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Comment How will you enable long distance EVs? (Score 1) 229

Tesla has invested a lot of capital in building a comprehensive network with banks of superchargers capable of providing 135kW to make long distance EV travel possible. Lacking such a network other manufacturers are currently limited to producing limited range city EVs and plug-in hybrids.

Most Chademo and sae+combo chargers max out at 50kW and offer power for just 1-2 vehicles at charging locations are poorly located for interstate travel.

How will GM work to enable long distance EV travel with their vehicles?

ps: I live in Wisconsin where Tesla will soon have 9 supercharging stations, I take delivery of my Model S 85D in two weeks.

Comment 20kW is not fast enough (Score 3, Informative) 49

Tesla superchargers charge at 120kW with a wired connection. 20kW is not fast enough to quickly charge an electric vehicle that has enough batteries to provide adequate range. Even the Fast DC chademo chargers for the leaf can charge at 50kW.

Fast wireless charging will never happen because wasting 10% of your power as heat under the vehicle will cause things to melt at high power rates.

Comment Re:He continues to show himself to be ... (Score 2) 230

As a fellow TSLA stock holder, I absolutely agree.

The growing electric vehicle market has plenty of room for multiple manufacturers. Tesla by itself cannot grow faster without introducing quality issues and cannot make vehicles fast enough to transition the entire vehicle market. Other automakers are unwilling to invest in their own supercharger network and without access to high power fast charging they will be forced to produce plug-in hybrids for the foreseeable future. Opening the standard would help bring in more capital to build the supercharger network and hasten the transition to zero emission vehicles.

Comment Re:consistency more important (Score 1) 374

I think that over a certain speed, fuel economy goes way down.

This is because:
For high velocities drag will vary as the square of velocity. Thus, the resultant power needed to overcome this drag will vary as the cube of velocity. The standard equation for drag is one half the coefficient of drag multiplied by the fluid mass density, the cross sectional area of the specified item, and the square of the velocity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(physics)

Comment Re: Backup Heating (Score 1) 473

I installed a wood burning insert into our fireplace. It has a large glass door so you can still see the flames for ambiance. It is 70% efficient, using a blower to circulate heat and is designed to reignite smoke to reduce particulates. I gather wood locally from trees my neighbors cut down after summer storms.

So I can heat the house in the event of a power outage. I also have an inverter so I can use my prius as a generator to run the blower, router, wifi.

Comment Re:My W-2 just shuddered with the Force (Score 3, Informative) 415

Have you been to a non-electrified camping ground that allows RVs? People who drive huge vehicles towing huge campers and sometimes an extra vehicle, ATV or boat achieving a paltry 8-13mpg have absolutely no qualms about breaking out the gasoline generators.

They can't leave the comforts of home behind, including the noise and smog.

Comment Re:Solar _and_ wind (Score 2) 498

I live in Wisconsin where solar power is not great, but because costs have come down it is now close to being cost effective and I was looking at buying a system that would effectively cut my costs in half for 15-16k after tax credits. But after reviewing my house east/west facing rooftop and several nearby trees my solar potential was unfortunately deemed to be poor.
http://madisungroup.wordpress.com/howitworks/

SRP does allow you to switch to Time of Day pricing so you could offset your air conditioning costs and then only draw electricity at the off peak rates. They also have installation incentives and there may be state/federal tax credits.

Comment Re:Break even points (Score 1) 503

Because electric cars can (and should) be charged at night, they do not add to peak loads. Excess nighttime capacity will be sufficient to charge electric vehicles for quite some time. Additional renewable resources such as wind power will help to bolder nighttime grid capacity.

"It’s estimated that 75 percent of the 250 million vehicles on our highways could be charged at night on the current electric grid – without any new power plants"
http://goelectricdrive.com/GetStarted/Top10Questions.aspx

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