Re: Power production

["David Roden (Akron OH USA)" <roden@ald.net>]

From:           	"Peter VanDerWal" <peter_v@primenet.com>

> How is that an advantage?  EVs only run on electricity.

I can make my own electricity with PVs or wind.  I can't make my own 
diesel fuel or gasoline.

I'm not a big conspiracy theorist by any means, but I think that this is 
one of the most significant advantages of EVs. It also seems to be the 
one that the automakers and oil companies most want to block.  Hence the 
rapid swing away from pure EVs and toward hybrids and FCVs -- vehicles 
that are apt to still require fuel purchased from petroleum companies.

> If all the coal burning power plants shut down tommorow you wouldn't 
> be running your EV at all since they would be rationing electricity. 

I doubt that they'd ration electricity even in that unlikely event.  
They'd just raise the price -- especially if they get the deregulation 
they want.  Besides, most Ohio coal-fired plants can also use natural 
gas.

Even in the dark, cold days of the 1970's oil embargo, when even natural 
gas was spiraling upward in price (and there were rumlings of shortages), 
there was no thought of natural gas rationing.  Nor was there ever any 
discussion of electricity rationing.

That's not to say electricity rationing is impossible.  But it's easy to 
prepare for it by setting up a few PV panels in your back yard.  There's 
a limit to how much gasoline and diesel fuel you can safely stockpile, 
though.

It's become rather fashionable to bash "old fashioned" pure EVs, since 
the Detroit and Tokyo buzz has turned to fuel cells and hybrids.  Hey, 
these are the same folks who told us we didn't want EVs because the 
initial, low-volume models might cost a little more than gas cars.  Now 
suddenly a vehicle with the ~combined~ complexity of both electric and 
gas vehicles is a great idea?  Give me a break.

Don't get me wrong; I think the Toyota Prius is a masterpiece of 
engineering.  But don't be too quick to hand it the prize -- read EV 
World's report first.  Bill got 37 mpg from the Prius.  He really had to 
coax it to get over 50.  Heck, I average over 48 every time in mixed 
driving with my Honda Civic VX.

As for the VW TDI -- well, that I might consider for my next long-
distance vehicle.  I might even look at the Honda Insight, though I'm not 
very keen on a 2-seater.   

Regardless, I'm not giving up my EV. I believe that it remains the best, 
most environmentally favorable choice for short-haul driving.  And it's 
the most flexible in terms of the source from which it can draw its 
energy.


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
1991 Solectria Force 144vac
1991 Ford Escort Green/EV 128vdc
1979 General Engines ElectroPed 24vdc
1974 Honda Civic EV 96vdc
1970 GE Elec-trak 36 vdc