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
Chicago used to have a small downtown airport.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigs_Field
"Scheduled passenger helicopter airline service was also available between Meigs Field and Chicago O'Hare Airport and Chicago Midway Airport at different times over the years. From the late 1950s to late 1960s, Chicago Helicopter Airways operated 12-seat Sikorsky S-58C helicopters with frequent flights to both O'Hare and Midway."
I actually flew my plane in and out of Meigs. Direct flight, Baraboo--->Meigs We went down to the Field Museum for the art of the motorcycle exhibit! It was right at the end, the runways had big X's on them. (It had already been closed and reopened during legal battles.) Famous as the default airport in Microsoft's Flight Simulator.
zieslr07.jpg
Thanx for letting me trip down memory lane.
 
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https://www.morningbrew.com/daily
"
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A big step forward in fusion energy. UK scientists said they were able to generate 59 megajoules of fusion energy in a period of five seconds, and if that sounds like a lot, it is—it smashed the previous record by nearly 2x. Not to be confused with nuclear fission (which splits atoms and is used in existing nuclear plants), nuclear fusion smashes atoms together, potentially giving humans a nearly limitless clean power source.—NF, JW"
 
https://www.morningbrew.com/daily
"
high-voltage-sign_26a1.png
A big step forward in fusion energy. UK scientists said they were able to generate 59 megajoules of fusion energy in a period of five seconds, and if that sounds like a lot, it is—it smashed the previous record by nearly 2x. Not to be confused with nuclear fission (which splits atoms and is used in existing nuclear plants), nuclear fusion smashes atoms together, potentially giving humans a nearly limitless clean power source.—NF, JW"
Read that last night. Problem is, it still sucks up more energy than it outputs.
But yeah, I get that it's ongoing research and this is just a baby step... if you can call 59 megajoules baby... ;)
 
1440 daily digest

US Eyes Charging Infrastructure

The Biden administration announced yesterday $5B in funding for states to construct charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. It marks the first tranche of funding drawn for such projects under the $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure bill passed last year.

Initial funds will be focused on fast-charging stations located along major interstate highways, an attempt to address a disconnected and difficult to access charging infrastructure across the country. The administration has set a goal of 500,000 new chargers by 2030, an elevenfold increase over current stations.

Electric vehicles sales in the US jumped 83% in 2021 year-over-year, accounting for 3% of the market (hybrids notched another 5% of light vehicle sales). Still, EVs make up less than 1% of the more than 250 million passenger vehicles on the road today—see a visualization of the challenges facing the industry here.
 
$5B in funding for states to construct charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
I can see it turning into $5B per year as nature reclaims them, without a J.D. Rockefeller of electric gas counting on them being right to increase his fortune.

Conversely, why no gas-powered wheelchairs? I was strapping groceries onto Trigger today and there was a guy sitting there charging his wheelchair in the cold from a 110 outlet on the building. He said he had about a half hour to charge left to get home. Was looking forward to getting new batteries so he could make it all the way downtown
 
I see one place this is headed. Poor people will have bad batteries and will be able to go to about downtown. Rich people will be able to go to the other side of the country. In gas times poor people could work at McD's for a week and then get to the other side of the continent. New batteries is a hell of an outlay though.
 
I see one place this is headed. Poor people will have bad batteries and will be able to go to about downtown. Rich people will be able to go to the other side of the country. In gas times poor people could work at McD's for a week and then get to the other side of the continent. New batteries is a hell of an outlay though.
I wonder how long it will be before the last i.c. powered vehicle is off the road. It certainly won't be anytime soon so IMO the 'poor' people will have still have a mobility choice.
Economies of scale should bring prices down and as the technology progresses range will increase or lighter batteries can be fitted for the same current range and (hopefully) charge times will reduce.
That's all very well but I still don't understand how those living in metropolitan areas, in high rise accommodation or older properties with no off road parking will be able to charge their vehicle. Nor do I understand where the power to do so will come from.

You do have a point that it is those who can't afford it or don't have the facility to charge at home have problems in the short or even medium term. However, as long as they are able to get fuel I don't think there is any likelihood that they will have to start walking for some time.
 
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A little more info on the national charging station grid....

"Starting this year, the federal government will begin doling out $5 billion to states over five years to build a nationwide network of fast chargers. The plan initially focuses on the Interstate Highway System, directing states to build one charging station every 50 miles. Those stations must be capable of charging at least four EVs simultaneously at 150 kW." Link.
 
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A little more info on the national charging station grid....

"Starting this year, the federal government will begin doling out $5 billion to states over five years to build a nationwide network of fast chargers. The plan initially focuses on the Interstate Highway System, directing states to build one charging station every 50 miles. Those stations must be capable of charging at least four EVs simultaneously at 150 kW." Link.
It's a small but good start
 
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A little more info on the national charging station grid....

"Starting this year, the federal government will begin doling out $5 billion to states over five years to build a nationwide network of fast chargers. The plan initially focuses on the Interstate Highway System, directing states to build one charging station every 50 miles. Those stations must be capable of charging at least four EVs simultaneously at 150 kW." Link.
Whilst 150kW sound good I'm not aware that any vehicle can currently charge at that rate and also there is no standard (level 3) yet defined for it.
Therefore any vehicle that uses these will be charging at a slower rate and take longer to get a usable charge. Therein lies the problem, at least in the short term. How long will folk be prepared to wait for a charger to become available if the state only does what it is compelled to do i.e. one charger per fifty miles.
I'll admit that I don't know the interstate highway infrastructure but is there a pull off area every fifty miles to install the chargers?

In the UK I stop at the Wetherby service area a couple of times a year. Fuel is always significantly more expensive than in towns (£1.67p/ litre v. £1.43p at our local supermarket ) yet despite this there are often queues at the pumps. Oh how I laugh as I drive past with enough fuel to complete my journey.
If it takes (say) five minuets to fill the vehicle currently I would guess that it would take at least double or treble that for an EV. They currently have five EV charging points...how many more would they need to reduce waiting time to a minimum? And given their track record on fuel prices I woonder what will be charged for electricity? The cynic in me thinks it won't be cheap.

I appreciate we have to start somewhere but until battery technology allows genuine fast charging I'll stick with a hybrid. I can use electric power for the majority of my journeys which are mostly local and have the convenience of an i.c. motor for those trips further afield.
 
to become available if the state only does what it is compelled to do i.e. one charger per fifty miles.
If Mississippi gets these I'm going to be shocked. We don't even have signs to identify roads, sometimes that includes state highways! If we get them, it won't be Mississippi plates using them. Not until the technology is viable.
 
I hate to say it but this is what made the Chevy Volt so practical. It would run till the charge was depleted, then the small engine would run a generator to supply enough electric current to run the electric drive motor, plenty of reserve power to get you more than back home.
Buddy of mine in MD has one he bought as a local commuter for his wife and himself and he always likes to run things to find their limits. I think he used all of 8 gallons of gas last year, and never had to worry about running out of charge while out and having to stop and wait while it recharged.
 
I have a Hyundai hybrid which I like a lot gas mileage is great better in town than on the highway 50-60mpg
They had a plug in hybrid which I thought would work out fine for most of my driving (short trips) but the price was a little to high compared to the straight hybrid
 
I appreciate we have to start somewhere but until battery technology allows genuine fast charging I'll stick with a hybrid.
If Mississippi gets these I'm going to be shocked. We don't even have signs to identify roads, sometimes that includes state highways! If we get them, it won't be Mississippi plates using them. Not until the technology is viable.

Baby steps guys... $5bn sounds huge, but in the grand scheme of things.... it's a baby step.
Think of a model T driver looking all over hell for someone who actually has gas in 1910. We went from back then to now..... baby steps.
 
I hate to say it but this is what made the Chevy Volt so practical. It would run till the charge was depleted, then the small engine would run a generator to supply enough electric current to run the electric drive motor,

I always thought that was a very clever design. A small fuel efficient gas motor to run a generator, it could charge the batteries continuously ( I think ). :shrug:
 
Thats what I wish a guy could buy now I'd give it a try
 
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