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In Germany, the Bundestrat, or Upper House, has passed a resolution to ban the internal combustion engine (ICE) [Note] powered car by 2030. It’s a nice gesture from a body that is pretty much powerless and composed of non-elected delegates (compare it to the Canadian Senate or British House of Lords), but it’s influential. The Dutch and Norwegian governments are making similar plans, and the EU could follow.
A graphic from the article shows Germany gets one-third of its electricity from renewables now. Will weaning its energy and transportation sectors off fossil fuels confer an economic advantage?
[Note: story is in German. --Ed.]
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Germany's Bundesrat Calls for End of Internal Combustion Engine Powered Cars by 2030
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When I met th'POPE back in '58, I scrubbed him with a MILD SOAP or
DETERGENT for 15 minutes. He seemed to enjoy it ...
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 13 2016, @10:48AM
I'm not a spring chicken, but man, you sound like an old dude. There are electric cars on the roads now. Many more are coming, because all the other major car companies are getting in on the act. A real mass market EV is just around the corner with the Chevy Bolt and the Tesla Model 3.
As far as the capabilities of EVs, I can't speak to higher loads that semis carry, but I can speak to the experience in passenger cars. They are better at climbing hills because they don't have to muck around with gearing changes. Set the cruise control on the EV to 65, and it holds that speed no matter what's going on on the road, with no delays for downshifting.
And for solar energy, current panels have reached grid parity in many states. If you look at a chart of installed costs (that is, the panels plus the labor to install them), the prices have fallen off a cliff in the last 10 years. Soon pure economics will mean homeowners and facilities owners would be crazy if they don't go solar.
In short, nuclear power is not required. The energy revolution is upon us, but you haven't heard about it because the fossil fuel companies have been paying a great deal of money to make sure you don't.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1) by ewk on Thursday October 13 2016, @02:00PM
Neither the Bolt or the Testla 3 seems to promise a reach of 400 miles at 75 mph (for 2-4 people inclusing vacation luggage) and a recharge time of 15 minutes or less (to start with the reminder of the 750 mile trip).
Unless that is reached, an EV is no option to replace my current ICE.
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(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 13 2016, @03:30PM
That kind of road trip is by far the exception to the rule. Most people drive to commute, and do so 50mi/day or less.
However, Teslas have the supercharger network for the road trips you're talking about, and you're probably going to stop along the way to eat or go to the bathroom and refuel anyway. The Tesla 30 minute recharge time is about right to cover those activities.
I can't wait to do my next road trip in an EV. Quiet, blessed quiet, cruise control that's utterly precise and constant. Excellent acceleration to facilitate smooth merges. They drive so much better than ICEs.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1) by ewk on Friday October 14 2016, @09:41AM
That 'kind of road trip' is about 50% of my distance covered yearly.
So, in my use case (and frankly, that's the only really important one :-) ) it is not the exception.
Commuting (25 km roundtrip) is generally done by e-bike or e-scooter/mo-ped (depending on weather & mood).
And in Europe, where I live (sorry for any confusion by using miles & mph in the initial response), this supercharger network isn't really happening (yet).
As for quietness: above 75 mph/120 kmh most of the nose is tire and wind related anyway. In an decent ICE (non-sports type :-) ) you do hardly notice the engine anymore.
Don't get me wrong, eventually EV's will get where I want them :-) Then it is the time to switch.
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