Your Questions About Electric Cars Vs Gas Cars

Automatic transmission differences?

Why do cars vary with five, six or eight speed transmissions? What is the advantage of more forward speeds? Would this affect gas mileage only? What about an electric/gas hybrid with an eight speed transmission vs. an all gas vehicle with five speeds? Not too technical an answer please! Thanks.

Golf Carts – EZGO vs Club Car vs Yamaha????

Hi every1, looking into getting an electric golf cart for general driving around my neighborhood. Wanted to know out of the 3 manufacturers above which one is best, which one is worst, which is in between. Advantages and disadvantages of each brand whether electric or even gas powered if you want. Also how do they rank in both new and used price, which brand is easier to maintain and remains in great condition for the longest on the new and used market, which one is cheapest and easiest to get parts for etc, and just any general experiences with these 3 brands of cart that you have had???

Thanks y’all!!!!

Redistribution of wealth McCain vs Obama?

Sharing the Wealth. You know more and more I hear about Obama’s share the wealth plan, as if it’s going to take every average American’s dollar and give it to another Average American. But to me this doesn’t seem so, disagree if you want but her me out before you do.

In 1996 General Motors created the EV1, a two seat electric car with ZERO EMISSIONS, and sold it in California and Nevada on a lease program. Though the car was sill in early test phases, it became a quick success with many long waiting list to get a car. The car was created in part due to California’s Zero Emission Mandate, (ZEM) which wanted to bring zero emission cars into the market.
In 2003 GM cancelled the EV1 citing, battery issues, experimental technology, and last lack of customer demand. Though again there was a large waiting list at all dealerships that sold the car, GM maintained no one wanted it. In further explanation the stated, they had called customers to ask if they would purchase the car, and where told many wouldn’t. Many customers who got the call, said GM only explained the complications with the car and some of the issues that might be associated with purchasing it. This to me is a shock, I have never heard of a company underselling, or explaining the problems of a product to buyers. This would be like if McDonald’s tellers, started telling you about the possible health risks with buying their food, every time you bought a big mac? GM’s cancellation of the program was coincidently the same time they decided with other large automakers to sue California and overturn the ZEM that had been set by the state. And what did GM do with all the cars? Since it was a lease program, no one actually owned their EV1, when the lease was over, citing insurance and liability the company refused all offers to by the car. Including a 1.9 million dollar offer by leases, and instead destroyed all but a few, with the rest being used as little more then trophies for glass cases.
Now flash forward to 2008, amid rising gas prices, and a steadily lowering economy more and more American’s can’t afford new cars and the ones that are selling are hybrids including the every popular Toyota Prius. As profits dry up major U.S. auto manufactures are announcing closing factories, layoffs and a loss in profit. So what do they do? Go to the government, asking for a 25 billion dollar loan*, so they can retool and update to create more Hybrid and fuel efficient cars.
Now what does all this have to do with Obama and sharing the wealth. Well to me under McCain’s tax plan, GM, Ford, and Chevy will all get billon dollar tax breaks to keep them competitive. True, they obvious need money to retool, and expand, and giving them a tax break could lead to just that. But McCain seems to do little to hold them accountable. GM created a ZERO Emission car, they said the American people don’t want it. They shut it down and continued to make their gas guzzlers, during the year GM released the old gas drinking chestnut the Hummer. As Toyota and others foreign markets continued to push for lower emission GM, Ford, and Chevy, went higher. They fought any legislation that would have forced them to come out with more efficient cars and scoffed at those who said gasoline would not last forever. Now when the market isn’t fair to them they come running to congress and asking for money. And again under McCain’s plan they get even more money to stay afloat, while never once having to act responsibly. If GM had been allowed to fail, it would have hurt the economy but the American tax payers would still have a good 5 billion, GM’s share the of the money, in their coffers. If GM had sold the EV1 they may not have been in this place to began with, and surely the investment in the new technology would have helped them deal the the gas crises today. No GM and others chose to do nothing except put themselves in this situation and then come to the American people to get themselves out. Under Obama’s economic plan, GM, Ford, and Chevy would have to pay higher taxes on the money they make and give it back to the American people. You know helping to build roads, schools and other essentially items for the nation. The best part is, if you make less the 250,000 dollars, a year you won’t be paying more to make America better the rich aristocrats who ran wall street in the ground will. Now maybe to a lot of millionaires out there this sounds like socialism, or redistribution of wealth but to me it seems fair. GM was stupid and the American people paid, why can’t they pay in return, granted given huge tax breaks GM may put enough money in new technology that it spurs a wave of American business that helps create more jobs and a stronger economy, but thats a lot of fairy dust on faith in the free market. While as under Obama’s plan, sure companies my feel the pinch of paying higher taxes, but tax breaks will go to those who fund new technologies and attempt
has anyone actually read this or are you just commenting on the first part.

Are you a family or individual in proverty?

I have read some Us Census Bureau’s reports on their website about the average income for proverty. These reports can NOT be correct. It stated that in 2006 a family of four was considered in proverty if their income was under $20,000. With all the increase in gas prices, food prices, etc, how can this be correct? I make about $29,000 and have trouble making ends met. There is rent, gas, car insurance and payment, credit card bill, telephone, cable, electric and gas for heating my home and cooking, then there is medical expenses etc. What I make doesn’t leave me much to be able to enjoy a vacation, buying some I want vs. buying something I need (which is also hard to do). I also have three children (only one at home now). Do you believe you are at proverty level? What do you think needs to be done to help our citizens get from proverty to comfortable (not rich, just able to live with a little extra)?
Brian G.. I realize that not affording the basics puts people in proverty. Although, I am better off then most, I feel that every day that prices go up and taxes go up that I come closer and closer to proverty because I can’t afford things and will have to sell them in order to live. This is not what should be going on in one of the richest countries in the World.

Communism vs Capitalism vs stopping Global Warming???

In order to stop Global warming the entire world economy will have to decrease by 25% or more. The only way to accomplish that goal by reducing green house gases by turning the entire world to communism.

The reason being that the only way to achieve a 25% or more reduction is to FORCE people to reduce green house gases that they produce. All coal mines will have to be shut down, everybody will have to buy electric cars, everyone will have to use alternative clean energy sources, everyone will have to lose most of their freedoms or else the planet will die from Global warming?

Do you remember the term the Europeans use to use when the Soviets were threatening to take over all of Europe? “Better Red than dead”. Is it? Would you rather have a Govt. controled Global Warming stopping communist life or a Capitalist free life & roll the dice on someone figuring out a way to stop Global warming w/o having to become a communist?

anyone know about plug-ins vs hybrids?

i was reading an article on Yahoo about plug-in vehicles, i’m trying to figure out the lingo and meaning…

i understand plug-ins would use LESS gas… however doesn’t it seem like we would be going backward having to find places to plug in our cars?

also plug in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) the highest they go (as of possible release in 2010) looks to be PHEV-60
does this mean it can go 60 mpg or what?

if that is the case i hear they are putting smaller gas tanks in these which to me seems like it would still put you at the gas station just as often ( i know price would be a lot cheaper BUT time is very important also since you can make more money but you can’t make more time)?

Hopefully some of that made since and someone with some PHEV/HEV knowledge can help me out.

How well does a Prius do in winter?

For Prius experts,

I am examining the efficacy of operating a Prius in harsh winter conditions. Is it really much better than a small car? I have a few specific questions:

–Battery: I know very cold temperatures can be very hard on most battery chemistries (they may loose up to ~90% capacity), so I was wondering how the Prius deals with this. Let’s say it’s -20°F (like it was last night) and you had to park outside (assume temperature equilibrium). Is the battery heated in any way (while the car’s off or on)? Will the car use the electric motor at all if the battery is this cold? Is the battery deliberately charged with regenerative braking or from the gas engine to warm it up before it is used to propel the car? Basically, is it a really a hybrid when it’s cold or does it have to warm up to fully function?

–Heat: Is the cabin heater supplied with warm engine coolant (traditional method) or is it electric heat? Does it take long to warm up the car (and if you only are running EV)? Block heaters don’t count—not everyone has a outlet where they park.

–Idling/emissions: It seems like most of the Prii I see are idling at stop lights. Will they always run the gas engine below a certain outside temp or do they stop idling the engine after it’s warmed up?

–Fuel economy: I know all cars take a mileage hit in the winter, but I was wondering if the difference is more severe with a Prius. What mileage does it get if it is 10°F or less? How does this compare to your summer mileage?

–Electric motor: If you floor it, is the full motor torque available when the car is cold, or does the battery have to be “warmed up”? Essentially, is less total horsepower available when the car is cold vs. warm?

If you want to describe warm-up as a complete series of events from an engineering standpoint (with threshold temps if you have them), be my guest.

I realize the Prius is a good choice if you are very concerned about fuel economy and you live in a reasonable climate. However, when it gets cold, would a Cruze Eco, Fiesta, Yaris, etc. be a better choice for mileage and drivability? If you drive one, are you miserable in winter or do you just live with the limitations? Thanks.

Should we replace offshore oil with offshore wind?

An interesting calculation finds that with current offshore wind and electric vehicle technology, a $10 billion investment in offshore wind will power 7.4 million electric vehicles. A $10 billion investment in offshore oil will power 26.7 million gas cars, assuming it doesn’t result in a major spill.

http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/offshore-oil-vs-offshore-wind-who-wins

But in the Gulf of Mexico alone there are 5 spills per year of at least 10,000 gallons, and 20 such large spills per year worldwide.

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?RECORD_KEY%28entry_subtopic_topic%29=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic_id&entry_id%28entry_subtopic_topic%29=325&subtopic_id%28entry_subtopic_topic%29=2&topic_id%28entry_subtopic_topic%29=1

Obviously offshore wind can’t create spills or the associated environmental impacts. Then of course there’s the contribution to global warming from offshore oil, which is negligible from offshore wind.

What do you think – when you combine the economic and environmental costs, is it worth it to replace offshore oil with offshore wind?
Correction – there was an error in the first article mistaking gallons of oil with gallons of gasoline. A $10 billion investment in offshore oil will actually power 11.8 billion gasoline cars, not 26.7 billion.
yank – the BP disaster has already spilled about 7 times more oil than the Santa Barbara spill. And needless to say, offshore wind and electric cars weren’t options 40 years ago.
Yes I meant 11.8 million, not billion.
CO2 expeller – offshore wind is in the range of 10 cents per kWh or less.

http://www.offshore-wind.de/page/index.php?id=2601&L=0%2F%25…2Fimages%2Fid.txt%3F&L=1

Due to rising construction costs, the capital costs alone of new nuclear power plants are about 20 cents per kWh.

http://climateprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/nuclear-costs-2009.pdf

CO2 – your first link is at odds with reality. Just look up the costs of any recent nuclear power plant construction project.

Second link is 4 years old and refers to Progress Energy. I refer you to this more recent news about the company, detailing how they tripled their cost estimate for a Florida nuke plant.

http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/05/nuclear-power-plant-costs-progress-energy/

Third link only looks at power production cost and ignores the capital construction cost, which is the driving factor.
Hopefully the final word on nuclear – as stated above, the main cost is in the construction. It has little to do with ‘red tape’, but I would hope that the recent BP disaster shows us what happens when there’s not much ‘red tape’ involved.

Sure nuclear power *could be* made cheaper, but I’m talking about current costs. Offshore wind *will be* cheaper as it becomes more widespread, but again, I’m using current costs.