Electric Vehicles discussion (was NJ bans Tesla dealerships)

This is mechanical driving easy mode - "lane assist" has been around a long time, and wasn't invented by Tesla

That should have been the first thing they implemented. Again, cars stopping themselves when there is an obstacle (any obstacle) isn't new, and it's an absolute prerequisite to all other safe driving. Tesla was trying to make its cars do parkour when they can't even walk.

 

I didn’t intend to imply Tesla was first. Just that it worked well in “normal” driving situations.

That being said, is Tesla still relying on cameras only? I know Musk is opposed to lidar, just wasn’t sure if they used radar as well.

 

I didn't think you were - I was just making a slightly separate point based on the facts you stated.

 

I can see this chunky cheese wedge tearing it up in the Rockies

1628822248592224261 is not a valid tweet id

 

The thing about EVs (and I'm all for electrification, I work in the electricity market) is that you have to remember what the grid mix is where you are. Increased electricity consumption in fossil fuel powered regions is not a good thing. A bunch of EVs in Appalachia, where the grid is very coal heavy, may actually be a net negative in terms of emissions. We need to make sure EVs are being powered by renewables.

 

The bolded is not entirely true. Unless the local grid is powered by 100% coal (and there are almost no grids powered 100% by coal), EV's are net positive than ICE vehicles. The more coal, the less the benefit, of course, but even a small percentage of other sources results in an EV having less impact than ICE, even when accounting for the higher emissions from EV manufacture.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikesc...en-the-power-comes-from-coal/?sh=7782d15e2320

 

Under current consumption levels, yes. Everyone in West Virginia driving an EV overnight would be an issue. On top of needing to expand grid capacity we'd need to have something to power the grid, and although in many places renewables are at price parity with fossil fuels that's not always true. Main point being let's focus on having renewables displace fossil fuels in our overall grid mix and focus on storage rather than EV purchasing. More bang for the buck plus we're not all gonna get EVs tomorrow anyway, especially with how convoluted the rebate process under the IRA is.

But again, I say that as someone who works in renewables. And who wants Space Karen to die.

 

Lol. 95% of those motherfckers are still rolling coal

 

I’m not disagreeing with your overall point at all, just that increased EVs, even in Appalachia, results in higher emissions for the EV. As I linked above, it requires almost 100% coal power for an EV to have more emissions than an ICE.

Another thing is that, even in Appalachia, new plants aren’t going to be coal. The politics are obviously there to build coal plants over any other plant, but the cost efficiency from natural gas would make it hard for the power companies to agree to that.

 

Well, and data centers are a huge consumer of electricity as are all the cryptobro blockchain mining operations. There are a bunch of them located around DC, where I imagine there are quite a bit of EVs. DC is in the PJM (Penn NJ MD NERC region) which is heavily coal based. We'll have all these happy well meaning people basically doing the South Park hybrid episode, when in reality the impact they're making is 75% less meaningful. From a consumer protection standpoint that sucks. You should be entitled to all the Smug that you think you are. We need to be better at communicating that.

 

Very true - and yes, no disagreement, just maybe different priorities. One of the most exciting things for me is how the price of renewables has fallen so much in the past decade. There are political reasons in fossil heavy states to keep the status quo, but the economic argument is basically gone.

 

"Everyone in West Virginia driving an EV overnight would be an issue."

That could never happen. so there is no need to discuss further.

We should move towards 100% EVs, but that will take decades.

We should move towards all renewable energy, but that will take time.

I am planning on moving to solar at my house, partially to charge my EV. Hopefully, I can afford the upfront costs.

 

The coal percentage at least for generation in PJM is currently 11% which isn't particularly high. What is actually high in this region is nuclear which is standing at 30%.

https://pjm.com/markets-and-operations

 

This passed by on Facebook today. Some might find it interesting. The author had to be paid by the word as he dragged it out proving nothing. Other than it uses less battery life when it’s not moving.

https://www.insidehook.com/article/vehicles/electric-car-12-hours-freezing-cold-test

 

I’m surprised they didn’t sell a whole lot of these in Coal Country.


This Oldsmobile was powered by a coal-burning turbine engine

https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/b...bile-was-powered-coal-burning-turbine-engine/

 

Related to this, I do like Bjorn Nyland's youtube channel.

https://youtube.com/@bjornnyland

He does a lot of “real world” tests on EVs including a 1,000km drive on mostly the same route. One of the other tests he does is a 24-hour stay in a car. In most cases it isn’t that big of an issue, but he lives in Norway and their winters get a wee bit cold

 

Are Kia "pro-genocide"?
I hope not, I really like my EV6.

 

Pretty sure it's Musk.

 

I saw an article that describes the Cybertruck as looking like a beard trimmer that plays Phill Collins songs.

Wow.

 

That's mean. I like Phil Collins songs.

 

i see her sleeping and raise her 20000. Don’t open at all if not by yourself in a closed room.

Fvck elon! (open) Fvck elon! (close)

Porn star Taylor Jackson misuses Tesla for 'autopilot sex act' 😳🤪😜https://t.co/mYP6AUgDVU

— Lahiru Yapa (@lahiruyapa1) May 12, 2019

 

I was more of a Phil Harris fan.

 

You mean “Vocational Training” don’t you?