
Steve Wozniak: There's 'way too much hype' around Elon Musk's Tesla - gbugniot
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/25/steve-wozniak-theres-way-too-much-hype-around-elon-musks-tesla.html
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cthulhujr
The article suggests the hype around Tesla is about the autonomous driving
features; I'd argue that only a small part of the hype. The hype is around a
company disrupting an antiquated industry that has big oil and lawmakers in
their back pocket.

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chad_strategic
I couldn't have said it better.

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waynecochran
Electric cars are cleaner than oil-based only if you ignore the creation and
disposal of the batteries... and the fact that battery technology still sucks.
Oil is an incredibly compact form of energy, can be poured and easily
transported without dissipation of energy. As much as I want to get away from
oil, it's hard to beat.

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gbugniot
Except that electric engines can be more than 90% efficient while combustion
engines are 30 to 45% efficient.

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dragontamer
The engine may be 90% efficient, but the charger is only 95% efficient, and
the electric grid is only 90% efficient. And then the coal power plant that
generates all that electricity is only 40% efficient.

All of a sudden, combustion engines are better in overall efficiency.
Transporting liquid fuel and distributing it has major efficiency benefits.

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jjtheblunt
You made a big presumption though with the word "coal", which supports your
calculation but isn't realistic.

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dragontamer
[https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3](https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3)

> Natural gas = 33.8%

> Coal = 30.4%

> Nuclear = 19.7%

> Renewables (total) = 14.9%

Granted, Natural Gas is highly efficient, but Coal is still a major
contributor to people's electricity generation in the USA.

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vectorEQ
there's way to much hype around apple! >.<

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chad_strategic
Agreed.

-Sent from my overpriced, NSA tracking Iphone 8

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betaclass
Apple has figured out a way to allow us to track the NSA now?

