Tinstaafl

[theantigeist]

There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

I support alternative propulsion systems for cars. I support electric cars. I support the Chevy Volt.

Now that that's out of the way, let me pose a (maybe not so) hypothetical problem. Let's say that every vehicle in the US was replaced by a Chevy Volt. Meaning every vehicle that now operates was never operated again, and mile-for-mile was replaced by a Volt, or a vehicle operating on exactly the same principles and using the same amount of electricity and gasoline.

Leaving aside any issues of disposing of the old cars, or building the Volts (let's say there is a magical one-to-one swap), has anyone calculated or estimated the impact on total energy usage?

We seem to think in the popular imagination that because electric cars don't use GASOLINE that the don't use ENERGY, which is of course absurd. So, if every mile now driven in the US, currently powered by gas or diesel, was replaced by an electric mile ( or even every mile on trips 40 miles or less);

1. what would be the total increase in electricity usage?


2. what types and what quantities of fuel would be necessary to produce that electricity which we aren't currently producing?

3. how would the power production and distribution infrastructure ("the grid") be able to handle the increase strain of all those vehicles re-charging every evening?

I am not a scientist or engineer. I'm interested in reading lively and maybe even intelligent discussion about this issue.

-TheAntiGeist

[likearock00]

Hopefully the power that is added to the grid will come from alternative and natural resources. I expect to see alot more money going into solar, wind, and water powerplants. I also think nuclear reactors will need to be built. Power companies need to come up with a plan of action to keep up with future semand, and I think they do a decent job at it.

I just hate to think of what will happen when countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran no longer have the capital from oil production. That will probably signal the end of the world as we know it. Their regimes are calm compared to what will happen when the money runs out!

[jkennedy293]

There probably won't be a dramtic increase in our energy needs. Most people will charge their vehicles up at night, when power companies normally have to vent their produced power because demand is so low.

I believe the grid is capable of handling 2-3 million cars charging. So if you replaced every car at once, the grid would explode.

[ronald mcretard]

i'm too lazy too give proof for any of this, but a few points:

- i once read that assuming they charge only at night, the current electric grid could handle something like 180 MILLION electric cars. this is because the grid wastes a lot of energy at night when everyone's lights are out. they can't just turn off the power plants because they take too long to turn back on.

- electric cars use energy much more efficiently than gasoline cars. a traditional engine wastes around 70% of the gasoline's energy as heat. also add in the energy that it takes to get the gasoline into your car (pumping crude oil, transporting oil, refining, transporting gasoline). of course electricity generation isn't 100% efficient either, but it could be darn close in the future with solar, wind, etc. and even now, the overall energy efficiency is much better for EVs than traditional cars.

- the biggest thing for me is that electrical energy is mostly generated with U.S. resources (or renewable resources) while gasoline is made with oil, a lot of which comes from bad places as you know.


it will surely be a challenge to upgrade the grid if it needs to be upgraded, and to supply the extra electricity we will need to charge EVs, but i think in the long run it will be well worth it.

[91fairladyZ]

The problem of coming up with a way to power tomorrow's electric vehicles is just an opportunity to put Americans to work.

[mikmak]

Geo thermal electricity will help out by reducing the Earth's core temperature, therefore counter acting the effects of global warming.

...ah, the circle is complete.

In all reality though, a recent comparison was done in regard to the difference between keeping a 2000 model commodore vs. buying a new pius. When talking C02 out puts, it took about 4 years of driving to overcome the carbon cost of building the new vehicle. Obviously, with the Volt expending even less carbon, the time will be shorter.

As for the energy generation, there are numerous new technologies being employed including the Hydrogen debacle and bacteria that eat waste and **** ethanol.

To overcome the possible burden of too many chargers on the grid, surely home generation can reduce the load, through the likes of subsidised Solar units etc.

[XP300]

Originally Posted by mikmak

Geo thermal electricity will help out by reducing the Earth's core temperature, therefore counter acting the effects of global warming.

...ah, the circle is complete.

Does that mean that we will burn our heads off while our feet are freezing?

[mikmak]

Not if you've got your head in the sand.....okay, I'm going to bed now.

[ronald mcretard]

p.s. i believe the more popular verison of that phrase is "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"