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jeffbiss
User Rank
Gold
competition crippled industry, not government
jeffbiss   7/20/2012 2:59:54 PM
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The fact is that low wage labor market competition crippled industry, not the government. When low wage labor markets, such as South Korea, that also enjoyed government subsidies, entered the global market US industries were confronted with competion that they hadn't had before. US industries moved to low wage labor markets to increase profits, not because of "government", whatever that means. Also, it became far more profitable to specify products rather than manufacture them, and so outsourcing became the rule. Again, this was originally done in local plants but even the local plants outsourced to foreign low wage labor markets to remain competitive and increase profits.

The "crippling" was due entirely to economic circumstances.

jeffbiss
User Rank
Gold
Huh?
jeffbiss   7/20/2012 2:52:07 PM
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Man you've got anger issues, dude. There are not more coversion loses with a dynamo driven motor as an electric motor is far more efficient than any ICE. Take a look at locomotives that move 1 ton of freight about 471 miles on one gallon of deisel and you'll see that that is far more efficient than any ICE drive system in addition to the torque required at zero mi/hr.

Using a fuel cell, when available for the masses or high efficiency deisel before that time, will provide for an efficient drive system without the need for batteries that the current crop of electric cars do. Also added to their issues is the fact that they require central power plants to produce their power, which releases greenhouse gases, requires fossil fuel extraction and its environmental consequences, and availability of the grid, etc, unless one produces one's own power, but they still have a relatively high cost initially and in periodic replacement.

But, as you say, you have the right to your opinion.

ChasChas
User Rank
Gold
Re: Efficient gas engines
ChasChas   7/20/2012 2:47:51 PM
NO RATINGS
 

That's just it, Rob. 35% fuel efficiency is lost in reciprocating motion (normal driving). We have tried to design other methods like the Wankel, but we need the efficiency of the piston - without the reciprocating motion. This is the kind of stuff we need to be working on.

I personally have the problem solved via proof of concept, cad models, and demo movies, etc., but I can't find any money out there for this sort of thing.

Rob Spiegel
User Rank
Blogger
Re: Efficient gas engines
Rob Spiegel   7/20/2012 2:13:29 PM
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What is the efficient alternaive to thrashing pistons back and forth, Chas Chas?

Maria
User Rank
Iron
Electric Cars, why?
Maria   7/20/2012 1:57:15 PM
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I do not understand that we are planning on a new generations of cars that once again are using man-made energy. Why, so we can have shortages again???

Are power grits not overloaded enough already!

What about solar energy that could be collected on much larger surface area's as were previously used in trials and also using more of the outer skin collecting such energies at various sun-impact angles without having to be always conscious of the position of your vehicle?

I am sure there is so much more research that can be done in this field, maybe even a totally different approach in collecting, storing and converting such energy.

Maybe there could even be some wind power included. I see the possibilities as endless.

I do agree that we defiantly need something that can regenerate as we drive, as do eliminate the need for recharging, the size and weight limits or driving at limited speeds and distance.

I am glad that back in the day they did not give up on the idea of gas powered engines when they first build the first loud smoking and spitting monstrosities and kept on developing this great basic concept.

The los of revenue (electric/ gas) could be compensated by some kind of tax that would be beneficial to the respective country of the car owner and the owners themselves by saving compared to our expenses now.

ksaldutti
User Rank
Silver
nuclear power reactors the size of a shoebox
ksaldutti   7/20/2012 1:48:38 PM
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Only if batteries or power systems to run electric motors are greatly improved or in this case reinvented. If superconductivity ever where to come of age and would readily work in the real world then that would add greatly to the problems solving of power storage workability. I still say mini nuclear power reactors the size of a shoebox would be the answer. The source would outlive it owners by several fold. It would be about as true kinetic energy as we may be able to ever have.

rdelaplaza
User Rank
Silver
Re: Cars are just too massive
rdelaplaza   7/20/2012 1:43:02 PM
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The idea in your comment  just adds more conversion loses to the system, you are obviously NOT an engineer.. thanks for your opinion, you are entitled to have it, and the constitution guarantees that fact, but that's it.

daveladd
User Rank
Iron
Re: Ain't gonna happen - Where does the energy come from?
daveladd   7/20/2012 11:45:06 AM
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Don't laugh - Inertial confinement fusion.

Davek3gau
User Rank
Silver
50% electric vehicles
Davek3gau   7/20/2012 11:43:15 AM
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I doubt it will happen also.  The manufacturers may be able to make a lot more vehicles BUT where is the power going to come from to charge all of them.  In many parts of the country and especially in areas where there is the most clammer for EVs the electric power grid is already taxed almost to it's limit and in hot weather pushed beyond it to supply power.  What is going to happen when your start dumping massive amounts of EV on the grid sucking power?

The only way large numbers of EVs can be supported is to also massively overhaul and upgrade the power grid system.  Anybody talking about or working on that?

 

Dave B.

daveladd
User Rank
Iron
Re: Ain't gonna happen - Why not?
daveladd   7/20/2012 11:38:39 AM
NO RATINGS
Think about some of the possible improvements that you could see with EVs.  4 wheel drive becomes 3 wheel if you have , single motor, or VFD drive issue.  Battery modules grouped with smart electronic routing so as to be fault tolerant.  The cost of the components and ease of assembly has got to drop as acceptance goes up.  Right now, the EV manufacturers are adding all sort of Gee-whiz stuff on to make them sell.  Although that fuels the attraction to the avante-garde / geek market, the cost is a real turn-off to anyone else.  The energy storage medium cost seems like it's ripe for another quantum improvement.  All-in-all, I don't see his prediction as that improbable.  We could sure use a big step in the "field" of electrical energy storage density.

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