Ed Pawlowski wrote in
:

On 9/13/2015 7:59 AM, Leon wrote:


Again, little advantage for the extra cost up front. I drove
probably 80 mules today just going to the store, lunch, etc.

Well at least they are cheap to buy used. I was reading that the
average electric looses half their value in only 2 years. So either
they are not as good as what initial owners expected or troublesome.


I imagine they would be very cheap to buy as the battery life is
nearing its end. I've heard numbers of $2500 and up after 8 year
warranty.

Like everything else, it should get better as technology advances.

That is what everyone hopes (and is a big part of why the
auto makers are using hybrid powertrains in Formula 1 and
Le Mans racing - there is nothing like competition to force
improvements).

But there has been a huge effort to improve batteries over
the last decade or more, with little to show for it. There
are excellent long life batteries - but they weigh tons.
There are excellent low weight batteries - but they have to
be kept hot, well over 200 degrees. There are low weight,
low temp batteries - but they can't discharge fast enough
to run a motor.

Everyone is hoping for a huge breakthru in batteries, the
one solution that's light, room temp, high capacity, high
discharge, but nothing looks real promising right now.

I'd
like to see more fuel cell cars.It will take some time for the
infrastructure to expand. Right now, if you run out of fuel you have
to be towed to a fuel depot. Fuel is free if you lease a Hyundai
Tucson with fuel cell.

Like CNG, fuel cells need to be introduced and debugged in
captive service - things like post office vehicles, that always
run a predictable route, and can be refuelled at the same places
every day. I don't think you'll see fuel cells for general use
for a long time, if ever.

John