Hawaii Endorses Plan for Electric Cars

[StorminN]

In the news today... wow.

Hawaii Endorses Plan for Electric Cars

-N.

[OneWithWood]

How does Hawaii produce the electricity?  Wind and wave?  Oil?

[Tom]

The article says that 90% of Hawaii's oil is imported.    I read an article once where a "proffessor" had determined that planting Chinese Tallow  (popcorn tree) on the unused fields previously planted in cane, would provide enough oil to return all of the airplanes back to the mainland without having to import any oil/fuel to do so.

Hawaii is rich in ocean and air.  If a State stood a chance of making it on alternative energy, it would be Hawaii.

[zopi]

Solar! Lotta sun there..and not too many hailstorms..

[DanG]

I was a little puzzled by that article.  Wouldn't it be better to set things up where people could recharge their cars at home?  What are the issues with those batteries that makes it necessary to have an exchange system?  It has been a couple of days since I read the article, but I don't remember seeing anything about the range of the cars on a charge, or the costs involved to the individual.

[rowerwet]

you have got to consider Hawain thinking, they banned clothes lines about a year ago. Now how do you think they want you to dry the clothes?

[stonebroke]

why would they ban clotheslines?

Stonebroke

[metalspinner]

Exchanged batteries for "on the go" tourists, perhaps?

The article said that "Hawaii imports oil for about 90 percent of its total energy needs." 

Wouldn't the batteries need to be charged from the other 10% of its energy alternatives to have any benefit?

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Here's a GOOD reason why Electric cars will not be favored by the general public.

 

Edward Loh of Motor Trend explained, “While the Prius qualifies as a midsize car, the 2009 Insight is a compact: shorter by 2.7 inches overall and 5.9 inches between the wheels. The Insight is also 1.2 inches narrower, with a roof height 2.5 inches lower, which is why Honda tells you its Prius-fighter is the more similarly sized Civic Hybrid.” Dan Edmunds of Edmunds.com, wrote, “Those approaching 6 feet in height will feel the roof and wish for more legroom [in the backseat]. The Insight's 100.4-inch wheelbase needs an additional inch or two. This, above all, reminds us that the Insight is indeed a compact car.”

  THIS, the guy is talking about a 2010 CAR, NOT a 2009. NOTHING but put-downs, by the Media. 

  It's well known, ALL cars are not acceptable to ALL people  Media morons 

[DanG]

You're on a roll Harold!  I'll have to give you the second attaboy in one week!

All those dimwits have to go by is statistics from the Gobblement.  It makes you wonder if they have ever even been outside or driven a car.

This week I had to go to J'ville and pick up 4 grandkids and all their plunder.  It would have taken two trips in a hybrid and at least four days in an electric.  May as well just have a horse, if ya ask me.

Now for short trips around the neighborhood, an electric golf cart is hard to beat, and a whole lot cheaper than a car.

[Fla._Deadheader]

 There's a Forum I belong to, that has guys converting gassers to ALL electric. It's really good to see and read about what these guys do. There are a few that get 40-60 miles per charge.

  IF the price of Lithium-Iron-phosphate batteries will just come down a little more, Lead Acid batteries will be frowned upon for traction batteries.

  There are cars converted from Costing $500.00, all the way up to $20,000.00.

  IF a guy can be a resourceful scrounger, converting Toyota Tercels, Saturns, S-10's, Minivans, and such, are within reach of someone that wants to be frugal/

[moonhill]

The reason for swapping out the battery pack in stead of only charging at home is longer range.  You could swap out a battery pack in 5 minutes, the same time it would take to fill the tank with gas, fill her up(swap the batteries), please, wash the window, by the way you don't have to check the oil.  That is at a full service center. 

Tim

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Unless you are talking about a battery pack similar to the Prius, there is no way to swap a pack in 30 minutes Just releasing the hold down brackets would require an hour or more

[moonhill]

The whole battery pack drops out the bottom of the car, it is theory, but I can see it working.  I read about it in a book on electric cars, of all places.  They are fuel jets in flight, it was mentioned here on the forum that they are even concidering using the moon as a refueling station.  There are lots of possibilities, you Deadheader, of all people, should know that. 

Tim

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Well, lemme tell you what i DO know. 

  A small pickup, Toyota, Nissan, S's from GM, Rangers, ETC. could have packs down both sides of the frame, under the bed. THAT would work.

  You mentioned cars. There is no reasonable way to change battery packs in a short period of time, because the packs are IN-under the trunk space, In-under the back seat space, IN-under the hood. Just dis-connecting  re-connecting the leads would be a chore. It would have to be LiFePo4 batteries, and they would need the BMS wiring hooked to EACH cell, for rapid charging and balancing the cells, or you greatly shorten or damage the life of the cells.

  Whoever charges these things, BETTER be exact with it, or, the batteries will fail. WHO is going to pay for all these extra batteries, at roughly $6,000.00 a set

  If YOU have a new set, would you be willing to swap for a 2 year old set

  Sorry, it isn't like swapping Propane tanks at Cheena Mart.

  Lead batteries are completely out of the running, because of Peukert's effect of losing 40% of charge capacity, under load.

  I'm not saying it can't be done, swapping batteries, just not quickly.

  Anyone interested in Electric cars, try http://www.diyelectriccars.com.
  link to guys that DO this stuff, at home. GREAT info out there. http://www.diyelectriccar.com/garage/

[moonhill]

I can swap out the battery on my electric drill in seconds.  Battery technology is where it is at.  They are working on it.  You don' t own the battery set, the company does.  To solve the cost issue get rid of the monetary system we have now.  Imagine if nothing cost anything, that's right, where would the limit be?  Technology would not be throttled down. 

Tim 

[moonhill]

Actually, it may be easier than swapping propane tanks at Cheena Mart.

It takes only one minute not five as I had guessed.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/05/better-place/

Tim