Community Chat

[Foxxee]

[ThinkingOutLoud]

Well isn't that interesting...

[hckynutjohn]

@Foxxee 

And here I thought most people know how electricity is generated. And some areas of the country are already overloading their electrical grids. 

Latest I heard, the Military vehicles will be going to electric. Hope they have a lot of charging stations out in those deserts. 

hckynut 🇺🇸

[RoughDraft]

@hckynutjohn Oh, I don't know.  Perhaps wind turbines or solar panels?

[laluzdelmundo]

Another way to look at electric vehicles, a 2019 Tesla 3 Standard Range (240 miles) has a battery capacity of 50 kWh. Using the cost of electricity at my house (standard rate, no time of day pricing), a kWh cost just under .15 cents an hour, which adds up to $7.40 to charge the Tesla's battery. Using last weekend's Costco gas price, to fill the tank of my non-electric Kia, it would cost $64.68. That should net me about the same mileage of 240. 

I appreciate that my source of electricity is mainly natural gas, with some derived from geothermal, hydroelectric, and (unfortunately), still some coal. A major coal generating station was shut down in 2019, so that percentage is much lower now. Could not find anything that shows they use petroleum for generating electricity. 

Wall Street Journal has not exactly jumped on the electric vehicle band wagon. In reality, there are environmental concerns with the manufacture and use of any vehicles, EV or combustion engine. 

[Desertdi]

@hckynutjohn     Haven't seen ANY electric charging stations in MY corner of the desert...     (And I have no plans of ever getting rid of my internal combustion engine!)  di

[Foxxee]

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@laluzdelmundo wrote:

Could not find anything that shows they use petroleum for generating electricity. 

@laluzdelmundo 

According to EIA.gov, oil is still used to produce electricity, mostly in facilities built before 1980. 

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[hckynutjohn]

@laluzdelmundo 

What I hear is that "this is a global problem" concerning the environment. If so, how does it change this climate of the globe, just because it is not produced in the United States?

It is well documented that our country is far and away the cleanest when it comes to producing oil. I remember well, about 3 years ago, our country's Strategic Oil Reserve, was filled with oil costing about $25 per barrel. Now? Well over $100+ per barrel.

From what I understand, nickle and cobalt are used to make lithium ion batteries. Cobalt comes from mines, and from what I read, it is every kind of dangerous for those in the Congo that work in these mines.

I also wonder, when these batteries are used up, where and what method is used to dispose of them? 

hckynut 🇺🇸

[Foxxee]

[Cakers3]

There will be pros and cons regarding EV's.

There will be pros and cons regarding cars using gasoline.

Since the concept of EV's is not new-dating back decades-I find it more interesting that there is a grand push lately for everyone to get in line and purchase an EV.