Second-fastest sports car runs on batteries

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not quite...

"Theoretical for other various battery chemistries goes as high as ~4000Wh/kg."

In an ideal world. Just as with ICE nothing really operates ideally, the same will be the case with battery technology. And there is far, far more to the equation than just energy densities: there's safety, environment, reliability, useability in various environmental conditions, etc.

"Gasoline works out to around 12000Wh/kg, however thermodynamics limits an ICE to around 25% maximum efficiency. (3000Wh/kg) And a lot less for non-hybrids in city driving.. 10% or less. (1200Wh/kg or less)"

Current limits are about 25% for ICE, that does not mean there are not developments in the future that will make the entire system more efficient and less wasteful of the heat loss. You are also mixing information, city efficiency is not an issue of thermodynamics per se, it's an issue of fuel management (turning off engines at idle, traveling in lower gears at lower speeds), the issue of thermodynamics is relatively constant in both city and highway once the engine is operating in it's normal range.

"Add in the fact the processes of obtaining gasoline is somewhat energy intensive."

And the power out of the wall of course comes from magic that requires no input. And no, extensive solar is not a reality for a long time, and fuel cells are a dream that is easily a decade away if not two.

Your list of 'support infrastructure' that dissappears in an EV makes no sense. You mention eliminating a starting battery, but don't mention that you replace a 20 pound battery with a 600-1100 pound one. Which of course requires a "heavy-duty suspension" just like beneath a ICE. You replace an alternator with regenerative breaking components that will easilly equal that mass when on all 4 wheels. The tire size mention is non-existant. The filler pipe? What, all 4 pounds of it?

Is a EV lighter and less massive than a conventional vehicle? Most likely, but not always...no one has ever made a completely direct copies, they have all been prototypes or cars distinctively made to show off the technology: ultra advanced and ultra energy-efficient light-weight designs. If you apply the same tech to conventional vehicles it's amazing what can be accomplished but it all comes at a high $ cost. Remember the Insight got over 50 MPG.

Net result is EV is neither simple nor practical in the near future. Practical is filling up my tank in 2.5 minutes or less and being able to drive 350 miles on it and then repeat.

So you are going to haul a generator on a trailer to charge your electric car....nice. What's powering your generator...bet it's gas/diesel. Just build the generator into the car and get it over with.

I would love EV to realistically be here now. I would love viable fuel-cells to be here now. I would also like to be as rich as Bill Gates (actually I'd take .01 percent). But sometimes we need to face the reality of the situation.

Posted by: NotOnYourLife2   Posted on: 09/27/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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