OK, now what?

I get it that fossil fuels contribute to global warming and pollution.

I get it that electric cars do not generate CO2 nor pollutants and are considered to be "better" because of this.

But EV's are not currently a panacea: Where will all of the increased electricity needed to power these vehicles come from?

Presumably it will need to be generated from clean sources and not from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or oil, otherwise "What's the point?".

Sure, there are windmills and solar arrarys, but the power they generate is but a drop in the bucket when one considers the amount of power needed to meet BOTH anticipated, future non-electric car needs as well as the increased amount of electricity EV's will require.

I anticipate a slower than expected phase out of fossil-fueled power plants, coupled to much higher prices for electricity until some new technology comes along to save us: hello, cold fusion?

I've always thought we have a vast highway system barren of solar and perhaps smaller wind generators like below. But you still need all the infrastructure and more innovation.

And perhaps instead of Tesla's idea of a drop out battery back, simply design it so the car could roll forward under its own power (or perhaps gravity after it goes up a ramp) and have the old recently discharged battery pack be pushed horizontally out the back of the car by the new one.

Quote: rxwine

And perhaps instead of Tesla's idea of a drop out battery back, simply design it so the car could roll forward under its own power (or perhaps gravity after it goes up a ramp) and have the old recently discharged battery pack be pushed horizontally out the back of the car by the new one.

I see two huge issues here. One is this becomes a LP cylinder exchange. Will people accept this?

Second, Musk showed something similar. Automated changing of battery. Immediately anyone who had done any wrenching and lived in places not SoCal saw it. Cars in the snow and weather will be a mess underneath and all gunked up with all kinds of issues. Sure, when new it works and looks cool. A year or two it is not so nice on the underside.

Quote: missedhervee

I get it that fossil fuels contribute to global warming and pollution.

I get it that electric cars do not generate CO2 nor pollutants and are considered to be "better" because of this.

But EV's are not currently a panacea: Where will all of the increased electricity needed to power these vehicles come from?

Presumably it will need to be generated from clean sources and not from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or oil, otherwise "What's the point?".

Sure, there are windmills and solar arrarys, but the power they generate is but a drop in the bucket when one considers the amount of power needed to meet BOTH anticipated, future non-electric car needs as well as the increased amount of electricity EV's will require.

I anticipate a slower than expected phase out of fossil-fueled power plants, coupled to much higher prices for electricity until some new technology comes along to save us: hello, cold fusion?

I vote for nice, fresh, carbon-neutral, clean burning coal. That's what the Coal Workers Union told me to say.

That power pod video was interesting; seeing one on the RV got me wondering: what about putting one of them on every EV and have it generate some power while driving down the road, to supplement / charge the battery pack?

Dunno, could it generate enough power so that once underway a battery is no longer needed and could be taken out of the power circuit while moving?

The oil companies will dictate how everything goes like they always have. Right now that's where all the money is and where the money is the power is & that's not going away anytime soon. All electric everything is a pipe dream/wet dream, take your pick.

Quote: missedhervee

That power pod video was interesting; seeing one on the RV got me wondering: what about putting one of them on every EV and have it generate some power while driving down the road, to supplement / charge the battery pack?

Dunno, could it generate enough power so that once underway a battery is no longer needed and could be taken out of the power circuit while moving?

Your idea is a perpetual motion machine can't possibly work.

I did not contemplate a true perpetual motion machine; more like an assist, I suppose.

Put the device in front of the driver, under the hood, where the engine is in front engine cars: that will keep the car from looking weird, as it would if the device were mounted on the roof.

I have to think this idea can bear fruit, IF and only IF enough power can be generated while driving along.

Good grief, there have to have been studies on this concept before, it surely cannot be sui generis.

Quote: missedhervee

I did not contemplate a true perpetual motion machine; more like an assist, I suppose.

Put the device in front of the driver, under the hood, where the engine is in front entgine cars: that will keep the car from looking weird, as it would if the device were mounted on the roof.

I have to think this idea can bear fruit, IF and only IF enough power can be generated while driving along.

Good grief, there have to have been studies on this concept before, it surely cannot be sui generis.

*sigh* There does not need to be a "study." The resistance from the machine will cost more in gas than it will ever produce. It reminds me of a girl in 9th grade science asked why you could not have solar panels work at night by putting a light source onto them.

It is the same reason you cannot have an EV driven by the front wheels being recharged by the turning of the rear wheels.

I don't follow your point that the resistance from the machine will cost more in gas than it will ever produce.

First, there's no gas in a fully electric car such as I am discussing.

The "machine" would be tucked where the engine normally is so there'd be no air resistance.

I don't understand why, if properly engineered, it could not be used to continuously charge the battery while the car is in motion.

So long as the car is moving you'd generate power to charge the battery / run the vehicle.