
California to set up a $1B electric car network - zsection
http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/20/california-to-set-up-a-1b-electric-car-network/
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noonespecial
_This_ is where we should take Detroit's bailout and stick it. Nationwide
please.

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kirse
I will cling to the performance and adrenaline-rushed excitement of driving my
300hp, 6-speed M.T. gasoline-powered car until death (or absolute lack of
funds) pries it from my bare hands.

I would rather die of starvation before being forced to drive one of those
electric slothboxes.

Then again, that's me, I doubt many of my fellow citizens have the same
passion for automotive ecstasy.

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abstractbill
I was under the impression electric cars could deliver more performance and
adrenaline than petrol cars, because an electric motor produces maximum torque
at all speeds. Is this not so?

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hugh
Sure, a Tesla Roadster can do 0-60 mph in four seconds, but it doesn't _sound_
as cool as a Lamborghini when it does so.

Seriously though, I would be very sad if internal combustion engine powered
cars vanished. I personally suspect that the future of personal transportation
is still gonna be based on liquid fuels (maybe cellulosic or even algae-
derived ethanol) because they're so much easier to store and transport than
anything else.

Hydrogen storage requires weird high-pressure containers and exotic materials.
Electricity storage requires weird toxic metals placed in weird toxic
solutions. Ethanol storage requires a bucket.

~~~
yan
Ethanol requires using fertile soil and in turn edible food into weird fuel.

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hugh
That's why I specified cellulosic or algae-based ethanol.

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miked
Spending initiatives like this are why the wife and I are leaving the state
early next year. We don't feel like sticking around when the tax bill comes
due, which we'd have to do if we bought a house here.

Evidently the state's not deeply enough in debt yet. With the higher taxes
coming up to pay for all this, even more taxpayers and corporations (7,000 in
the last few years) will leave, accelerating the financial death spiral.

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dmix
Shai Agassi is one of the most inspiring post-success entrepreneurs.

I find this more interesting then blindly giving millions to charities.

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hugh
Apparently not included in the plan: building new power stations, or even any
discussion of it.

Anyone got any good numbers on questions like: if half of California's cars
were switched to electrical over the next ten years, how many more power
stations would the state require?

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DaniFong
It depends on how much use they get out of each vehicle and which sort of
vehicle they are. I calculated that about ten square meters of mirrors at a
solar thermal station would power one average U.S. daily commute with an
electric microcar. A low drag vehicle like the Aptera would require around 5 -
6 square meters, instead. Provided that we can get our drivetrain, engine, and
regenerative braking as efficient as we think we can, then we can get that
down to 3 square meters for a compressed air powered microcar, and less than 1
square meter for a compressed air powered scooter.

~~~
netcan
How much emissions (if any) are saved under different power plant regimes
coal, gas, etc. Anyone have an idea?

~~~
coryrc
Chip Gribben does: <http://www.evdl.org/docs/powerplant.pdf>

He has a 2.5 page bibliography at the end, if you need more exact answers.

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DaniFong
A major coup. I called them up and congratulated them.

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bprater
Did anybody call the Big 3 and inform them of the standardized battery size
and location?

