Use My Money & Buy a Car!

Well it isn't yesterday, but here's my follow-up blog to Monday's tweet as a result of listening to RUSH on the radio jabbing the electric car. Allow me to start with... "I'm really not against these cars." I'm not against "Smart" cars (even if their name is a total oxymoron in every sense but consumption) or hybrids either. Heck, I'd love to see a Delorean with a blender on it too! But I am also a realist...

What I am against... "I am aggressively against being told that I am "dumb" because I don't drive a "Smart" car.....I'm against the notion that electric Hondas make more economical sense and environmental care than my Suburban (which I find impressively gets 17.8mpg avg and has for the two years I've owned it; on the hwy, I get 28+). AND I am totally against being told what I should drive!"

While I am up here on my soap box, let's say I feel compelled to have any one of these vehicles. Which one will fully accomodate a family of five, often shuttling kid buddies around with all their stuff (ie. baseball bags, dance bags, school bags, paintball gear/bags)?? As I note below, the cost of Electric cars are $$30-40+ THOUSAND DOLLARS! My loaded (though not top-o-the line) Suburban was on the low side of that window after dealing! Really? I'd be out of my mind stupid to buy an electric, less than 4-banger, barely 5-seater, PC "vehicle." But...let's consider the electric car:

The following was gleaned from RUSH's site, in which he quoted ABCNews.com: "Electric cars are powered by batteries that are charged by plugging them into a standard wall socket or a more powerful charging station. The charging station will cut your charging time roughly in half, and reduce the chance you'll trip a circuit in your home. But it will likely cost $2,000 or more, including installation. The price will rise if you need a new electrical panel, which could add another $2,000. The main thing to consider is how you are going to use your electric car. If your commute is short, or there's a charging station near your office, you might not need much of a charge at home. " (italics/bold added)

Let's just hold it right there. We are going to get to "how far can one drive on a charge?" here in a minute. How often do you think about how you are going to use your current gas-hog enviro-damaging four-wheel menace? Other than, "can I squeeze five more miles out of this "empty" tank?"....you probably don't think much about it. When I read a sentence like the one above, I beginning seeing myself mapping out everything because of a charge, and how long to re-charge. BUT IT GETS BETTER...

(ABC:) "A standard 120-volt wall socket will give a car about five miles of driving for every hour of charging. That means if you had a 40 mile round-trip commute you'd be able to charge in 8 hours." Chevy's FAQs site says most electric cars a 25 to 50-mile-per-charge distance, depending of course on many elements, and then it's eight hours to charge it to do that. Now, for kicks, you simply have to click on this link - here you can chuckle at the requirements of discomfort and speed control in order to achieve the maximum miles in a Nissan Leaf! Forget the AC. Leave early to drive slower. Don't dare exceed 38mph & forget 70mph speeds! Violate these rules....well, they don't say, but I am sure it is less than 70 mpg!

(ABC:) "If you deplete your battery all the way most days (at a 25-40 mile range, who wouldn't?), a charging station that is connected to a 240-volt socket, like ones used for most electric dryers, could be worthwhile. The $41,000 Chevrolet Volt and the $33,000 Nissan Leaf are set to go on sale next month. Buyers qualify for a federal tax credit of $7,500," because they have to be paid to buy these cars, and additional and local state subsidies in some cases might apply.

Just taking my daughters to dance, dropping them off and picking them up afterwards is 16 miles. School and back is 48miles. IF (which you will), you use the battery, the generator kicks in and you run on gas. Chevy has a 9.3 gallon tank that gets up to 344 mile on the tank or 37mpg. Hmm...expensive car for 40 miles of no emissions every eight hours of charge!

And what about that battery? Li-Ion batteries have huge DOT and international shipping regulations, certification requirements and costs involved. Chevy batteries are produced in Korea (cheap labor) and shipped here (thus part of the steep purchase price). Nissan Leaf has a whole page of how to get the most life out of these batteries (ever have your cell battery fade out on you - yeah, same thing). The Chevy is being released in CA, TX, MN, NJ, CT, NY, DC initially (how convenient - mostly tree-hugger states...TX has me baffled). One way to keep your Li-Ion Battery in longer life position is to "Park/store in moderate temperatures". Hmm. What about summer and winter?

Then, there is this whole "And the Government will 'Pay YOU' to buy the car" thing. >:/ - Really? Yep. Until the end of 2010, up to $50,000 tax credit (30% value). There is a $7500 tax credit after going on simultaneously. RUSH later gives his frustration of this - "have I ever been paid to buy Apple products?" If you have to be paid to buy it, there is something wrong. Further, why do MY taxes go to pay for YOUR stupid car choice?? YOU most certainly haven't helped ME pay off my four year loan on my Suburban!!

Couple thoughts:
* Will speed limits be dropped to accommodate/reinforce the efficiency of electric vehicles? To further prod potential buyers into the market?
* Would an ele-car pull a camper/trailer?
* Where is the money coming from to rebate/tax incentive these vehicles?
* Why not buy a KIA for more mpg and less overhead costs?
* What to do with the large Li-Ion Batteries as they expire?
* Why should other Americans pay for your car - even if it is stupid...I mean smart?
* Which should one expect to get more miles: a whimpy Smart Car with donut wheels, puny tank, zero crumple protection... OR.... an SUV? DUH....

Point is, I am all for new energy ideas. Just don't force me to get one or pay people to buy one. It takes a long time at 40miles of zero emissions per charge to recoup the $40,000 expense of a small "evo-friendly car." Additionally, you have that $4,000 potential cost to rewire your house. Finally, there is the cost of the electricity....which likely comes from a fossil fuel plant. I just don't see the logic yet...maybe one day. I can achieve essentially the same thing evo-friendly contribution just buying a regular high mpg car - for that matter check out the new Mustang! Even it gets 31mpg...

Common Sense...we must use it.