Wher are we going to get the electricity to power all the new electric cars?

Question

I know that hybrids are half electric half gas. Where are we going to get all this electricity? Does anyone remember the rolling blackouts in CA? We obviously don't have that much to spare.Has there been a nuclear power plant built in the last decade? Do we have the resources to back up a nationwide shift to half electric or all electric cars?

Answer 1

We are going to get the electricity from nuclear plants in Southern California and San Diego. Yes, I do remember the blackouts in CA.. We don't have the resources, but hybrids are the worst cars you can buy. I don't reccomend them because they pollute the environment more than just a regular car.

Answer 2

NO !!! The Democrats have prevented any increase in electrical or petroleum for 30 years. It will eventually strangle this country.

Answer 3

They are right about charging the cars at night would not affect the grid very much.

They also need to help the technology in solar panels.  If they could reduce the price to the consumers to $2 a watt the payback would be near 10 years or less.  This would make it more attractive to the consumers to invest in there own homes with a 25 year solar panel and would further reduce the need for new power plants.

I've already seen articles where they claim to make solar panels for 1$ a watt yet the price remains at $5 to $8 dollars a watt to the consumer.  This could be the result of state rebate programs keeping the price high.  I wouldn't sell a product for $2 dollars a watt if I new the the state would kick in $3 to $5 dollars a watt in a rebate plan.

Answer 4

We could feed a few megatonnes of coal into power stations to generate as much electricity as we want.

The blackouts in CA were a result of under investment by power companies so that they didn't have sufficient capacity to meet peak demand.  If there was a dramatic shift to electric cars, more generation could be put on line and it could be metered so that cars were charged at off-peak times.

Answer 5

Power plants run 24 hour hours and does not have the capacity to significantly gear down.   Electricity is plentiful and cheap at night.   If we plug in our cars while we sleep, it would be a far more efficient way to use our vehicles then gasoline.    I do take  your point, because most people lack the understanding of alternative fuel.   By the way people advertise Hydrogen fuel, they think it's a new energy source rather than a new energy storage system.

Answer 6

as others have said there is lots of spare capacity overnight, and we won't change all our cars overnight.

Electric cars charged off-peak can sell the electric back at times of peak demand, so protecting against such blackouts.

http://www.acpropulsion.com/technology/v...

eg a car like the Tesla with a range of 200miles, but only doing the average 20 mile commute, has a lot of spare energy. and it is ditributed around the grid close to consumers/businesses.

and such energy management is required as we move towards renewable energy sources which don't always provide power just when we want it.

Tesla can also help buyers instal their own micro-generator system for not much more than some people pay for leather seats http://www.teslamotors.com.

Answer 7

Hybrids produce their own electricity by burning gasoline or diesel.  All electric cars will get their power from power plants.  Hopefully, nuclear power plants.

Answer 8

Right now hybrids don't plug into the power grid.  This will start to change as plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars go into production in the next few years, but it will take a while for these cars to become popular enough to make a significant difference in our energy consumption.

"A new study by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory looked at the impact that plug-in hybrids (and indirectly, electric cars) might have on the US electricity grid in the next few decades. They found that, as they say, timing is everything: If the cars were recharged after 10 P.M. there might not be a need for new power plants (in their "high-demand" scenario, 8 new plants are required)."

Answer 9

the Prius uses gas to power a motor that powers an electric generator or drives the wheels.  When the wheels don't need power from the motor,  the electic generator sends power to the battery.  The battery or motor supply energy to drive the car.  

Pretty fancy technology.  No power plants or brown outs.

Answer 10

it's in the petrol companies interest NOT to have them about also..

and guarenteed they'll be buying up all the patents off others for such things.

when we stop being so reliant on petrol  / oil the Saudi countries won't have so much money.

I do find it funny governments are becoming pally with others just for their gas / oil reserves.

Answer 11

We actually do have a lot of electricity being produced, and we are finding more ways every day to produce more of it more efficiently and with less pollution.

Hybrid cars use the gasoline engine to spin a turbine which creates electricity for when the car is traveling at low speeds.  This is almost the same as the alternator in a conventional car, which creates electricity for the car's computer, headlights, etc. while the car is running.

The rolling blackouts in California were caused by the Enron corporation tampering with the electricity supply in order to drive prices up.  For a full explanation, see the movie "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room."

Would a complete conversion to electric cars drive the price of electricity up through the laws of supply and demand?  That's a good question.  Automobile use in the US is so high that it would undoubtedly have an effect on the supply.

However, there is no way that such a conversion will happen overnight, and sources for electricity are multiplying.  People with solar panels on their houses generate so much electricity that, with the right hardware, they can often return their electricity to the grid to be used elsewhere (their electric meter actually spins backward when this happens).  In some places, they can even sell it back to the electric company and make a profit.

With this in mind, I have no doubt that, by the time we convert to electric cars, we will have the electric supply to sustain it.

Answer 12

We already have the power available, but the transmission system is in dire need of repair.   If you can't get the power from point A to B, then its useless if B is where its needed.   Any time theres a heatwave and power use goes up you see old transformers and substations being overloaded and blowing up.    That is the future that's been left this country by the last couple generations.   Terrorist attacks were nothing compared to the pain we're gonna be putting ourselves through in the next decades.

Answer 13

If I'm not mistaken the gas portion of the motor creates energy and is able to charge the electric battery while the car is in motion. I think the question is more like where are we going to continue getting the gas thats powering the electric?

Answer 14

The one EV car I currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also) I converted from a vw bug and is free to charge. As I live completely off the grid all my electricity comes from solar panels and 2 wind generators, which I a;sp built.

However I did charge up at Costco in Carlsbad California (I actually only drove up there to fill up) if I remember right it was around $2.00

Here’s a list of other places you can charge up, don’t know if there are any prices though.

http://www.evchargernews.com/#regions

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing it your self, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I've converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford ban, and a vw bug) and a few for neighbors. I've also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

- The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.

- Electric components are then installed in exchange.

- A battery bank is built and incorporated.

- Existing starter and driving systems are connected.

- Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.

- The system has normal automotive top speeds and acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph and your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.

If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at www agua-luna com

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at  www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World... Instantly Elevating Their Income & Lowering Their Debt, While Saving The Environment by Using FREE ENERGY... All With Just One Click of A Mouse...For more info Visit:  

www AGUA-LUNA com

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