When an engineer cuts thru the EV cultists crap

[Deschodt]

I don't think *all* EV owners are virtue signaling but it's true some are.
I leased 2 EVs in succession because
a) they were cheap (E-golf), #2 was literally $110 a month - LOL!!!
b) got me access to diamond lane and cut my commute time in half
c) a hoot in town with all the torque from 0 RPM - super relaxing one pedal driving.
d) always full tank each day and never touched a dirty fuel pump handle
e) saved me $ on gas.... and Electric bill (EV2 plan with PG&E meant cheap overnight power, I switched things like dishwasher and water heating to night running and benefited with 20-40$ off my electric bill /mo)
f) ZERO maintenance and ready to beat up when cold, no warm up ( I drove mine like a maniac, in silence)
g) No old ladies shouting at you to slow down in a residential area unlike now when I'm doing 5mph below the limit in a loud ICE car.

All that being said, I don't have one anymore because the cheapest decent one is now $50K, I think the push to ban gas car by 2035 is a huge mistake as evidenced by Europe's electrical production shortfalls this winter (and Germany's before that), the charging infrastructure will likely not be ready, and those cars cost way more than ICE. I think there's a place for both though, as a second car for "errands + " if you have a place to charge at home, pretty nice...
IMO too many constructors followed the "easy" route of mini suvs - I'd like to see my old Egolf with a second motor (limited 150mi range is fine) as a cheaper "fun E-GTI" @ $35K. I'd buy that - no way I drive 150mi a day anyway. As much as I love a stick, I sure miss the one pedal driving in town with traffic for school pickups and stuff..

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Just read that Switzerland is likely to forbid EV charging this winter due to potential power shortages. Yeah, that's the ticket, let's all go to EV ! (and I say that as an EV fan who owned 2 in the recent past)

I don't think anyone here wants to go to all EV but you've hit upon something that I think is the strongest reason to dramatically increase the EV ratio for cars/transportation and that is national security.

Right now we are slaves to MBS/Saudi Arabia who is making some pivotal moves on the world stage, namely cosying up to Xi who wants oil traded in Yuan. The impact on the world of China, Russia and SA uniting together at some point can't be understated and deserves an entire thread on its own. the simple fact is the U.S. hegemony has been slipping for years now. Key players have noticed and started planning.

Substantially reducing the U.S. addiction to/dependence on oil strengthens our country and economy, and the West by proxy, and allows us to give SA/OPEC the middle finger when it wants to play with the price of oil.

And where the oil goes.

Electricity produced by nuclear, solar, wind and coal has to be the country's future if it wants to stay dominant on the world stage.

[Deschodt]

If anything was made obvious in the past few years it is how insufficient renewables still are and how much governments goofed not renewing Nuclear. Germany is now producing way more carbon than it ever was.. France used to lead Europe in nuclear and export to most of it, and they let their aging plants be shut down due largely to green pressures, and they are running out of power this winter like the rest of Europe, for shame. All things considered nuclear is the cleanest shot we got if you want to transition - that fusion thing is awesome but 10y away from any practical applications.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

If anything was made obvious in the past few years it is how insufficient renewables still are and how much governments goofed not renewing Nuclear. Germany is now producing way more carbon than it ever was.. France used to lead Europe in nuclear and export to most of it, and they let their aging plants be shut down due largely to green pressures, and they are running out of power this winter like the rest of Europe, for shame. All things considered nuclear is the cleanest shot we got if you want to transition - that fusion thing is awesome but 10y away from any practical applications.

nuclear + renewbles has always been the way.

[island911]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

nuclear + renewbles has always been the way.

What exactly is not "renewable" ?

Everything except nuclear?

You do know that oil does not come from dead dino's, right?

"renewable" = green-wash speak.