Electric Cars – Part 2

Leave a Comment 

Who will buy one?

Considering the limitations on their use, namely their limited range and the purchase price I’m just wondering who will buy one of these first generation cars? I use the term first generation deliberately because although there have been electric cars for a while now, the 2011 cars are the first production models available in numbers to the public.

While it’s certainly true that the running costs per mile are miniscule compared to the cost of a normal petrol or diesel powered car, I’m not certain that this is sufficient reason for most motorists to buy an electric car.

If we just look at the Nissan Leaf which has been launched in Europe, USA and Japan and has been voted The Car of the Year 2010 in a recent European wide poll, how many people are going to buy this vehicle and who are they?

The launch of a mass-production electric car in the market has been a much heralded event and in spite of the lack of a large recharging network and the limited range, the Leaf represents a technical and commercial wager by Nissan. The car is built on an accepted formula of a conventional 4/5 door hatchback but underneath it’s powered by an electric motor. The rated range is 100miles which might be OK for a short daily commute but not for anything longer. The charge time is of the order of 8 hours.

Seen in this light the electric car is not a practical proposition but is still in the experimental stage. The object of an experiment is not to demonstrate something, but to see what happens, and the viability of the electric car can only be decided by putting it in the hands of normal users. So this is a pretty brave proposal by Nissan.

The second obvious criticism now is that the Leaf, like other Electric cars announced recently is pretty expensive. The UK on the road price is £28990 including the 20% VAT introduced in 2011. When the government grant of £5000 is deducted you are still going to be paying just short of £24000 for a vehicle which cannot take you from London to Birmingham.

So to return to the question: who is going to buy one of these? Several possibilities present themselves:

As a second car by people who can afford to make a statement about themselves. Whether it is for environmental reasons or on grounds of fashion.
By people who have accepted in their minds that the raison d’etre of motoring has changed and that we have entered a new age. The car is to be used for local short range motoring and only for that type of motoring. This does raise the secondary question of what happens when a long journey has to be undertaken.
Someone who has more money than they know what to do with.

To see if running costs can provide a reason to buy a Leaf let’s do a short comparison with a mid size competitor.

The running cost for the Leaf is quoted as around £1.80 per 100Km compared to £6.95 for a family 1.5Litre diesel. That is a pretty impressive saving by any standards.

Let’s use a 100Km per day usage – that’s ~62 miles – to receive a £4.15 saving on fuel. Imagine repeating this for 365 days a year which achieves a saving of £1514.75 over 22630 miles.

You can buy a new 1.6TDCi Ford Fiesta for £13500 on the road so it will take 8.9 years to recoup the extra cost of the Leaf, and that does not include the effect of inflation. I expect a calculation of discounted cash flow would be nearer 12 years although I’ve not actually done that calculation.

Now there are probably going to be other savings, for instance servicing might be lower with much fewer moving parts in the propulsion unit but it’s difficult to see those savings making the purchase of the Leaf a feasible decision on fuel savings alone. Wear and tear on tyres and transmission etc will be the same.

However the one item that will need replacement at some time is the battery pack. Nissan guarantee the pack for 5 years in Europe, although I understand that it’s 8 years in the USA for some bizarre reason. The cost of a new battery pack is estimated to be around £5-6000 which would immediately through the previous calculations out of the window.

Now – it might seem I’m picking on Nissan’s Leaf particularly but the same arguments exist for other electric cars available at similar prices. I still believe that electric Cars are the future but we are not there yet.

What is the Electric Car?

Price:

Cooler Master RR-CCH-ANU2-GP Gemin II Dual 120mm Fans CPU & Motherboard Cooler

Leave a Comment 

Cooler Master RR-CCH-ANU2-GP Gemin II Dual 120mm Fans CPU & Motherboard Cooler

• Silent Operation / Light weight design / Going Green / Lead-free Production
• Fan bracket design for mounting two 120mm fans (not included)
• Flexible bracket design provides interference-free installation in major chassis
• Copper base with 6 heat pipes design creates superior cooling performance / Aluminum Fins
• Excellent performance for Over-clock/ PC-enthusiasts (With optional dual 120mm fans installed)

CPU Socket AM2/754/939/940/LGA775. CPU+Board Cooler Design cools CPU and its surrounding components – Compatible with AMD X2 Dual Core Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme. – Complete cooling solution cools CPU and its surrounding components (motherboard memory VRM chipset and VGA cards) – Fan bracket design for mounting two 120 mm fan cools mainboard. – Flexible bracket design provides interference-free installation – Copper base with 6 heat pipes design creates superior cooling performance – Huge aluminum fin design for excellent heat dissipation. Note: This product is not compatible when you install the RAM that is up 45mm high

List Price: $ 49.99

Price:

Hybrid Cars ? Fuel Efficient Car

Leave a Comment 

<!– @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

Hybrid Cars – Fuel Efficient Car

 

Hybrid car, a new buzz in the auto industry. These are a great relief to the rising trend of fuel rise and environmental pollution. Hybrid cars are fuel efficient car as they use alternately fuel and electricity to run the car. Similarly they emit 50% to 60 % less carbon dioxide resulting a good impact on environment. The amazing thing about the hybrid car is that it has two motor one is run by gasoline or diesel and another is by electric motor which get recharged by battery. Both the motors share the power to get the car roll. When the car is in slow speed the electric motor supplies the charge while on the high speed gasoline motor supplies power to the car. Unlike a normal car, the hybrid car, while braking converts the excess kinetic energy into electricity and stores it in the battery. The device of restoring energy is known as a regenerative brake.
The aerodynamics of the hybrid sedan are excellent. These cars are built with very light material which helps to reduce the fuel cost. Supporters of hybrid cars believe that these product produce 80% less green house gases because of less fuel consumption and emission. The invention of the hybrid car is an important innovation in the global auto industry.

 

Pros and cons of the hybrid car:

If we talk about the pros of the hybrid car it is just wonderful. Fuel efficiency is the main plus point of these car. Driving a car by a battery to reduce fuel consumption is just amazing. The performance of the hybrid car is excellent. They are not at all behind from the normal car. The high mechanism and technology has made them robust, stylish, environment friendly and fuel efficient. Because of such qualities they acquired the title ‘car of the era’.
Some find these are not common man’s car as they demand very high investment. More over there is no resell value. The battery needs proper look after and need to change once in 10 years. Even some people find using of such battery may be disastrous during any emergency.

What ever the pros and cons of hybrid cars, they are the dream car of any car lovers. The best known hybrid vehicles are Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Nissan Leaf, 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid , Mercedes S400 BlueHybrid, Mahindra Scorpio Hybrid and many more.

Sustainable Development: The Wrenching Transformation of America

Leave a Comment 

Sustainable Development: The Wrenching Transformation of America

• A reolution is taking place in America…
• It’s anti-property rights; it’s anti-free enterprise;
• It’s anti-national sovereignty & national borders;
• It’s anti-Western culture; it’s the blueprint for enacting the UN’s Agenda 21 Treaty;
• It’s called Sustainable Development and it’s the enemy of all who love American liberty

In this amazing presentation, Tom DeWeese tells an overflow audience in Santa Cruz, Californina, of the threat that is tearing apart their community. Santa Cruz is the first city in the nation to be fully controlled by Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development. See how it destroys property values. See how it destroys schools. See how it destroys local economies. See how it is connected directly to United Nations treaties.

Price:

The Electric Car Crapshoot

Leave a Comment 

Al Gore, Rick Wagoner, Tom Friedman, our President Elect, Barack Obama, and many more celebrities are all heavily favoring and supporting a wholesale changeover from fossil fuel driven cars to electrically powered automobiles.

Their faith is based on the Lithium Ion battery. These batteries are very expensive, are heavy, must be replaced after several years, and require hours for recharging. Lithium is not widely available in the US and must be imported.

Electric cars perform admirably. They do not emit greenhouse gases directly, can be designed to accelerate well, and are very quiet. Electric cars are considered by many as the secret weapon that will reduce our dependence on imported petroleum and will lessen our payments to oil producing countries.

In a good year, US citizens will buy roughly 15 million cars to replenish and grow the US inventory of nearly 250 million used cars. It may take anywhere from twelve to fifteen years to replace most of this inventory with new models. The Volt, the first electric car produced by General Motors, will likely be leased in small numbers initially to stay on top of performance and warranty issues. Optimistically, we can assume that GM and other car companies will sell more than 2.5 million electric cars during the next ten years. Replacing 250 million cars will take a few decades longer.

At the same time the US is looking at a population growth of another 100 million residents during the next fifty years. Under the most optimistic assumptions we can expect to eventually see 150 million electric cars and 150 million liquid fuel powered cars in use by 2050.

Passenger cars are responsible for only 45% of present liquid fuel consumption. Under the most favorable conditions and assumptions, electric cars may be able to save 25% of petroleum imports eventually. Liquid fuel consumption for other uses will certainly increase during this time. Optimistically, we may expect that electric cars can cut liquid fuel consumption by 20% in 2050.

This figure does not bode well for curing the oil import dependency of the US. It certainly will not reduce dollar exports. It is certain that petroleum prices will rise substantially in future years. Additionally, we will have to pay for imported raw materials for batteries from abroad.

All these figures lead to one overpowering conclusion; electric cars will never be able to free us from the yoke of petroleum imports or reduce our balance of payments significantly!

There a few technical complications, too. Electric cars must be recharged regularly with electric energy. Electric energy is produced presently with fossil and nuclear fuels. Solar power is not suited too well because most electric cars must be recharged during the night hours when the Sun is not shining. For the next ten to fifteen years only a limited number of nuclear plants can be installed. Wind power is an intermittent energy, which cannot yet be stored in quantities. Fossil fuel burning has to provide virtually all of the electric energy for recharging the new fleet of electric cars for years to come. Combining efficiencies of coal fired power plants, of electricity transmission, and of battery chargers results in an overall energy efficiency that is not better than the energy efficiency of modern combustion engine inventory. Therefore, electric cars will not lower greenhouse gas emissions! Only very efficient combustion engines can accomplish this feat!

If electric cars cannot save us from a coming energy crisis, what other choices do we have? The answer is sobering. Without the coming of a Deus ex Machina, there seems to be only one and only one rational solution. We must learn how to make renewable fuels from large-scale production of renewable biomass.

The Earth cannot support the use of large amounts of fossil fuels any longer. We will not be able to stop the use of petroleum in the near future. We must outlaw the use of fossil fuels soon to save the Earth from overheating.

Only two other energy sources exist, which can provide the large amounts of energy that modern economies depend on. Sunlight is inexhaustible and available in quantities we will never be able to consume. Several conversion technologies are available for converting sunlight into the two energy forms that our economies depend on; electricity and liquid transportation fuels.

The other large energy source is nuclear fuel. It is likely that nuclear fuels will last for more than one century. Other energy sources such as hydro power, marine power, and geothermal power are not available everywhere and are limited in capacity.

We are left with one conclusion. For the next century or two, we will have to depend heavily on converting sunshine into electricity and into liquid transportation fuels. Energy in the form of sunshine is not very concentrated. Fortunately, biomass has the unusual ability to use sunlight and create energy rich carbohydrates and a few hydrocarbons. More amazingly yet; biomass energy can be stored.

There are a few technical problems we must solve before biomass can become the savior technology. We must grow very large amounts of biomass, we must learn to convert carbohydrates into hydrocarbons, and we must agree to reserve arable lands for food production only. All remaining obstacles can be overcome with existing technologies. It will take about one long decade to develop workable and economically attractive solutions. To be successful we must support exploratory research on a large scale and we must organize and fund an independent Energy Supply Development Agency.

The dismal interference of US Congress in energy matters must be changed. Instead of demanding the ineffective manufacturing of electric cars and regulating fuel consumption of passenger cars, US Congress must change to a new, practicable, and effective energy policy. US Congress and the new administration must demand increased thermal efficiencies from all newly manufactured internal combustion engines and must initiate the fast track development of liquid fuels production from renewable biomass.

Going Green

Leave a Comment 

Going Green

Going Green by BAKWOODZ

This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com’s standard return policy will apply.

List Price: $ 8.98

Price:

Hydrogen Fuel for Surface Transportation

Leave a Comment 

Hydrogen Fuel for Surface Transportation

List Price: $ 99.95

Price:

Hybrid Cars Worth Watching In 2007

Leave a Comment 

Since the inception of the hybrid automobile into the automobile market in 2000, each year has brought new models with improvements that have improved performance and interior features. This year, 2007, hybrid car offering will be no different. The year 2007 offers hybrid car manufacturers the chance to debut the best in their year 2007 hybrid car line in regards to performance abilities and environmental enhancements.

When considering the purchase of a new 2007 hybrid automobile, some of the features that should be considered are the size, price, gas mileage and appearance of each model that is featured at each manufacturer’s dealership.

These hybrid automobiles feature gas powered engines, and are equipped with electrical motors as well as a heavy-duty battery or battery pack. There are two varieties of hybrid automobiles. The mild hybrid features a gas-powered engine that supplies the main propulsion to move the car down the highway. An electrical motor provides an added assist in situations where an extra power thrust is needed. The electrical motor also serves to recharge the car battery while the car is on the highway. The full hybrid features a gas-powered engine, with an electric motor and battery as well, but in the full hybrid the electric motor can power the car on its own under certain circumstances. These features will give your new hybrid automobile the best in gas saving features.

The fuel economy on each of the 2007 line of hybrid cars is absolutely outstanding. The specific models of hybrid automobiles, and the fuel economy listings associated with each model are contained in the following list:

* 2007 Toyota Prius – 51 Hwy/60 City

* 2007 Toyota Camry – 38 Hwy/40 City

* 2007 Toyota Highland – 27 Hwy/31 City

* 2007 Ford Escape – 29 Hwy/33 City

* 2007 Honda Accord – 29 Hwy/20 City

* 2007 Honda Civic – 51 Hwy/49 City

* 2007 Lexus GS450H – 28 Hwy/25 City

* 2007 Lexus RX400h – 27 Hwy/32 City

* 2007 Mercury Mariner – 23 Hwy/18 City

These new car models for 2007 offer a comprehensive list of prices, and come with rebates and other incentives to make your new hybrid car purchase a most pleasant experience. With each new car in the 2007 line, you will receive all of the latest car specifications and relevant information on every model that is available to you today.

With this information you will have all you need to make an informed decision to purchase the right hybrid car that will fit the needs of your family. The safety data that is available at each car dealership, on every make and model of hybrid car, will give you the latest safety features that are built in to each of the above models.

The color and selection of each of these models in the 2007 hybrid automobile line can be customized to fit the tastes of the car owner. With the purchase of a new 2007 hybrid automobile, the new car buyer will reap the tax saving benefits offered with The Hybrid Car Tax Credit. This tax benefit will vary and is dependent on the make and model of hybrid car that is purchased, as well as the automakers sales in that hybrid model. The tax benefit savings are outlined by the Federal Government, specifically the Internal Revenue Service and could reach an amount of 50 on some models.

Why Electric Cars are Becoming More Popular

Leave a Comment 

Electric cars have been announced repeatedly over the decades, but none has ever been successful.  It has only been in the last couple of years that this has changed, mainly due to heavy restrictions on emissions and the concern of global warming.  Several major companies are catching on to the possibilities of providing a clean running car and have added hybrid cars to their production lists.

The drivable distance of the car has always been a major obstacle when designing these vehicles.  Battery cell research has finally overtaken most of this obstacle.  New batteries are smaller, stronger, longer lasting, and recharge faster than ever before.  

Newer model electric cars are also much lighter which increases their range.  It may even be possible to take a trip and charge your battery while stopping for lunch with the faster charging models.

Driving an electric car comes with several advantages; there are also many perks to owning hybrid vehicles.  The ones listed below are the more commonly known:

Better Air Quality: They give off no emissions; many refer to them as ZEVs (zero emission vehicles).  Because they do not burn gasoline or diesel fuel, there are no exhaust fumes expelled into the atmosphere and no heat radiating from the engine.

More Fuel-Efficient: Producing, transporting, and refining petroleum fuels is more expensive that just producing electricity.  Electricity can also be produced from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power.  By reducing our use of gasoline, world demand would go down lowering oil costs.

Simpler Motor: Electric motors have many fewer moving parts than a gasoline engine.  That’s less to break and less to maintain.  Also, with electric cars, oil changes are a thing of the past.     

Safer: Since electric cars do not carry flammable fuel, there is no concern for large explosions during a crash.  Even in small accidents, fuel lines can break.  Gas engines are also unsafe in operation due to the high temperature at which they operate.  Radiators in gas cars are under extreme pressure due to the boiling water inside them.  Several people have received serious injuries from these hot cooling systems.  

Even the radiator’s cooling fan can be dangerous.  Everyone probably has heard a story of a pet or stray animal being killed after crawling up inside a warm engine in the winter.

Save on Taxes: The government now offers incentives in the form of tax credits for purchasing electric or hybrid cars – ,500 can be obtained for certain models.  Unlike a tax deduction, which only reduces gross income, the tax credit comes off the bottom line – your tax bill is reduced dollar-for-dollar by the tax credit.

Better Parking and Less Traffic: Several cities are offering incentives such as unrestricted carpool lane access to electric and hybrid car owners.  Some cities are also letting electric and hybrid vehicles to park free in pay lots and to park free by meters.

Quieter: Electric cars do not require the ignition of explosive fuel, as gasoline engines require, in order for the vehicle to move; so they are much quieter than a gas burning car.  In fact, the cars are virtually silent.  Imagine our cities without the sounds of cars and trucks to understand another benefit of electric cars.

National Security: If we can lower our demand of foreign oil we will no longer support regimes in third world countries that do not have our best interests at heart.  our governments reason for waging war in the Middle East will be shown to not be about oil but the eradication of terrorist organizations.

Infrastructure Already in Place: We already have an electric grid that reaches into almost every part of our country.  Battery charging stations would be easy to erect just about anywhere.  Another idea is to create hydrogen (a clean burning gas) fueled cars, but a whole new infrastructure would have to be created, and who is going to pay for its construction?

A Greener Car: The process of extracting oil from the ground, then transporting it from one continent to another, and eventually turning it into a useful fuel can create harmful effects to our environment.  Exe.., leaks in underground fuel storage tanks.

Our nation has energy problems and electric cars offer a safe, clean, low cost solution.  By combining electric cars with nuclear power plants, the pollution in our country caused by the used of fossil fuels will be reduced dramatically.

ID CREDIT CARD HOLDER OR CIGARETTE CASE: c1910 Century Electric Car Ad By Penny Silver

• HOLDS CREDIT CARDS, BUSINESS CARDS, CASH, UP TO 8 REGULAR OR 100s CIGARETTES
• STAINLESS STEEL PREVENTS CREDIT CARD NUMBER THEFT AND DEMAGNITIZATION
• MADE IN U.S.A.!
• ALSO HOLDS IPOD, MP3 PLAYER, EARBUDS
• HIGH-QUALITY IMAGE ENCASED IN RESIN — NOT A CHEAP STICK-ON PHOTO!

This great handy case is perfect for holding credit cards, business cards, gym membership cards, cash, cigarettes — all those small items that are easy to lose track of. IT’S NOT JUST FOR SMOKERS. It’s made of durable stainless steel, and it measures 4″ x 2.75″ x 1/2″. It has a strong latch and a spring-opening mechanism. The cigarette or card-holding bar is held in place with a spring.

The image is kept vivid by a UV-resistant, scratch-proof glossy polymer.

The polished steel lid is a perfect compact mirror. The case comes bubble-wrapped with a blank gift card. Gift-wrapping and a personalized gift-card free upon request!

List Price: $ 16.99

Price:

Hybrid Cars 101

Leave a Comment 

Hybrid Cars 101

If, like most people, you have concern for the environment, you may possibly have considered buying a hybrid car, but been besieged with unanswered questions and doubt.

Are they really cheaper to run? Do they really help the environment? What are my options? How do they work? Are there any disadvantages to owning and running a hybrid car?

All of these questions, and more, are answered for you in this book. Once you have read it and digested the knowledge, you will know whether you should buy a hybrid car or stick with a conventional model.

You owe it to yourself to find out before making your decision.

List Price: $ 4.99

Price:

Next Page »

Recommended Guide