115-year-old electric car gets same 40 miles to the charge as Chevy Volt

[trogdor]

Looks like Chevy is a bit behind the curve on this one

http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/14/114-year-old-electric-car-gets-same-40-miles-to-the-charge-as-chevy-volt/

[Joe Handley]

But does that one also have a gasoline engine for a back up

[Harry P.]

Yep, the $40K Volt that gets a whopping 40 miles per charge is not exactly "cutting edge" technology.

It makes you wonder why today's electric cars are no better than the ones we had a hundred years ago...

[Junkman]

The Nissan factory in Sunderland is also producing a new electric car that is unable to get as far as Doncaster.

The Leaf, backed by £21m of taxpayers' money, has been specially designed so that if it is driven out of the factory after rush hour on a Thursday morning it will grind to a state-of-the-art halt on the A1 approximately 100 miles later.

A company spokesman said: "It should get you at least as far as Knottingley, if you keep it at 28 all the way and ignore red lights and stuff.

"The absolute furthest it would get you is probably about two miles north of Burghwallis, which - as I'm sure everyone would agree - is almost Doncaster. When you phone for a cab tell them to pick you up from the pub."

The spokesman admitted it would be difficult to recharge the car in the middle of the South Yorkshire countryside due to Britain's 'scandalous shortage' of incredibly long extension leads.

He added: "You may as well just abandon it by the side of the road. But they only cost about twenty thousand quid so you'll probably have at least five of them."

The company stressed the car would be more attractive to people who lived in urban areas, close to their place of work who had always wanted to have a long cable running from their third floor kitchen window down into the street like some sort of Action Man death slide.

The spokesman said: "We are building up the infrastructure so that in five years time you'll be able to go to Tesco for your weekly shop and then nip into the recharging station for about 16 hours."

Meanwhile, the company has developed a range of marketing slogans including 'The Leaf - Quite Good For Sitting In' and 'The Leaf - Because You Hate People So Much You Can't Even Spend 15 Minutes on a Bus'."

[charlie8575]

It really is amazing battery science hasn't progressed that much in the last 100 years in terms of actual usable capcity.

Perhaps someday. What I don't understand is, apart from cost, why these electric cars just don't line the roof with a photo-voltaic cell and use that as a quasi-charger, with the plug-in for full charge. I would think that even if it were at reduced power, that would at least get you were you need to go.

Charlie Larkin

[Dragline]

Junkman, Brilliant! I am still chuckling.

English humor works for me.

Bob

[Darin Bastedo]

Lets not forget that the 100 year old electric car weighed about an 12% what the volt does, has no electric accesories such as radio, power windows, power locks and gps, it has no headlights tailights or anything but the engine to power. I bet if you were to drop the Volt's drivetrain into the 100 year old car, you would go a lot further than 40 miles.

[Chuck Most]

Interesting story, and once again, Junkman has me in stitches.

The one thing I don't like about the current crop of electric cars (besides the price)? It's so easy for me to picture one wedged under the bumper of my F-250. And I know its an electric car- but does that mean they have to be so revoltingly styled?

[Darin Bastedo]

Re-VOLT-ingly...I get it! Very funny!

[Chuck Most]

Re-VOLT-ingly...I get it! Very funny!

Yeah, that was an unintentional pun, but when I realized it was there I left it in. So fitting, isn't it?

And Rick- mention one instance in history when Chevy WASN'T behind the curve?

[David G.]

Chevy has been behind the curve since they destroyed the EV-1

David G.

[Junkman]

And I know its an electric car- but does that mean they have to be so revoltingly styled?

Yes, same with the Hybrids, like the Prius. If you are all out for polar-bear-friendly motoring, you are getting branded with totally stupid looking machines so all the world can see how advanced and modern your mindset is.

Entirely btw., electricity is of course created by magic.

[Eshaver]

I asked the question years ago when I used to go visit some customers at a Battery Manufacturing plant in Houston where the Hardy street toll road runs today. I asked a couple what would become of the hazardous materials these batteries would cause if we were to produce these cars in significant numbers . The question was never answered to my satisfaction . Ed Shaver

[Skydime]

I'm 35 and I still haven't outgrown installing full-on aftermarket stereos and air suspensions with electric compressors switches, and valves. I just wander how far I would get in a totally electric car.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Skydime

[Erik Smith]

Batteries I use at work have improved ten fold in the last 20 years. Ni-Cad batteries are about 1/2 the weight of older batteries and last longer on a charge. So batteries are getting better.

New cars, as mentioned, weigh considerably more than older cars of similar size - that hurts mpg and distance on a single charge.

Also, I still don't think there is a huge market for all electric - thus less incentive for further improvement.

[Chuck Most]

Yes, same with the Hybrids, like the Prius. If you are all out for polar-bear-friendly motoring, you are getting branded with totally stupid looking machines so all the world can see how advanced and modern your mindset is.

Entirely btw., electricity is of course created by magic.

I've heard that people are actually less likely to buy a hybrid car that doesn't 'look like' a hybrid car. You can buy, say, a Ford Fusion hybrid that looks just like a standard Fusion except for the Hybrid badging, but people would rather have the Prius just because it has the shapeless hybrid look. I guess buying such a car is more about making a statement than actually helping the environment for some people.

[Eshaver]

I've heard that people are actually less likely to buy a hybrid car that doesn't 'look like' a hybrid car. You can buy, say, a Ford Fusion hybrid that looks just like a standard Fusion except for the Hybrid badging, but people would rather have the Prius just because it has the shapeless hybrid look. I guess buying such a car is more about making a statement than actually helping the environment for some people.

Now say it ain't so Chuck. Ed Shaver

Edited October 15, 2011 by Eshaver

[Skydime]

@ Paul I didnt even think it would be that long. But seriously, this is something to consider with all these cars that are completely electric. It could potential cause a major portion of the aftermarket to be abandoned if the industry ends up switching to all electric. Edited October 15, 2011 by Skydime

[Darin Bastedo]

I've heard that people are actually less likely to buy a hybrid car that doesn't 'look like' a hybrid car. You can buy, say, a Ford Fusion hybrid that looks just like a standard Fusion except for the Hybrid badging, but people would rather have the Prius just because it has the shapeless hybrid look. I guess buying such a car is more about making a statement than actually helping the environment for some people.

All car buying is about making a statement. The 1990 Corvete Z-R1 was criticized for not looking more distinctive for the money, To the buyers of specialised cars especially when that specialization comes with an increase in price, it's important that there is an image associated with that car. That is why SUVs tend to have a whole lot of tough looking body cladding and details when it actually doesn't do anything for it's performance. As modelers we know that styling and stance is vital to make the veiwer know the intent of the car's purpose.

It's the same thing with the greenies. they don't want their green car that they paid a premium for to look just like thier nieghbors gass guzzling less expensive car. On a personal note I feel I got the best of both worlds. The 2012 Hyundai I bought in June already has over 12,000 miles on it. is getting almost hybrid milage at a very non-hybrid price, Around town I've been averaging 35-36 miles to the gallon, and on the highway 47-48 mpg. On my trip to northern NYS with 4 adults, and a trunk full of luggage driving through the mountains I still got 40MPG. all this in a car that cost $18K. A similar Hybrid would cost me 10K more and it would take a long time to make that up in the difference in gas savings.

[Guest Johnny]

Got to admit that most buying are looking for the "look at how green I am!" so your right they do want it to be different or no one would even notice the few of them!

I can vaguely remember another experiment in "green" cars that failed! I can take you around town and show you 5 of them for sure sitting in the back of garages under a layer of dust because out of warranty when something broke they could not afford or justify the cost of repairing it and for sure no one wants them used broken down or not!

Will we see the same with these??? I'd bet on it!

Edited October 15, 2011 by Johnny

[Harry P.]

The Leaf, backed by £21m of taxpayers' money, has been specially designed so that if it is driven out of the factory after rush hour on a Thursday morning it will grind to a state-of-the-art halt on the A1 approximately 100 miles later.

The spokesman admitted it would be difficult to recharge the car in the middle of the South Yorkshire countryside due to Britain's 'scandalous shortage' of incredibly long extension leads.

The company stressed the car would be more attractive to people who lived in urban areas, close to their place of work who had always wanted to have a long cable running from their third floor kitchen window down into the street like some sort of Action Man death slide.

The spokesman said: "We are building up the infrastructure so that in five years time you'll be able to go to Tesco for your weekly shop and then nip into the recharging station for about 16 hours."

Meanwhile, the company has developed a range of marketing slogans including 'The Leaf - Quite Good For Sitting In' and 'The Leaf - Because You Hate People So Much You Can't Even Spend 15 Minutes on a Bus'."

Great stuff!

[Harry P.]

Another point... electricity doesn't come from magic pixie dust. It has to be generated somehow... and these days a lot of our electricity is still produced by coal-burning plants. So driving an electric car is not necessarily some sort of total "green" nirvana. You're still charging up your eco-mobile with electricity that had to be generated somehow.

And then there's the cost. I don't know what the average KWh charge for electricity is, but it would seem to me that if your Volt or Leaf has to be plugged in for 8-12 hours every 40 miles or so, the cost of all that electricity isn't exactly cheap. Cheaper than gas? Probably... but a lot less convenient.

All-electric cars aren't going to be a viable solution for most people and how they need to use a car until we have as many electric charging stations as we have gas stations... and they invent some sort of "quick charge" technology where you could pull into an "electric station" and actually charge up the car in a reasonable amount of time... say, 5-10 minutes, instead of needing that overnight charging time.

And then there's unforeseen traffic jams. Say your Leaf can get you to work on a single charge. What happens when you get stuck in an unexpected traffic jam for an hour? What happens when you're just about out of power and you're stuck sitting in the middle of a jammed expressway? Time to get out and walk home? If you drive a "regular" car you can get off at the next exit and find a gas station pretty much anywhere. What do you do when your eco-mobile is "out of gas?" Abandon the car on the highway and walk the rest of the way???

[Craig Irwin]

Is electricity really a clean, or green, energy if it comes from a coal, oil, or diesel generating plant? I laugh when I see our city buses with their "zero emissions vehicle" bumper stickers. (And the diesel engine just screaming to run the AC )

When Henry Ford was working for Thomas Edison and building his first car in his shed Edison advised Ford to go with a gas engine. "Electric vehicles have no future" Edison said.

[Harry P.]

The last time I was in Phoenix, the cab driver said that cabs in the city run on natural gas. If they can run a fleet of cabs that way, why not expand into personal vehicles?

[MachinistMark]

road going vehicles running on propane is not new in the slightest