Sales of the GM Volt.

[rwh11385]

yes, nickel-metal hydride batteries are terrible for the environment, and lithium ion units are not much better. So much so that recycling them is actually more of a detriment to the environment than a benefit.

I concede that this is one of the hurdles needed to get over, but there are interesting developments in silicone batteries, etc. If we can replace or improve current battery technology (it's happening as we speak), and energy derived from fossil fuels goes the way of the dinosaur (coal plants are being shut down gradually) then hopefully by that time electric cars will already be in place along with a more modern power grid that can use them as an asset.

It was always going to be a big job marketing the electric car, and conventional ICE cars aren't going anywhere for now, but it's technology that needs some competition in order to get off the ground. I think the technology required to make electric cars decent will also be integrated into the designs of gas burners (electric cars MUST get lighter) and the competition between the two is a good thing. You can say it's just shifting the burden, but no solution is going to be an instant fix, not when we're so dependent on the cars we drive now.

I think you are also forgetting that using EVs instead of gas-powered vehicles is just solely shifting our critical resources from the Middle East to China and other players in batteries, cobalt, and lithium. The solution to transportation energy needs to be utilizing a resource we have here in the US, or at least at a friendly and strong ally. A lot of lithium comes from volatile African nations which we are less attracted to then the ME.

Hybrids that use flywheel accumulators or simply a small battery (versus 30 kwh ones) will probably make sense for most applications more than devoting the US fleet to battery-powered vehicles. Plus, we can power today cars on veggie oil or bio-diesel, and probably expand this into some algae-sourced solution too. Throwing out all logic and jumping headstart into EVs is not the solution.

[brainspo0n]

I agree that plug-in hybrids are the way to go right now (between the two) and I personally would own a Volt over a Leaf

edit: the EV is not a comprehensive option at this point, but like those other options you listed above, they must not be thrown out as they are ideal for certain applications.

[brainspo0n]

a plug-in diesel hybrid running on biodiesel ftw

[mrsleeve]

you are aware that its gets really cold in many places in this country right?? DO you know what happens to Bio Diesel below about 38* F ????


I will let you ponder that just a little bit

[brainspo0n]

well you can run your plug-in diesel hybrid on regular diesel then

[mrsleeve]

well you can run your plug-in diesel hybrid on regular diesel then

but thats not green now is it, thats an evil petroleum product. And very soon now those of us that drive diesels will not have any choice in the matter. MN is already mandating that by 2015 all diesel sold in the state be B20. Ummmm yeah its going to be rough up there in the winter time trying to keep your shit running.

In many sates the stations get huge tax breaks to sell the B10 and up, no matter the time of the year, (WHY I NEVER BUY FUEL IN IL) and to be dammed with the havoc it causes with people and goods getting to where it needs to go thanks to fuel the consistency of jello

[u3b3rg33k]

All this talk of diesel makes me wonder why VW still makes NOTHING (in the US) with AWD, a diesel, and a clutch pedal...

I'm not an engineer, but I can't believe that there's no way to reduce fuel consumption in current engines to 50%. If I had all the money that was spent on hybrid dead-ends, I'm pretty sure I'd come up with something.

I wanted to touch on this concept for a moment. If it was as easy as people seem to think it is to make something 50% more efficient, don't you think they would do it?

And on that note, ever wonder why all the new diesels have LOWER CRs than the old ones?



The short answer is it's not worth the strain on the parts.

What we are seeing more of now are turbines in the exhaust on diesels that dump KE from the exhaust back into the powertrain. IIRC you get about 10% more torques for "free" (keeping in mind that 66% of the energy in fuel gets lost as heat).

[mrsleeve]

And on that note, ever wonder why all the new diesels have LOWER CRs than the old ones?

The short answer is it's not worth the strain on the parts.

What we are seeing more of now are turbines in the exhaust on diesels that dump KE from the exhaust back into the powertrain. IIRC you get about 10% more torques for "free" (keeping in mind that 66% of the energy in fuel gets lost as heat).

Ummm yeah turbos are there so the need for 22:1 is not really necessary anymore to make the power.

But the real reasoning is govt Emissions regulations, the law of unintended consequence of regulations and laws written by those that have little to no understanding of the laws of physics and what it takes to make a engine work. Strain on parts are fucking serious, old school diesels are know for their long marathon at max power run times, with a quick 20 min shut down every 800 hours or so to change the lube and filter, failure due to compression related stresses were not really that big of an issue

Or maybe they do and its part of the end goals. Like this money shot of the green agenda from the GM that no one wants but is being forced on the public and will put GM right back where they started when it ultimately fails. Now where did I leave my tinfoil hat ????

[u3b3rg33k]

Ummm yeah turbos are there so the need for 22:1 is not really necessary anymore to make the power.

CR is more about efficiency than power (yes, I know you get more power per unit fuel out of a more efficient engine), they also figured out that 22:1 doesn't really make any more power, turbo or no turbo. Hence the chart. Most 22:1 engines are pre-combustion chamber head setups (which are not helpful in the quest for good combustion), whereas the lower CR versions are all direct injection. All you need is a high enough compression ratio for auto ignition, going beyond that makes parts more expensive (to handle the increased pressures) with rapidly diminishing returns.

Part of it is also the range of operating speed. Automotive diesels have a very wide RPM range, whereas marine / truck diesels are much narrower.

Oh, found your hat.

[mrsleeve]

I can see where you are coming from. I seem to remember reading some where a while back that the really high CR diesel or gas, seem to make way more NOx ( yeah I know why). ANd we all know the EPA hates NOx

I was not 100% aware of study on your graph, in fact I cant recall seeing that anywhere else before. But I can see the point you were making



Oh BTW my hat does not have the pointy receivers on top it makes the issues worse that way. Thanks for trying though

[u3b3rg33k]

Does it have the chin strap though? I hear that's seriously important.

[mrsleeve]

depends on how active you are.


the little woman hates it when I still have mine on during sex, maybe she tossed it out????

[Fusion]

Some guy recently built a magnet motor able to power a 20W light bulb for free (and itself of course, with no external power). The project is open source and avaiable for anyone to build.

Now explain how some guy with good knowledge and some change to buy magnets and plexyglass is able to come up with something that revolutionary in his living room, while billion dollar companys can only come up with totally useless cars and/or engines that are a bit more efficient (than 20!?! years ago), but are very likely to have very short lives.

[rwh11385]

Some guy recently built a magnet motor able to power a 20W light bulb for free (and itself of course, with no external power). The project is open source and avaiable for anyone to build.

Now explain how some guy with good knowledge and some change to buy magnets and plexyglass is able to come up with something that revolutionary in his living room, while billion dollar companys can only come up with totally useless cars and/or engines that are a bit more efficient (than 20!?! years ago), but are very likely to have very short lives.

Hate (who am I kidding - I enjoy it) to break it to you, but using a magnet to create current is nothing revolutionary at all. Have you ever had a physics E&M lesson?

And engine efficiency, as mentioned earlier in the thread, is limited by the laws of thermodynamics.

Simple things can seem amazing or challenging things "obviously" possible to the uneducated.

[Vedubin01]

Some guy recently built a magnet motor able to power a 20W light bulb for free (and itself of course, with no external power). The project is open source and avaiable for anyone to build.

Now explain how some guy with good knowledge and some change to buy magnets and plexyglass is able to come up with something that revolutionary in his living room, while billion dollar companys can only come up with totally useless cars and/or engines that are a bit more efficient (than 20!?! years ago), but are very likely to have very short lives.

They also have ships and subs that never need refueling....



well maybe not in EU :)