The infrastructure is far from here in the U.S., @Erling. There are parts of the American West where you can go miles and miles before you even see a gas station and then it might not even have gas or working pumps these days. I do think that when the infrastructure isn't seen as problematic or prohibitive, electric vehicles will become more popular and widely purchased without calling upon bans.
It's all smoke and mirrors mate. All the toxic crap that's produced building and ultimately recycling these things "doesn't count" and is conveniently forgotten about.
Yeah I can hear it now, say in about 15 years…. *In English accent* "What IS it with you Americans, with your guns and all your gas guzzling motorcars?"
Hi Sir Trev, sorry to disappoint you but there is no TT Zero race for 2022, it was already announced that for 2020 and 2021 it would be dropped (decision taken before the Covid outbreak), the Zero TT saw dwindling entries, the Mugen cost an eye watering 1 million pounds, they only have capacity to complete 1 lap so the cost verses benefits far outweighed things, although data will be used for the production of electric road machines. Celebrating its 10th year in 2019, the TT Zero Race lap record has gone from an average speed of 96.82mph set by Mark Miller in the inaugural TT Zero Race, to Michael Rutter’s new time of 121.909mph, just under a second inside his old record set in 2018. The 2019 race saw 7 competitors, so one can see it's not viable to run. If you compare how the speeds and lap times are now for ICE machines, then things have moved on to a new level, speeds in excess of 200 mph are the norm for Superbikes with the Ulster Grand Prix even quicker. Now what is exciting news (from a personal perspective) is that Maria Costello will be linking up with a new passenger for various sidecar racing events, triple Pre TT Classic race winner Vicky Cooke, Vicky has a very strong family connection with sidecar racing (those of us of a certain age will remember EW). Below is a link to the TT practice and race schedule. I recall posting details of the revamped TT, MGP and S100 some while back. Anyway for me as an ageing Rocker and dedicated petrol head, electric bikes are definitely not for me, I embrace new technology and am by no means a luddite, but a thumbs down for electric motorcycles. Isle of Man TT Races© - TT 2022 Schedule Confirmed (iomttraces.com).
The battery technology is already here allowing it to be charged in a few minutes. The problem is that it takes a high power charger to do it, and they’re not readily available.
Electrification on the level that is being spewn about in the media these days is FAR from practical in most parts of the US. Even in the big cities there will be serious problems implementing this plan. Out in the "outback" of the Mohave Desert where I live, the idea is totally laughable. Up in the mountain areas they have trouble even keeping the power on when the weather gets bad. I spent half my life as an Operating Engineer running high-rise office buildings in Southern California. I know a bit about power distribution. What it will take to electrify the transportation in this country is massive. Still the sales force and the media will keep stuffing this idea down the public's throat until they swallow it. A good, clean burning, liquid or vapor fuel would be a much more practical idea, but the lobbyist's and the politician's voices are heard over the voice or reason, as usual. As for myself, the newest car I own is a 2007. I can buy a new car any time I want. Count me OUT. ...J.D.
You buy a Taycan because of the handling and performance, same as any other GT car. The instant torque of the electric motors is compelling.
Here is California the big solution being put forth is SOLAR power. People are encouraged to put solar panels on thier roof. The trouble with this is, most of us would need to charge our vehicles at NIGHT. Sorry, no solar power at the time the car is at home. Then there is this little problem of SNOW. Not much of a problem where I am at .....but. ...J.D.
@Sandi T, when I look at the maps of the west of the USA it looks like a lot of desert to me, plus all the lovey blue sky photos you post of your rides in Arizona, I'd have thought you'd be perfect for solar with storage?
Does the house feed back into the electricity grid as they do here in the UK? Then obviously there is just the small matter of storage, using whatever method they find economical and then you pull it back from the grid when needed. Or of course the car could be charged during the day wherever it's parked..
As mentioned in the above post, no solar power at night and storage means even more batteries. It's batteries which are the achilles heal of the whole electrification process. Edit....... I've decided, I'm holding out for a nuclear fusion powered Street Scrambler.
Batteries are only one method of storage. Once you're into the grid there are many solutions. I like the idea of compressed air storage that I saw a while back... but water can be pumped uphill for later use, things such as salts can be superheated and used to boil water creating steam when required. Personally I like the idea of clockwork, going right back to tech that has been around hundreds of years, and no, I have no idea if it can be done, I just like the idea of a huge spring coiled up somewhere to power our bikes/cars/fridges etc as required. Unfortunately it all has a monetary cost on top of the original electricity generation that no one wants at the moment.
"What IS it with you Americans, with your guns and all your gas guzzling motorcars?" Blimey, how time flies...
I get the instant power etc but they’re both battery cars so will both have the instant power etc. It’s not like cars with V8s, V6s, straight 6s, straight 5s, straight 4s, triples, and a few twins. Electric is electric.
