Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbie
I have still never seen a Tesla charging station with my own eyes.
I know that for the last few years the casinos here in Vegas all have certain parking spots where you can plug your car in.
But I haven't seen any stand alone charging stations yet.
I did see that we have a Tesla dealership here in Vegas now over on Sahara Ave. Pretty cool. But I just can't get into the "Sedan" styling. The car lot just looks like a bunch of generic cars.
Wish they'd bring back the Roadster style.
|
I might be with you on the roadster but I really have not liked the style of many of the cars the last 10 year and more. Perhaps it is a thing that comes with age. LOL
If you had a Tesla, you would know where the chargers are !
I remember when diesels were showing up in cars here in the US, folks were saying where would you get fuel when traveling. I said in a way they would understand after buying one, "same place the big trucks get it "! Now it is more common as it has been elsewhere in the world.
I think their onboard GPS will tell you where the closest ones are. Very practical when traveling but you can recharge for free at a company recharge station. There are private (pay) stations as well.
I probably said this before but I see the best near term fix being a mix of 'plug-in electric' with half of the batteries and a smaller fuel cell and smaller composite tank.
You get the range without the weight and improves the overall efficiency & cost.
Do not discount Methane Fuel Cells. They are still being advanced and make perfect sense right now. The oil & power industry fears this most as their biggest near threat.
https://www.machinedesign.com/materi...l-temperatures
The design of electrics has not yet met it's premium. Tesla was the first to just make use of the common sense we already knew but didn't do. He used Li-ion battery cells already in the industry, so he did not have to design and manufacture his own. Same cells used in laptops etc. But now is going to be making his own outside of Sparks NV.
You need to get rid of the traditional drive train and put smaller motors directly in all 4 wheel hubs. Less moving parts to boot.
As far as alt energy fuel stations (efuel stations), they will come along the interstate highways first for long range commutes. But Plug-in electrics have a disadvantage of time to charge. Not to bad if paired up with a restaurant/fast food etc. This is continuously being improved.
But this is why I say a mix of plug-in battery with a fuel cell is the best approach right now. But in the future ??? The fuel cell just needs to be big enough to power the car at speed limit on the flat. Battery capacity needs to be just enough for 75-100 miles on the flats. A average commute.
Together, it would be the same as any other gas powered vehicle. For short travels, you might only need the plug-in option which could be from any charging source like solar. With a Hydrogen or Methane fuel cell, you get the range you need without stopping to recharge. If I owned a Tesla or other all electric, I would be finding a place to stuff a small one in there...LOL
Personally, I want a 4kw fuel cell for standby power at home. Little to pricey yet.
Before de-regulation, my electric rate was 8.65 cents a KWH, now it is almost 17 cents.
(delivered costs for both). And they are still crying they can't make money and want more...LOL Need something to keep this in check. I don't pay delivery on what I'm not buying. Solar worked for me. Even at that old high price I paid for it 20 years ago.