# electric car



## 31b (Jan 14, 2008)

i know this isn't exactly a commercial/residential electrical contractor topic, and was going to toss it in "off-topic", but it is electrical related, and so is my question, and I figured i'd get better answers from people in this forum... so....

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/04/video-coda-automotive-bringing-miles-electrics-sedan-to-califo

So there this new elec car that's supposed to be coming out in production. range is supposed to be 90-120 miles on a charge.

My question is - what do they do when it's really hot out and need to turn on the A/C? or when it's really cold and need to heat up the cabin? No engine to pull heat from, so I assume it'll use electric heating elements of it's own. I gotta wonder exactly how far it's gonna go in either of those cases. 

Also, when it's really frozen out... how far will it get either when those batteries are that cold? unless it's got some electric blankets for the batteries when it's charging I suppose... but what about if it's sitting out somewhere not plugged in?


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

You could bring up "what if" scenarios for any vehicle. The old VW bugs were terrible in the winter. I knew people that rigged propane torches as windshield defrosters. They still sold a lot of bugs. A lot of people will be interested in a car like this.


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## 31b (Jan 14, 2008)

Tiger said:


> You could bring up "what if" scenarios for any vehicle. The old VW bugs were terrible in the winter. I knew people that rigged propane torches as windshield defrosters. They still sold a lot of bugs. A lot of people will be interested in a car like this.


yes, but those old VW's weren't running on batteries alone. my point was air conditioners and (all-electric) heaters use a lot of juice... how do they deal with that?


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Not me, next car I'm buying is a Mustang Cobra. That's if they're still making them in a couple of years.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

How about an electric truck?
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9867TEO0.htm
In the city service trucks?


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## ampman (Apr 1, 2009)

was reading about elec. cars and some are run with 3 phase motors because of efficiancy (dmanola7 will correct my spelling) so they convert batt. power to dc to ac but not sure of voltage,or cycles


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

What if you run out of power like u would running out of gas, will there be power stations instead of gas stations?

this could be profitable for 'lectricians.


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## ampman (Apr 1, 2009)

Magnettica said:


> What if you run out of power like u would running out of gas, will there be power stations instead of gas stations?
> 
> this could be profitable for 'lectricians.


 a really really long cord


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## naptown CR (Feb 20, 2009)

Magnettica said:


> Not me, next car I'm buying is a Mustang Cobra. That's if they're still making them in a couple of years.


Saw oneof these in a dealer here in Maryland a few months ago. Sticker price on the car was something like 47K dealer was asking over 90K and had a sign that it was a deal


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## Static Design (Nov 30, 2008)

Mustangs are full of gayness, needs more honda!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## nEighter (Nov 24, 2008)

yeah moar honda is what the world needs 

I would think you could get a jump from someone for a couple min to limp her back home.. OR you could hook up a device that will catch the electrical fields from power wires and be set!


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

naptown CR said:


> Saw oneof these in a dealer here in Maryland a few months ago. Sticker price on the car was something like 47K dealer was asking over 90K and had a sign that it was a deal


I didn't realize they were that much. All I know is my means of transportation has been a van for the past 15 years and at some point I'd like to drive a car, a fast car. :thumbup:


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

naptown CR said:


> Saw oneof these in a dealer here in Maryland a few months ago. Sticker price on the car was something like 47K dealer was asking over 90K and had a sign that it was a deal


That video is of a old 2003-4 cobra, the new cobra has a differnet body style/motor etc.. I've never a mark up that high, but I believe it. At that point , might as well by a Ford GT.


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## mrmike (Dec 9, 2008)

Full Spool said:


> Mustangs are full of gayness, needs more honda!!!!!!!!!!!!!


 You got it backwards Man-Honda's are a yuppies car-a Mustang is a real man's car- An American Icon- that was born & bred here- An American Car. :clap::thumbup:


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## SmithBuilt (Jan 25, 2007)

31b said:


> My question is - what do they do when it's really hot out and need to turn on the A/C? or when it's really cold and need to heat up the cabin? No engine to pull heat from, so I assume it'll use electric heating elements of it's own. I gotta wonder exactly how far it's gonna go in either of those cases.


There's still alot to work out for EV's to go farther. They may be able to pull heat for the motor for the winter. I'm sure the AC or heat would shorten the distance you could travel. The current ones maybe ok for city driving but that's about it.


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

The average commute in this country is something like 40 miles total if I remember it right. That leaves lots of extra for a just in case. For many people this is an option , though not as many are quite ready to consider it a option imo.

But if things go that way it is certainly opportunity for electricians:clap:
also a better way than lots of oil from overseas.


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## 220/221 (Sep 29, 2007)

> What if you run out of power like u would running out of gas, will there be power stations instead of gas stations?


When the GM EV1 was supposedly going into production, they (POCO/business owners) started building power stations here (Phoenix AZ). They are still sitting there, unused. One is close to my house in a McDonalds parking lot and another a few miles away in a mall parking garage.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Don't tractor trailers have some restrictions on idling their trucks overnight? Remember seeing that on History Channel where trucks will need to plug-in for their overnight stops at truck stops in the coming years. 

I know this is off topic but I noticed today that diesel fuel is less than regular unleaded now. How is that? When oil traded at $147 last summer diesel was over $5 gallon. 

But now it's less? 

WTF?


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## ampman (Apr 1, 2009)

Magnettica said:


> Don't tractor trailers have some restrictions on idling their trucks overnight? Remember seeing that on History Channel where trucks will need to plug-in for their overnight stops at truck stops in the coming years.
> 
> I know this is off topic but I noticed today that diesel fuel is less than regular unleaded now. How is that? When oil traded at $147 last summer diesel was over $5 gallon.
> 
> ...


 i seen this to this will mean alot of work for e.c. wiring all those truck stops for plugs (truck shore power so to speak)


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## 31b (Jan 14, 2008)

Magnettica said:


> Don't tractor trailers have some restrictions on idling their trucks overnight? Remember seeing that on History Channel where trucks will need to plug-in for their overnight stops at truck stops in the coming years.
> 
> I know this is off topic but I noticed today that diesel fuel is less than regular unleaded now. How is that? When oil traded at $147 last summer diesel was over $5 gallon.
> 
> ...


well diesel should be, as it's less refined than gasoline, but it's all based on supply and demand...


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