James asks…
As of June 2008, what is the research status on EEStor’s batteries for electric cars?
EEStor based in Austin Texas set a claim in Patent No. 7,033,406 that promised “technologies for replacement of electrochemical batteries,” meaning a motorist could plug in a car for 5 minutes and drive 500 miles round trip between Dallas and Houston without gasoline.”
admin answers:
At the end of this year they’re supposed to deliver a battery that will meet ZENN Motor Company’s goal of a 250 mile per charge highway speed EV range. There are a lot of people skeptical as to whether or not they’ll be able to do it though.
Steven asks…
What was electric service like in Houston before the electric companies where deregulated?
I’ve never seen a place like this, where shopping for electric service was like buying a used car.
admin answers:
I remember back in the good ole’ days when I got my first apartment. In 1999 I was paying 8.25 cents per kilowatt. I remember because I called Reliant Energy complaining about my $45 electric bill. I had never had a bill over $25 and I wanted to know why it had gone up. Apparently the meter reader had estimated my bill that month because he couldn’t get access to my meter. I went out and gave them a manual reading and they gave me a credit. Now I pay 10.25 cents a kilowatt but my aunt pays almost 15 cents. That 4 cents makes a big difference in the long run.
Before we had Just reliant and they rarely had high deposits. They hardly ever shut your power off unless you owed like 3 or 4 months and even then they let you make a payment plan. A few years ago i had gexa and they cut my power off after me being 10 days late. I hadn’t received the bill and they sent me a cut off notice that i received the day after it was cut off. Then they took 4 days to turn it back on. I only owed them a little over 100 dollars. Now everyone tries to get you to sign contracts and the rates are horrible.
Deregulation sucks.
Robert asks…
can i survive in Houston for $2,000 a month?
I will have the following living expenses:
Car insurance, Rent, Utilities (Electric, Gas, Water, garbage, etc.) also transportation expenses, and food. My vehicle is paid off so won’t have any of that. Will be working in Downtown Houston. My take home pay will be $3000 and I want to save $1000. Please tell me realistically if $2000 a month is enough to survive in houston.
admin answers:
$2000 a month should be enough even in NYC if you don’t have 6 kids to feed, clothe, etc. This is a completely realistic amount to live on if you are budgeting well. Pay for the basics first and see how much money you have to “play” with (eating out, movies, etc.), live within that and you should do well. Find a home that is only about 30% of that and the rest should fall into place fairly well.
Daniel asks…
Anyone else from Houston?
Have you gotten the hurricane evacuation plans in the mail. I got mine with my electric bill. Hey and even if you dont have a car, they give you a number to call for assistance in case of evacuation. Dont you wish Nagin would have done that with New Orleans? Final kicker, pets will be evacuated along with their gaurdians. Houston is awesome…no?
admin answers:
I’m from Dallas, but live somewhere else in TX now. It is good to know they are doing that there. I do worry about the animals. I just wanted you to know, I used to have a cat that looks like your avatar. She was beautiful and I miss her. Your cat is very pretty- have a nice day. I will go get a life now.
Maria asks…
Why light sparks came out of my hair from static electricity?
Last night I wore a sweater to sleep and decided to take it off in the dark. While I was taking it off, my hair rubbed on the sweater’s inside naturall, then light sparks came out of it while my head is still inside of the sweater. I was like wtf, I repeated several time and everytime it fricking lit up when I tried to take my sweater off. I’m not talking like one small little spark either, it was a bunch of them, like it was lightning shining through a window. The thing is that I get static shocks a lot and really really bad too. Whats wierd is that I live in houston in the summer and it gets really humid and thats when it gets really bad. Everytime that I get shock, you can actually hear a crack as if you touch an open electric wire. Its so bad that everytime I touch a door handle, I just hit my hand to the handle so that the pain from hitting my hand can distract the shock from the door handle or my car. Anybody know why I experience this unsually high static shocks?
admin answers:
It’s not unusual. It happens daily. Humid air will lessen the charge, dryer air will enhance it. Electricity is all around us and we, as human, are good conductors of electricity. When you drag your feet on carpet, the same thing happens. You are experiencing static charges all the time. But you have the opportunity to see it when the lights are out.
Mary asks…
I am about to get a gas guzzling car, Help please?What do I do?
I am about to get a 2002 Nissan pathfinder. My dad wanted me to get it because it was a very cheap price and yes I mean real cheap. Low mileage and good condition.
It will be mine but I don’t want to deal with it’s low fuel efficiency.
I don’t want to pay a lot for gas and I will soon live in the city and it will commute a lot.
I am also an environmentalist and want to not pollute a lot. This car is so cheap and I can’t pass the offer but my parents don’t have enough money to buy a hybrid.
So my question is, how do I make my SUV fuel efficienet, is there a way to turn it into a electric engine?
What can I do because I will commute a lot? I need to boost the fuel efficiency of the car.
The car get 17mpg but i want to make it like 30mpg. Is that possible? I am going to live in houston which has a lot of traffic. Help please
admin answers:
First of all, spending an additional 4 to 5 thousand dollars for a car that gets better gas mileage doesn’t make sense — it will take four years just to make up the difference in fuel savings. Second – the Pathfinder isn’t a ‘dirty’ vehicle. In fact, any vehicle sold in the U.S. Since 1998 runs so clean that air pollution is actually going DOWN in every major city in the country. Third – NO, you cannot convert it to full electric without spending 10,000+ dollars. It may be possible to increase fuel mileage by installing a narrower tire with a harder rubber compound, remove everything in the car that isn’t needed (if you don’t transport several people around you can remove the rear seat, door trim panels, carpet, luggage rack and other non-essentials). Last, it’s more about your driving habits vs posted mileage. Keeping your foot out of the gas pedal, coasting down hills and minimizing stop and go driving as much as possible is agony and tiring but fuel economy will leap upward.
PS – remember, it takes more energy to build a hybrid than it does to build a Humvee and the batteries are highly toxic and will have to be disposed of after they go bad (about 4 to 5 years at a cost of $4,000+). So much for hybrids being ‘green’.
Lisa asks…
Can I live of $3,000 a month?
Its just me and my 3 swissy’s an 2 labs i’ll be 18 in may. I’ve talked to tons of apartment complex offices and found 4 that will take all my dogs! 1-Houston Texas $1,200 2-San antonio Texas $1,050 3-Dallas Texas $1,300 and 4-Austin Texas $1,000 every month then 300 dollar pet deposit If you have a opinion of one of the cities i’d be glad to hear it!. I make $42,000 a year an sometimes a bonus “rainy day fund” There all such great places with really nice staff Trying to figure it all out estimates of course
-car/gas(gets 20 miles, an I drive 10-30miles a day)/insurance
-water/electric
-direct tv/internet
-dog food
-groceries for 1
-toiletries/detergent/shampoo e.c.t.
-entertainment/shopping !
Thank you so much! 
I’m not moving out for at least 6 months to save for furniture e.c.t. and get money in the bank just getting everything in order! Oh and if I cant afford it what would you say I should shoot for each month? Thanks again-! 10 points!
admin answers:
Wow californias soo much cheaper ders one from 900′s 
but ya ull make it
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