From: oberland@vax.sonoma.edu
Newsgroups: sci.energy
Subject: Re: Electric Vehicle
Date: 19 Dec 92 15:36:48 GMT
Organization: Sonoma State University

In article <1992Dec18.145816.16773@ke4zv.uucp>, gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman) writes:
> In article <1992Dec16.175849.1@vax.sonoma.edu> oberland@vax.sonoma.edu writes:
>>One more note:
>>Most of the engine wear that occurs happens when you start the vehicle.
>>I may only drive 5000 miles a year, but I drive it almost every day.
>>
>>I may only go 5K a year, but my engine and transmission are getting
>>more like 20K+ of highway driving a year(I don't do much Highway driving,
>>either)
> 
> With the short trips you are taking, serious consideration should be
> given to a bicycle, at least when the weather is nice. You are absolutely
> correct that very short trips that don't let the vehicle come up to
> operating temperature are very hard on the vehicle. I try to plan my
> trips so that I can combine several trips into one to avoid this situation.
> Hot starts aren't nearly as hard on the vehicle as cold starts.

It happens to also be cold in the mornings.  Tonight, it is UNDER 30.
(would swear it is 24-26).  The car gets about 8-12 mpg, also.
I heard about plans to make your own electric moped, and I am thinking of
looking into it.  20 mile range. 20 mph.  May be a cheap alternative.
I just happen to LIKE electric vehicles, and cost, if manageable, is
not the end-all some of you seem to make it out to be.
I would pay more for an EV, but I guess I am in the minority...
 
>>Compare 50K on, say, a delivery vehicle to get a more realistic average.
>>Also, if I had a stick, all those short trips would burn my clutch out
>>fairly fast(I used to deliver pizzas(their car) and the clutch went out 
>>at LEAST every year.)
> 
> Even with stop and go driving, a clutch shouldn't wear out this fast
> unless it was abused by the driver. A friend of mine drives a rural
> mail route and his straight shift 1986 Ford Ranger is still on the
> original clutch. It's those 30 minute or less drag races that were
> wearing out the pizza delivery car. :-)

Nah, it was the fact that they got a truck built about as well as the average
Hyundai or Yugo(this was in 1988 or so).  Guess you get what you pay for...
(heh)  Sorta served those cheap slobs right, too, considering how hard they 
made us slave for min. wage...
But I digress...

I HAVE been looking into something different, but have come to the conclusion
that a EV will not be practical until about 1996-2000, if then.

The best design I have seen so far is the Flash-Steam design.
These things could solve a lot of our problems, esp. in places like LA and SF.

One note on the EV's, though:
I did see a demonstration of a slick regenerative braking experiment done by a
student here for a class(energy design/physics).
Was fairly neat, and did quite well, considering it was built in his garage.
He did use some new capacitors that I had never seen before(dime*1/2 inch size) 
that allowed him to get a several pound wheel going FAST.(2-400 rpm in 1-3 sec)
Any idea what they could have been?  He said a "normal" one would have been 
the size of my computer.  I was impressed.
He said they cost him .50 each, no less.
He also had a really slick motor as well.  Tiny and very powerful.

With decent technology available, and getting cheaper and cheaper, one 
wonders why they charge 30K for an EV with such lousy range.
It can't be all batteries.

Joe