Electric cars and carbon taxes

[zeleneye]

Zeleneye
I suspect that as carbon taxes are rolled out across Europe, this will change.

But the opportunity for Ireland is Now

Well we are unlikely to produce a manufacturer capable of making an electric car. We should definitely be trying to promote their uptake though. Plug-ins form a key part of most smart-grid models...and, as you know, smart grid is how we are going to really capitalise on our renewables potential.

What I mean about the annoying thing though is that hybrids were invented by German carmakers but never developed. Instead, they went the opposite way and developed and marketed more fuel-inefficient SUVs.

The result: the Asians and now even the US car makers are stealing their thunder on the cars of the future. All this despite the phenomenal amounts of public money being pumped into European car makers...effectively no-strings-attached...

[BrendanGalway]

Dont mind those, look at this. Tesla model S. Stuff like this will swing public opinion.



I believe Audi are working on an electric R8 too.....

[Aindriu]

Dont mind those, look at this. Tesla model S. Stuff like this will swing public opinion.



I believe Audi are working on an electric R8 too.....

Do you have a link for info on it perchance?

[fiannafailure]

]Well we are unlikely to produce a manufacturer capable of making an electric car. We should definitely be trying to promote their uptake though.

Never underestimate the value of a strong domestic market, particularly with new tech

Plug-ins form a key part of most smart-grid models...and, as you know, smart grid is how we are going to really capitalise on our renewables potential.

Now this statement really puzzles me, if this is government policy it completely ignores very real engineering problems and is bound therefore to fail.

It also completely undermines research being done privately and in our universities on renewables

What I mean about the annoying thing though is that hybrids were invented by German carmakers but never developed. Instead, they went the opposite way and developed and marketed more fuel-inefficient SUVs.

We should therefore learn from history

The result: the Asians and now even the US car makers are stealing their thunder on the cars of the future. All this despite the phenomenal amounts of public money being pumped into European car makers...effectively no-strings-attached...:mad

This tech is at a very early stage and it is not too late to change the trend.

[QuizMaster]

Even if the electricity is produced by burning oil, surely using the oil to produce steam to turn gigantic turbines is a lot more efficient than using the oil to make petrol in refineries, driving it out in tankers to petrol stations, then burning it in highly inefficient IC engines?

And of course, as time moves on our power stations will be using more and more renewables.

Bring on the electric car I say.

[BrendanGalway]

Do you have a link for info on it perchance?

Tesla Model S: $50,000 EV sedan seats seven, 300-mile range, 0-60 in 5.5s — Autoblog

$50k to buy, 300 mile range on a single charge. No sign of it coming here yet.

[fiannafailure]

Ask the Green party, especially their illustrious leader, John Gormless.

Aindriu

it is possible that the other parties are beginning to have a green agenda and progress on these national issues may come from and be driven by local politics

7km energy connector from Sorn Station to Derry Grid could transform Donegal

FG are on the ball here

[soubresauts]

Even if the electricity is produced by burning oil, surely using the oil to produce steam to turn gigantic turbines is a lot more efficient than using the oil to make petrol in refineries, driving it out in tankers to petrol stations, then burning it in highly inefficient IC engines?

No, it's definitely not a lot more efficient. My guess is that the efficiency advantage is on the other side: refineries don't waste much, and modern IC engines are very efficient.

But electric cars are coming, for sure...

Bring on the electric car I say.

The big problem is the batteries. Do they stand up to being frequently recharged from a half-charged state? Will they last? How expensive and rare are the raw materials? How efficiently and cleanly can they be recycled?

[Aindriu]

Tesla Model S: $50,000 EV sedan seats seven, 300-mile range, 0-60 in 5.5s — Autoblog

$50k to buy, 300 mile range on a single charge. No sign of it coming here yet.

It looks good alright but would still be a problem on long trips. A 4hr recharge on the standard 160 mile pack takes 8 hours so I would imagine the 300 mile pack would take around 8 hours. Filling a tank with 60 litres of petrol or diesel takes about 8 minutes.

[fiannafailure]

It looks good alright but would still be a problem on long trips. A 4hr recharge on the standard 160 mile pack takes 8 hours so I would imagine the 300 mile pack would take around 8 hours. Filling a tank with 60 litres of petrol or diesel takes about 8 minutes.

But how many times do people drive more than 300 miles in one day in Ireland

and now compare the price of diesel or petrol, inc the new carbon tax, with the cost of charging the batteries.