Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Martian
The idea that electric cars are more efficient is something of a fallacy. All having an electric car does is offset the energy production from the vehicle itself to some generating station. Given that 85% of the energy generated in the United States comes from fossil fuel generating stations which to my knowledge are not significantly more energy efficient than a standard internal combustion engine, and given that there's an inherent loss in every transformation of that energy, electric cars could only really be considered more efficient if one only looks at it from an individual perspective. Easier on your pocketbook maybe, but not more efficient.
|
Typical efficiency of an Internal Combustion Engine -
20-37%
Efficiency of coal powered electricity generation -
36-48%
Efficiency of gas fired electricity generation (very popular in the UK at least, the main reason we had a big fall in CO2 generation for a time) -
up to 60%
Add in hydro power et al, and the efficiency of electric generation by far outstrips the efficiency of the IC engine.
Electric motors of an hp rating higher than 50 have typical efficiencies greater than 90%
Batteries are the limiting factor for electrical cars, but still, current technology could be used for the vast majority of journeys in europe, certainly and the US, i believe so, (
average journeys to work taking less than 30 minutes in every state for those who drove to work in 2000 )
Who killed the electric car? is an excellent movie, and i think they're making a new one:
Who saved the electric car? - covering aspects of the renaissance involving the TESLA, Mi-Pa motors, the new GM initiatives, plug-in hybrids, efforts in 'homebrew' electric conversion and advances in battery technology, etc.
Other interesting electric car stuff:
The
Lightning - which may be vaporware, but...
company site
The
Chevrolet Volt
Aptera Motors - this is a wild, wild car...
videos on youtube
Ooh!
Tesla videos on youtube and for those who believe it hasn't been crash tested -
Miles Electric Vehicles - chinese, potential vaporware
PML Flightlink who make many of the
motors that these new ev's use
Interesting batteries
This is a good
jumping off point for more info on home conversions, etc
I must caveat this with: I am not an electrical or mechanical engineer, but love the idea of electric cars. *dreams*
Oh, apologies for the threadcromancy.