is that it's surprising how far you travel without even realising it and it is very easy to burn through the indicated range.
When we first had the car we charged from a domestic socket which seemed to take forever.
We now have a dedicated charger installed which can take the battery from 'empty' to full charge in about 1 1/2 hours which in the winter months is a benefit.
Even more of a benefit are our PV panels and battery which means that for the majority of late spring, summer and early spring the cost of charging is minimal.
 
Since the battery is not "EV size" it only needs a healthy 110 volt wall outlet for the included charging cord. Charge time from fully depleted to 100% is about 9 hours.

That seems reasonable to me. 9 hours means every overnight plug in gives you a full charge in the morning. I don’t imagine you’ll be using fast charging stations while you‘re out traveling around. The 110 plug in would probably be all I’d ever use.
 
Ooh! some interest LOL.
My two previous Prei were gas only, no charging used. There have been plug in Prius with limited range since about 2012.
I'm normally a buy "late model used" kind of guy but the 2023 Prius Prime has doubled the previous "20 mile battery only range" to 40 miles.
Since the battery is not "EV size" it only needs a healthy 110 volt wall outlet for the included charging cord. Charge time from fully depleted to 100% is about 9 hours. But there's a cheap work around. The charging cable (with a transistor based voltage converter) is relatively supply voltage insensitive RE the same cord with a different end is used in countries with 220 volt wall outlets so all that's needed to "halve" the charging time is a 20 amp 220 supply circuit.
The rub is; then the stock cord end must be cut off to install a 20 amp 220 cord end OR you (I) cheat and make a wall outlet (or short "adapter cord") that accepts a 110 volt cord end but supplies 220 Volts. The problem with doing that is obvious. Been there done that long ago. A near guarantee that someone will eventually destroy a 110 volt device by plugging it into the 220 no matter how much red paint and skull and cross bones images are applied.
I'm looking at buying a separate 220 volt charging cord to keep in the garage at home and leave the 110 cord in the car for charging while away use. But with fully automatic switch to gasoline power onboard, charging while away from home will seldom be a thing for us.
The good news is that I have already got several 20 amp 220 volt outlets and extension cords available around the ranch that I use for 220V shop equipment.
The only niggle is do I add: a convenient 20 amp 220 circuit or future proof and install a 50 amp outlet for some later EV car purchase?
Full disclosure it's been wet since the car came home so it's sitting in the garage unused; I want to get it up on ramps and spray every nook and cranny and the entire bottom with Blaster Surface Shield @650Skull , lanolin! ;^) That'll happen today.
Will also start nosing around some sort of solar installation.
How much more for the 50amp outlet vs 20 amp If you can do the work yourself I wouldn't think the parts would be much more ?
Back in 2018 when I first got my hybrid Ionic they did have the plug in option but getting the 1st 20 miles or so just on battery didn't make much sense considering that the plug in option was a few thousand more at the time
Now come 2023 and I was going to get a New Ionic hybrid but all they offer now is total EV so I now have a Ford Maverick hybrid instead
You can't beat the convenience and gas mileage of a hybrid
 
How much more for the 50amp outlet vs 20 amp If you can do the work yourself I wouldn't think the parts would be much more ?
Back in 2018 when I first got my hybrid Ionic they did have the plug in option but getting the 1st 20 miles or so just on battery didn't make much sense considering that the plug in option was a few thousand more at the time
Now come 2023 and I was going to get a New Ionic hybrid but all they offer now is total EV so I now have a Ford Maverick hybrid instead
You can't beat the convenience and gas mileage of a hybrid
You taken delivery on the Maverick yet Mikey?
 
How much more for the 50amp outlet vs 20 amp
Funny you should ask Years ago I wired a 50 amp outlet in the shed for a welder I no longer have. So have the outlet, about 50' of 6-2 and a breaker already! Have you looked at copper wire prices lately? Found a 40 amp 220V juiced charger on FB not far from me, the guy sold his Leaf. $200, other new options from $115 Still thinking on that.
Underneath spraying on the Surface Shield Yoda went to great lengths to clean up, streamline the belly of the car too. Lots of flat plastic panels down there. Hope they hold up to Wisconsin snowmobile season....
 
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