Test drive of a petrol car

[A.t]

Cobalt isn't toxic?

Lithium isn't dangerous?

Studies also show that those charging their EVs with coal fired plants are 17-27% worse for "global warming potential" than gas or diesel. For natural gas, it's 12% better than gas and breaks even for diesel.

Another study suggests that the total CO2 emissions across the lifespan for li-ion and Ni-MH are higher than that of lead acid batteries.

Even the EPA has all but blatantly criticized the manufacturing processes of these batteries.

While it's all well and good that this car exists, and the technology is improving, it's not the magic bullet.

The "magic bullet" is hydrogen, however I care about my own health more than I care about the nature. I'm sick of inhaling absolutely crap gas every time I go out with the car, today I even felt it in myself. I live in a city where there are tons of cars around so electric is, at least, for now the way to go.

Adding up, in where I live most the electric energy comes from dams so I'm not afraid of any nuclear danger.

 

[Yuriman]

I already drive a ULEV car, which has a combustion engine that is very nearly 40% efficient in typical driving.

Food for thought though - if all vehicles suddenly switched over to electricity, tons of gasoline would become available and power plants would probably start burning lighter fuels. Assuming you're going to burn the same amount and type of fuel overall, I imagine it can be done cleaner and cheaper at a power station than in a small, portable ICE.

 

[slag]

I agree with Michael. There was an opportunity to make this an interesting piece of writing if the author had chosen a different angle and not been so smug.

 

[Ramses]

That guy test drove a 72 Pinto apparently.

 

[KentState]

The "magic bullet" is hydrogen, however I care about my own health more than I care about the nature. I'm sick of inhaling absolutely crap gas every time I go out with the car, today I even felt it in myself. I live in a city where there are tons of cars around so electric is, at least, for now the way to go.

Adding up, in where I live most the electric energy comes from dams so I'm not afraid of any nuclear danger.

What can of car are you driving that you are inhaling unburnt gas?

 

[A.t]

What can of car are you driving that you are inhaling unburnt gas?

I don't drive a can of car. As mentioned in the thread before, I drive a 2011 A4 Quattro. It has a catalytic converter and is not crap of a car that dissipates unburnt gas. It is not only my own car's gas that I'm disgusted of, it is more of others`, however as long as people are thinking prematurely like you, I'll keep having smoke pushed down my throat.

Like I also tried to mention before, the only cases where I see petrol as a viable option is where you want very high speeds on the cheap, such as an 8 sec quarter mile using a pro-street, pro-charged car. I.E, custom a 60's cammy SS with a 502 chevy or an IROC, or turbocharge Thunderbird body, Reher-Morrison matching Ford engine. Such setups can easily be had under $40k and blow anything else out of the water in price/performance. However, pro-street is not something for everybody and is likely not to be anytime soon.

If you're posting for the sake of trying to mention that I'm a crap car user or that your car is better than mine, then you're best of going back to where you came from.

 

[jlee]

I don't drive a can of car. As mentioned in the thread before, I drive a 2011 A4 Quattro. It has a catalytic converter and is not crap of a car that dissipates unburnt gas. It is not only my own car's gas that I'm disgusted of, it is more of others`, however as long as people are thinking prematurely like you, I'll keep having smoke pushed down my throat.

Like I also tried to mention before, the only cases where I see petrol as a viable option is where you want very high speeds on the cheap, such as an 8 sec quarter mile using a pro-street, pro-charged car. I.E, custom a 60's cammy SS with a 502 chevy or an IROC, or turbocharge Thunderbird body, Reher-Morrison matching Ford engine. Such setups can easily be had under $40k and blow anything else out of the water in price/performance. However, pro-street is not something for everybody and is likely not to be anytime soon.

If you're posting for the sake of trying to mention that I'm a crap car user or that your car is better than mine, then you're best of going back to where you came from.

Says the new guy. Yeah, good luck with that.

Electric cars are generally not viable for automotive enthusiasts, especially those who spend any time offroad.

 

[A.t]

Says the new guy. Yeah, good luck with that.

Electric cars are generally not viable for automotive enthusiasts, especially those who spend any time offroad.

Yes, because the join date is a display of how correct you are.

Electric cars, let's say, Tesla, require zero maintenance. They are the way to go except rare cases such as, the off-road you just mentioned.

How many people spend their time on off-road rather than asphalt? What is your point? I see myself as a car enthusiast and electric car is a viable option for me. In fact, it is a more viable option than most things else as with, let's say, pro-street, you may also end up buying a "junk car" but I don't think you even know what that actually stands for.

 

[jlee]

Yes, because the join date is a display of how correct you are.

Electric cars, let's say, Tesla, require zero maintenance. They are the way to go except rare cases such as, the off-road you just mentioned.

How many people spend their time on off-road rather than asphalt? What is your point? I see myself as a car enthusiast and electric car is a viable option for me. In fact, it is a more viable option than most things else as with, let's say, pro-street, you may also end up buying a "junk car" but I don't think you even know what that actually stands for.

It's not a matter of "correct" - it's a matter of attitude. Tact, if you will. Waltzing into a new community loudly announcing that anyone who disagrees with you can go f off isn't going to make you many friends. Then again, maybe you don't care.

Since apparently I don't know anything, I'll go back to building engines and offroading in Baja with my nasty petrol vehicles.

 

[A.t]

It's not a matter of "correct" - it's a matter of attitude. Tact, if you will. Waltzing into a new community loudly announcing that anyone who disagrees with you can go f off isn't going to make you many friends. Then again, maybe you don't care.

I'll leave that off to your thinking.

Since apparently I don't know anything, I'll go back to building engines and offroading in Baja with my nasty petrol vehicles.

I didn't say you don't know anything, but if I were to say such thing, I'd probably say you simply don't know as much as you think you do, and that might only be because how you throw away an electric car.

 

[KentState]

If you're posting for the sake of trying to mention that I'm a crap car user or that your car is better than mine, then you're best of going back to where you came from.

I know English isn't your first language, but want to clarify that I wasn't comparing cars. Unless the cars you are around have serious issues, you should not be breathing in unburnt gas. It will either be recirculated in the car or burnt off before exiting the tailpipe.

 

[jlee]

I know English isn't your first language, but want to clarify that I wasn't comparing cars. Unless the cars you are around have serious issues, you should not be breathing in unburnt gas. It will either be recirculated in the car or burnt off before exiting the tailpipe.

Or burnt off while exiting the tailpipes. And wastegate dump.

:awe:

:whiste:

 

[A.t]

I know English isn't your first language, but want to clarify that I wasn't comparing cars. Unless the cars you are around have serious issues, you should not be breathing in unburnt gas. It will either be recirculated in the car or burnt off before exiting the tailpipe.

The gas you speak of is gas. Whether it is unburnt or properly burnt, it is still the same petrol. Sure, unburnt petrol will smell worse than burnt gas. But then again, neither is any good for you. I think it is a PEBKAC situation here as you can't seem to understand such simple things.

 

[jlee]

The gas you speak of is gas. Whether it is unburnt or properly burnt, it is still the same petrol. Sure, unburnt petrol will smell worse than burnt gas. But then again, neither is any good for you. I think it is a PEBKAC situation here as you can't seem to understand such simple things.

😕

 

[A.t]

😕

Oh well we need a clarification here again.

Person A has an old, crap Taunus. Person B has a rather new Mustang in mint condition. Both person A and person B load up their cars with the same, high octane gas. However the crappy Taunus dissipates unburnt petrol unlike the Mustang. But, guess what? Both cars dissipate the same gas at the end of the day. Sure, the Mustang is maybe more efficient in such case.

Maybe it is clear now.

 

[Ramses]

Fix the taurus? It's not rocket science.

Not living where there are several million people crammed up your rear with the opportunity to have broken tauri for one to smell has worked out pretty well for me also. A large number of folks like car-smells and noises and such too. I'm sympathetic to those that do not, or are overly sensitive to foul smells and encourage them to live accordingly, but one should remember it's/they are not the norm. That old saying about attracting more fly's with honey than vinegar applies, being a hair more gracious would get one a lot further. For example I have a good friend of mine that gets moderate headaches from smelling fairly small amounts of diesel, but he's a genuine car-guy and gas, burned or otherwise, is of no concern. So he does not buy diesels, and he's happy for those that can enjoy them. It's still abnormal, but it's OK, and he handles it quite well.

 

[natto fire]

I am not reading that, just skimming, and enjoy a good Tesla thread, 😛. I have ridden in and driven a P85D, and I would consider it a performance car from the torque aspect alone, 864 ft-lbs is no joke. I also think it has a well polished interior and like the screen, but I am hardly an authority on what luxury is in a car. It is without a doubt, by a wide margin, the most fun car I have ever driven. I have liked torque ever since I learned how to pop a wheelie on an old diesel Massey-Ferquson tractor some 18 years ago.

 

[jlee]

Oh well we need a clarification here again.

Person A has an old, crap Taunus. Person B has a rather new Mustang in mint condition. Both person A and person B load up their cars with the same, high octane gas. However the crappy Taunus dissipates unburnt petrol unlike the Mustang. But, guess what? Both cars dissipate the same gas at the end of the day. Sure, the Mustang is maybe more efficient in such case.

Maybe it is clear now.

I have no idea what your point is unless you actually think an old car's emissions are the same as a new car.

 

[Ramses]

I have no idea what your point is unless you actually think an old car's emissions are the same as a new car.

He's drawing conclusions based solely on layman observation without any real knowledge of the systems/things that he's observing (beyond the very very obvious.) As in, "these two cars both have gas go in so same gas comes out" The problems with that are clear to anyone with a little knowledge/training/google-ability. It isn't even so much that it's wrong even though it is, but it's that it's a tiny step toward grasping the fullness of the situation and that tiny step shouldn't be taken unless one is willing to take a few more. This sort of thing is a real pain to work with since the person should have realized on their own that there was more to a thing than they are observing, and not come to/vocalized conclusions in the first place without either deferring to those better informed for guidance or becoming better informed themselves. The fact that they did go with those off the cuff conclusions and present them as gospel is telling.
It's OK when it's someone really young, like early teens or prior, but nobody older than that should be doing such.

Welcome to the internet I guess?

 

[Ramses]

I am not reading that, just skimming, and enjoy a good Tesla thread, 😛. I have ridden in and driven a P85D, and I would consider it a performance car from the torque aspect alone, 864 ft-lbs is no joke. I also think it has a well polished interior and like the screen, but I am hardly an authority on what luxury is in a car. It is without a doubt, by a wide margin, the most fun car I have ever driven. I have liked torque ever since I learned how to pop a wheelie on an old diesel Massey-Ferquson tractor some 18 years ago.

I had a friend when I was a kid with a go-kart his enterprising father had converted to battery power. It was fast, he changed the gearing as the kid got older, and the instant on torque was brutal if you could get traction. Had jack crap in the way of personality though. The go-kart, not the kid.
I'm all for electric cars, I figure if enough of them get in general use it'll get the smog monkeys off the real car enthusiasts backs when we become a minority polluters(which we are already). Plus more gas for us. I'm also eagerly awaiting some viable, affordable battery solutions for converting older vehicles to electric power. You'd think they were brand new but there have been electric cars for ages. Most of the big US manufacturers either toyed with them or had some decent sized outfits retrofitting them right off the line back in the early 80's, I can't count how many moldering 80-81 Escort EV's and Rabbits and Chevettes and such I've come across sitting around, needing batteries lol.. It was always the damn batteries.
GM had this thing in the mid 90's that everyone thinks they killed because it worked too well(within the bounds of available batt-tech) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1
People have been converting VW Rabbits for decades, there was a guy with the "EV Pusher" years ago that had the front end of a Rabbit set up as a trailer pushing his car, I can't remember if the car was electric and the supplemental pusher was diesel or vice versa. It was a unique setup. Laptops and cellphones have probably done more to foward EV than anything else.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

It looks like it was written by an idiot from the future.

that was one of the stupidest things I have ever read

It could've been good. If the author wasn't so smug

i couldn't make it very far into it. i like tesla, but they should leave the itwat routine to apple.

 

[A.t]

I have no idea what your point is unless you actually think an old car's emissions are the same as a new car.

An old car may be actually more efficient than a new car. It was just a thrown up assumption. It's a matter of how many cylinders, how much power there is and how much of it is put on how efficiently AND which emission rules the car fits into.

He's drawing conclusions based solely on layman observation without any real knowledge of the systems/things that he's observing (beyond the very very obvious.) As in, "these two cars both have gas go in so same gas comes out" The problems with that are clear to anyone with a little knowledge/training/google-ability. It isn't even so much that it's wrong even though it is, but it's that it's a tiny step toward grasping the fullness of the situation and that tiny step shouldn't be taken unless one is willing to take a few more. This sort of thing is a real pain to work with since the person should have realized on their own that there was more to a thing than they are observing, and not come to/vocalized conclusions in the first place without either deferring to those better informed for guidance or becoming better informed themselves. The fact that they did go with those off the cuff conclusions and present them as gospel is telling.
It's OK when it's someone really young, like early teens or prior, but nobody older than that should be doing such.

Welcome to the internet I guess?

Yeah, sadly from what I observed over the Internet is that, many people go with a car over its looks and sound rather than its functionality. Like children, people tend to like the old muscle cars and such, and if you give a Duster, sorry, I mean, candy to children, surely they'll accept it over an electric vehicle.

 

[Ketchup]

An old car may be actually more efficient than a new car...

I would love to know where this assumption is coming from.

 

[A.t]

I would love to know where this assumption is coming from.

My A4 Quattro, because of its intercooled turbo engine, burns about 5lt more than an old Northstar from 90's at average.

You simply can not say it is the other way around unless you exactly know how efficient the two cars you're comparing are.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

My A4 Quattro, because of its intercooled turbo engine, burns about 5lt more than an old Northstar from 90's at average.

You simply can not say it is the other way around unless you exactly know how efficient the two cars you're comparing are.