-
This might be a good idea for the U.S. Postal Service, but I am not so sure about the military:
https://electrek.co/2021/01/25/presi...leet-electric/
Richard - Current bikes: 2016 BMW R1200RS, 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2020 KTM 390 Duke, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.
-
-
Likely not the main military combat vehicles, but there are LOTS of vehicles in all the motor pools around the world that could likely be electrified.
Royce
On the coast of Kansas
2012 F800ST
-
The original Schwartz Wald Troll
I'm surprised that the tests on big rigs hasn't gone mainstream yet. WalMart trucks between distribution centers and FedEX could easily be electrified. Autonomous too.
Wonder what happened to those tests that were going on a couple years ago?
-
-
My thought is that just electrifying Postal Service vehicles would be a monumental and very expensive task. Can you imagine how many charging stations would need to be built at each Post Office to recharge all of their delivery vehicles each night? I an not convinced that this mandate has been completely thought though.
Richard - Current bikes: 2016 BMW R1200RS, 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2020 KTM 390 Duke, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.
-
Originally Posted by
Richard230
My thought is that just electrifying Postal Service vehicles would be a monumental and very expensive task. Can you imagine how many charging stations would need to be built at each Post Office to recharge all of their delivery vehicles each night? I an not convinced that this mandate has been completely thought though.
Nothing the past week has been "completely thought though(sic)".
However I'm told the average postal delivery vehicle only drives 35 miles/day. I don't see lines form to gas them up, I don't expect much would be needed to charge. The problem is the edict to do something more expensive than the working solution.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300A; 2016 Beta 430RS; 2007 BMW F800S; 2009 Husaberg FE450; 2016 Subaru Outback; 2018 F150; 2013 Tesla Model S 85; 1983 Porsche 928S; 9 cats
-
Originally Posted by
N4HHE
... The problem is the edict to do something more expensive than the working solution.
Depends on how long term your view is. I am mostly thinking about my grandkids and great-grandkids (yet to come), and repairing the world's environment is a heck of a lot more important--and less expensive--than ignoring all the issues you and I and our generation have created.
Royce
On the coast of Kansas
2012 F800ST
-
Post Thanks / Like - 2 Likes, 0 Dislikes
-
Originally Posted by
Royce
Depends on how long term your view is. I am mostly thinking about my grandkids and great-grandkids (yet to come), and repairing the world's environment is a heck of a lot more important--and less expensive--than ignoring all the issues you and I and our generation have created.
I agree that the long-term view is the right one. But that sure doesn't seem to reflect the modern public's got-to-have-it-now and pay for it later philosophy. When you feel the need for something, just click on Amazon, watch it arrive the next day and try not to think about the credit card bill you will get at the end of the month.
I recall my BMW dealer's sales manager telling me a few years ago that she would get frustrated by people coming in and wanting a particular BMW or Triumph model in a certain color and then just walking out when she told them that she could order the bike and have it delivered in a week. She said that they didn't want to even wait a day to get the bike that they wanted, much less a week.
So my thought is that these big expensive programs might need to be ramped up slowly and steady, instead of trying to solve huge social and environment issues in just one big gulp. Of course the U.S. change-it-every-4-years government process doesn't help all that much when taking the long view.
Richard - Current bikes: 2016 BMW R1200RS, 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2020 KTM 390 Duke, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.
-
Originally Posted by
Richard230
So my thought is that these big expensive programs might need to be ramped up slowly and steady, instead of trying to solve huge social and environment issues in just one big gulp. Of course the U.S. change-it-every-4-years government process doesn't help all that much when taking the long view.
I guess it depends how urgent a priority climate change is. You're right. It is a huge issue. I don't think most people have yet grasped the enormity of the issue.
US and UK politics have short-termism in common - democracy doesn't get things done quickly and governments seem to have an imperative to please the voters now.
-
Climate has always changed. If it stopped changing then that would be unnatural.
Earth is currently cooler than average over its history, most of which did not have polar icecaps.
Government power is measured by the amount of money spent, not results. Throwing money at EVs primarily increases one’s budget and power. Buys influence with select groups. Hurts everyone else.
Every excessive dollar spent on “green” stuff pads pockets for those to spend on non-green stuff. Is mistaken to look at dollars spent for an EV but at the dollars placed in workers’ pockets. What do they do? Vacations. Bigger houses. Recreational vehicles. Exactly the consumption holier-than-thou mandates environmental pretend to be defeating. Just consider Al Gore’s behavior.
One Upon A Time a friend declared himself to be an environmental activist and as such sold his practical 4 cylinder Ford Ranger to exclusively use his less-resource motorcycle.
New the motorcycle cost 2/3rds the Ranger but used the Ranger brought half what he could have sold the motorcycle. Ranger got half the MPG. However tires, gasoline, and insurance were less per mile for the truck than the motorcycle. He righteously countered the tires consumed less resources because they were smaller. I replied with manufacture’s data showing his motorcycle tires weighed more than the truck (car) tires. He had not thought that possible, but agreed it to be true.
Last I heard he was riding a small 4-stroke scooter.
2016 Yamaha FJR1300A; 2016 Beta 430RS; 2007 BMW F800S; 2009 Husaberg FE450; 2016 Subaru Outback; 2018 F150; 2013 Tesla Model S 85; 1983 Porsche 928S; 9 cats
-
Reasonable people would agree that the earth's temperature has varied over time, both being colder and warmer than present times. What is currently worrisome is the rate of change in average temperature. Humans have been burning massive quantities over the last 200 years of fossil fuels that took tens of millions of years to develop. What could possibly go wrong?
-
Originally Posted by
ccwatchmaker
Reasonable people would agree that the earth's temperature has varied over time, both being colder and warmer than present times. What is currently worrisome is the rate of change in average temperature. Humans have been burning massive quantities over the last 200 years of fossil fuels that took tens of millions of years to develop. What could possibly go wrong?
Furthermore, the 'cooler than average over history' may be correct. But we're talking about a length of time over most of which homo sapiens did not inhabit the earth. With billions of people on the planet there's a little more at stake.
-
Originally Posted by
N4HHE
Climate has always changed. If it stopped changing then that would be unnatural ...
You are correct of course but ... this logic that "the climate has always changed" is one of the reasons we humans have such a short-term view of the problem. There is nothing "we" can do about climate because the problem is too big and besides, the earth's climate has always changed. So, let's drill another oil field and keep the cheap fuel flowing and move on.
I am as guilty as anyone in thinking like that sometimes, but in my more somber moments I know that is the wrong view for all of us. I don't know what the point of no return might be, but I do believe there is such a point in our earth's lifespan and we are getting closer each day.
Royce
On the coast of Kansas
2012 F800ST
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes, 0 Dislikes
-
2009 F800ST (Night Blue Metallic) l 1999 SV650 (Naked & Red) l
l 2012 G650 GS Sertao l 2012 Can-Am Spyder RT-S (Mrs. Meteor's...)
-
Mobile phone technology took from 1990 to 2010 to get from just a phone to a smart phone that is more powerful than any PC of the early nineties.
That was all done without any government incentive, because the market opportunity was every adult in many including third world countries.
They also had no oil and mining behemoths bribing and scaring governments around the world.
Once Governments start standing up to these bullies we will see change and change pretty similar and faster than the mobile phone story.
I say good on those governments who are not scared of making a leap of faith.
That said, I am an old fart and a petrol head; and love my gas vehicles. However I am also open to change, and may even get solar panels on my roof the way the prices are falling for batteries and panels.
cheers.
"The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed.” Robert M. Pirsig
-
Anyone for a rather expensive all-electric motor home? Better get the premium model if you want to go any distance and don't tell the campground host that when you hook up the juice that you will be sucking their power bill dry when you recharge your battery: https://archive.curbed.com/2019/9/17...ium-dusseldorf
Richard - Current bikes: 2016 BMW R1200RS, 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2020 KTM 390 Duke, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.
-
Originally Posted by
Richard230
Anyone for a rather expensive all-electric motor home? Better get the premium model if you want to go any distance and don't tell the campground host that when you hook up the juice that you will be sucking their power bill dry when you recharge your battery:
https://archive.curbed.com/2019/9/17...ium-dusseldorf
Interesting logic. I remember not too many years ago when the Prius first was offered for sale, hardly anyone believed such "weird" technology would ever be mainstream. Today you cannot drive downtown without dodging a Prius. Will practical electric RVs--of some configuration--be available in 20 years? Maybe. I would not count it out today.
Royce
On the coast of Kansas
2012 F800ST
-
On a related subject: Here is a long but very interesting and informative article regarding the current state of the lithium battery recycling industry and processes:
https://www.wired.com/story/the-race...-its-too-late/
Richard - Current bikes: 2016 BMW R1200RS, 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2020 KTM 390 Duke, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.
-
Richard, I live in Carson City and was unaware of the L-ion recycling operation. Thanks for the post.
We are all very much aware of the Panasonic/Tesla battery factory, apparently the largest factory on Earth. That along with other technology organizations, mostly from California, are moving into Nevada. The price of housing here has gone sky high. Zillow claims real estate prices in Carson City are increasing at the rate of 10%+ annually.
My house that was appraised at $245K in 2018 is now at $320K and going up at more that 1% a month.
-
Originally Posted by
Richard230
Those darn Capitalists will find a profit from anything!
2016 Yamaha FJR1300A; 2016 Beta 430RS; 2007 BMW F800S; 2009 Husaberg FE450; 2016 Subaru Outback; 2018 F150; 2013 Tesla Model S 85; 1983 Porsche 928S; 9 cats
-
Originally Posted by
Royce
Interesting logic. I remember not too many years ago when the Prius first was offered for sale, hardly anyone believed such "weird" technology would ever be mainstream. Today you cannot drive downtown without dodging a Prius. Will practical electric RVs--of some configuration--be available in 20 years? Maybe. I would not count it out today.
Exactly right!
Renewable Energy storage devices, such as Lithium S (sulphur) batteries and swappable Hydrogen tank technology is changing and improving so fast, blink and you'll miss it (figuratively speaking) ... businesses are voting with their feet.
This is huge:
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/8-e...ies-watch-2020
also see
https://www.miningmagazine.com/tag/b...-mine-vehicles
https://energyindustryreview.com/met...ing-2020-2030/
"The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed.” Robert M. Pirsig
Bookmarks