Poll: Do you have, or plan to get, an electric car?

[renstyle]

The trend is clear...and looming large...
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/124565362/audi-to-end-development-of-new-combustion-engines

My prediction: The nail in the coffin will be when the Ford F-150 electric truck is seen as a viable alternative to the ICE version.

 

[Broothru]

My prediction: The nail in the coffin will be when the Ford F-150 electric truck is seen as a viable alternative to the ICE version.

I'd buy one in a heartbeat, even though I don't have the need for one at this stage of my life. I've owned several pickups, all of 'em Fords. My Dad worked for a couple of decades at the Ford plant in Claycomo, MO, and we drove nothing but FMCs until I went away to college for a librul edgicashun and started drivin' furrin' cars like Volvo and Benz. Damn near broke my Dad's heart. So I also garaged an F-150 as homage to American ingenuity and utiliy. I'd still rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy!

So yeah, I'd buy one of them, just so I could have one. Well, THAT, as well as show up my son in his Dodge "Ram-inator."

 

[NGD]

Beautiful piece of kit. I've always been a sucker for any Porsche that channels the classic '911' look.

From what I've read, the vehicles offer similar performance, other than range. In 2020 the Taycan didn't even crack the top 15 EVs in that metric, but most folks don't buy a Porsche for this reason.

I can honestly say the car looks better in person than the glamour shots on Porsches website.

 

[NGD]

Came across this article/video on Tesla’s full self driving beta test some owners can opt into.
Article:
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/tesla-...urprisingly-sketchy-driving-across-this-city/
If you want to skip the article and just watch the video:

 

[doug293cz]

Came across this article/video on Tesla’s full self driving beta test some owners can opt into.
Article:
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/tesla-...urprisingly-sketchy-driving-across-this-city/
If you want to skip the article and just watch the video:

That's scary! Some idiot will get one and think it can actually drive, and they don't have to pay attention. Definitely not ready for prime time.

Brew on

 

[Broothru]

That's scary! Some idiot will get one and think it can actually drive, and they don't have to pay attention. Definitely not ready for prime time.

Brew on

Finally a breakthrough in automobile engineering! In attempting to produce a totally automonous self-driving vehicle, they've finally found a way to make drivers actually pay more attention to situational awareness.

In my former career I made more than a few fully automated landings in commercial aircraft. It's amazing to see the sophistication involved in a very complex environment. And even then there was one foggy nighttime approach when the aircraft tried to pitch nose-down just as it had entered landing flare. 99.999% of the time (well, actually one in ten million probability) the automation can experience an "anomoly". I lost count during that Beta test video.

That system wasn't even "beta ready". Elon and the boys still need to polish that diamond in the rough. Hell, I can't even depend on the BLIS system in my Volvo if it's raining, although the City Safe sure saved my bacon last fall from a rear-end collision with an SUV who'd gotten cut-off by a motorcycle in front of him.

I'm all for lightening the load on today's drivers, but I'm beginning to wonder if all the hazards and possible conflicts can safely be accounted for in such a dynamic traffic environment. The variables are certainly more complex than the relatively simple task of landing an airliner with a couple hundred people on board.

Brooo Brother

 

[TwistedGray]

I wait for the days of a fully automated lane where cars lock into place (so to speak) and move along their way only "unlocking" to get off an exit. I can't wait for my car to do all the damn work while I lay down in the back and enjoy the ride.

 

[Bilsch]

That's scary! Some idiot will get one and think it can actually drive, and they don't have to pay attention. Definitely not ready for prime time.

The car won’t let you not pay attention quite yet but that’s the idea for the future. Currently FSD is much like flying autopilot that Broothru mentioned. You just need to be there supervising the overall situation instead of paying so much attention hand flying the localizer and glide slope. Much less stressful.

P.S. I’ve had a few of those dark and stormy nights with a hint of icing low on fuel praying to see the ALS before DH.

 

[doug293cz]

The car won’t let you not pay attention quite yet but that’s the idea for the future. Currently FSD is much like flying autopilot that Broothru mentioned. You just need to be there supervising the overall situation instead of paying so much attention hand flying the localizer and glide slope. Much less stressful.

P.S. I’ve had a few of those dark and stormy nights with a hint of icing low on fuel praying to see the ALS before DH.

I'm VFR only, but I do have an AP to monitor.

Brew on

 

[Broothru]

The car won’t let you not pay attention quite yet but that’s the idea for the future. Currently FSD is much like flying autopilot that Broothru mentioned. You just need to be there supervising the overall situation instead of paying so much attention hand flying the localizer and glide slope. Much less stressful.

P.S. I’ve had a few of those dark and stormy nights with a hint of icing low on fuel praying to see the ALS before DH.

Amen, Brother, on those "dark and stormies." But the truth of the matter is that the environmental conditions for a Category 3 autoland are quite restrictive with regards to crosswinds and windshear. It varies from aircraft to aircraft, but generally maximum x-wind is 20 kits or less.

You may remember a deadly crash of a Delta L-1011 at DFW in the early 80s during a severe microburst. Out of the data downloaded from the Flight Data Recorder, a computer simulation was built and widely incorporated into flight simulator profiles for crew training. Even when fully briefed on the profile, it was probably 50-50 that you'd be able to successfully fly through the windshear without crashing the sim. However, even the relatively primitive autopilot and flight guidance systems of the day (I was a L-1011 crewmember in the 80s) could actually avoid crashing, though it would maneuver in ways no 'normal' human pilot likely would.

Granted, computing speed, processors, AI, and control integration is light-years ahead today of what it was back then. Even the B777 I used to fly, which is now 20 year-old tech, has less capacity that the 'human interface.'

In the final analysis, any 'autopilot' guidance system whether in an airplane or an automobile, no matter how sophisticated, is little more than an obedient copilot who will faithfully execute tasks you tell (program) it to do. Generally it will perform precisely those tasks unless some higher level algorithm, either programic or human, intervenes. As the "human intervention device", the driver or pilot in command MUST maintain a higher level of oversight and be prepared to immediately assume physical control, as the driver of the Tesla repeatedly did.

At least in today's world, the "driver" needs to be even more vigilant while the "autopilot" is "controlling" a vehicle since you have to monitor and anticipate not only what the 'other guy' might do but also what the autopilot might do.

Brooo Brother

 

[NGD]

I'm sure there's plenty of warnings prior to a driver opting into the beta. I question the wisdom of allowing anyone without a minimum of EVOC training to beta test on public streets.

On a more positive note as @Brooothru pointed out, Tesla not only improved the attention of the drivers in it's beta test but also those of surrounding vehicles.

 

[Kent88]

Chevrolet Silverado Electric Pickup Truck Confirmed: 400-Plus Miles Of Range

 

[Kent88]

 

[AzOr]

Not sure if the whole hacked pipeline will become a thing nationwide, but......

Before, the uncertainty was always the geo political climate in the Middle East. Now it's Russian hackers screwing with our fuel supply. I have a feeling there will be many more ev supporters, especially if the fuel shortage spreads nationwide.

I've always been supportive of ev's and even plan on getting one in the future. But now I think it will be the NEAR future.

 

[Kent88]

I grew up on a farm and had a tractor PTO driven generator for when the weather knocks out the power. We needed it because we had to get silage to the steers, keep our indoor calves warm, keep the well in good shape, etc.

I'm a big believer in having a local backup for when the power goes out. In my mind, local solar tied to a battery backup as an emergency power source makes a lot of sense. Make sure you can keep your fridges running and your heat or air conditioning on, maybe the water heater, too.

But I'm getting off topic.

 

[AzOr]

Yup. I feel the same way. Within the last six months we have had two power outages for about 24 hours each time. It's nowhere near as bad as other parts of the country but still makes me do some prepping. I don't have solar panels yet but will in the future. I do have a small gas generator/inverter for my travel trailer that was used in the last outages. Saved us some $$ because we were able to power our fridge and garage freezer ( and keezer) with the generator.
As many know, it's not the outage that is stressful, it's not knowing how long it will last.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Not sure if the whole hacked pipeline will become a thing nationwide, but......

Before, the uncertainty was always the geo political climate in the Middle East. Now it's Russian hackers screwing with our fuel supply. I have a feeling there will be many more ev supporters, especially if the fuel shortage spreads nationwide.

I've always been supportive of ev's and even plan on getting one in the future. But now I think it will be the NEAR future.

What, you think the Russians can't hack the power grid?

 

[Kent88]

Oh boy...

 

[Broothru]

What, you think the Russians can't hack the power grid?

My thoughts exactly.

 

[AzOr]

I'm sure our power grid is hackable. It just goes to show how tenuous these resources are. Toilet paper, fuel, power grid etc are things we never gave a second thought to a couple of years ago.

I've never been much of a prepper but if I had solar panels when the next pandemic happens, at least I'd be able to brew.

 

[Knightshade]

I've somehow managed to equate the necessity around purchasing an electric car/truck to needing AC in my house. When the weather gets to the point where I need AC, I'll only do so after installing solar because the price of electricity around here is stupid.

And since I don't plan on installing AC anytime soon, I'm probably not going to get solar, which means I won't get an electric car/truck.

The place where I work requires a parking permit (what I call a Pay for the privilege of working here tax) which is close to $1K a year, so I actually hate driving my car to work. After 2 years of ownership, it has less than 9K miles. I was riding my motorcycle to work for awhile because the permit is a lot less expensive, but even that was getting old.

I purchased an e-bike around Xmas time last year w/the intention of riding that work...and then covid hit. Calling that thing a bicycle is a joke btw, it is considered a Class 2 but hits 30 mph all throttle easily. Stupid fun.

Funny how life works sometimes. Fast forward a year and I now own a 2012 Chevy Volt. Family friend was upgrading and I’ve got twins who just turned 16 and now I don’t need to buy the wife a new car. She is bummed but that non car payment is better spent elsewhere.

 

[Kent88]

Not a ford guy, but I figured I'd share anyways.

I tried to cut through a bunch of the BS sales pitch, but it's a truck reveal, so you can't get away from all of it.



2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Revealed! The Electric Pickup Has a Shockingly Low Price, Mega Specs

 

[AzOr]

That Ford is sweet! However, for my purposes, I'd rather have an electric commuter and a gas or diesel truck.
I've read that towing even at half capacity reduces the ev range by 60 or 70%.

The thought of going on vac with the family and having to stop for an hour or so to recharge and having to deal with maneuvering a travel trailer in a charging spot- not fun.

I figure if I'm only burning fossil fuels one or two weekends a month still makes me an enviro.

 

[Kent88]

That Ford is sweet! However, for my purposes, I'd rather have an electric commuter and a gas or diesel truck.
I've read that towing even at half capacity reduces the ev range by 60 or 70%.

Reduces by 60%-70%? So the 300 mile range that Lightning offers would instantly be 90 miles? I guess I wouldn't be horribly surprised, but I hope that would be an overestimation.

The thought of going on vac with the family and having to stop for an hour or so to recharge and having to deal with maneuvering a travel trailer in a charging spot- not fun.

How far do you drive when you go on vacation? How frequently are you going? Is renting a vehicle to tow your trailer an option? Or renting a camper closer to your destination, perhaps?

I figure if I'm only burning fossil fuels one or two weekends a month still makes me an enviro.

Nah, you gotta go buy something like this:
P17A Mobile Room | Polydrops | Travel Trailer for EVs

 

[Kent88]

Pope Francis' newest popemobile will be all electric

 

[Kent88]

A little off topic as it isn't land based transportation:

Could electric airplanes propel a third revolution in aviation?

NOVA | Great Electric Airplane Race | Season 48 | Episode 7

 

[Kharnynb]

not until they figure out much better/lighter batteries, the biggest issue with airplanes is fuelweight and you won't get a decent sized plane in the air with 30 times the weight in batteries that you'd need in kerosine.

 

[TwistedGray]

not until they figure out much better/lighter batteries, the biggest issue with airplanes is fuelweight and you won't get a decent sized plane in the air with 30 times the weight in batteries that you'd need in kerosine.

But we're talking about cars? *Scratches Head*

 

[doug293cz]

But we're talking about cars? *Scratches Head*

You missed a post.

Brew on

 

[renstyle]

But we're talking about cars? *Scratches Head*

to be fair, I'd have plans to get an electric plane in addition to the car... but I can't print my own cash yet LOL