Green vs Cost vs "Misery" (was: Ultralight hybrids/electric )

["Bill Dube'" <bdube@BOULDER.NIST.GOV>]

        I was reading an article in the newspaper about a prof at CU that
has an "automatic" house. The house learns his habits and tries to operate
the heating and lights so that energy is saved.

        The prof made a very interesting point: There has to be a value that
the automatic system places on his comfort/misery. If you simply optimise
for mimimum energy use, the system would make the prof stumble around in a
totally dark and un-heated house. There must be a compromise between
"misery" and energy conservation.

        Some folks talk about tiny, sloth-like, highly-efficient vehicles as
"ideal." Others want 2 zillion miles of range in an SUV sized vehicle that
will smoke the tires.

        To what degree you are willing to trade "misery" for "green-ness"
and economy is a personal choice. What constitutes "misery" is a matter of
personal taste.

        Traditional EVs have a high "misery" cost in the view of the general
public. They are slow, inconvieniant, costly, and "wierd" looking. Aside
from the "green-ness" they are not pleasant to drive. There are some folks
that feel as though the reduced pollution and personal statement is worth
the "misery," but most folks don't. Thus, the poor market for EVs.

         The only "misery" that my Wabbit involkes is limited range and the
effort and cost of conversion. The limited range is not all that much
trouble to me. It is a small amount of "misery" to pay for driving electric.
This "misery" is offset to some degree, by the low operation costs, silent
operation, and peppy performance. I figure there are plusses and minuses,
but all in all, the Wabbit is more enjoyable to drive than an ICE. To most
folks, there is little or no net "misery" in driving the Wabbit.

        An EV, like the Wabbit, that offers LESS overall "misery" than it's
equivalent ICE vehicle will sell like hotcakes. This is the key. For Mr. and
Mrs. John Q. Public to select and EV over an ICE, the EV must offer less
"misery" than the typical ICE. The monthly payments are part of the "total
misery" equation.


             _   /|
             \'o.O'              Bill Dube'
           =(___)=           bdube@boulder.nist.gov
              U

Green vs Cost vs "Misery" (was: Ultralight hybrids/electric )