The early 20th century saw both gasoline and electric cars being built, sold, and used until gasoline cars ultimately became the universal standard for cars. So what changes need to be made for electric cars to become more popular and and be the standard for future cars?
Is it possible for Electric Cars to become the standard?
- Thread starter The Plainsman
- Start date
hipper
Banned
better (cheaper) battery technology improved charging times and a large scale new source of energy, otherwise what's the point?
I agree with Hipper. The largest problem with electric cars was they didn't travel very far. If you can overcome that you have something. Maybe this culture sticks to trains for long distance and cars for local. Even then, Americans love their independence. Tesla has an epiphany and comes up with a better battery?
What does petroleum do for a battery? I'm actually not really sure.
Petroleum cost would be higher for a country forced to import all from abroad, so locally produced electricity might be a cheaper alternative for transport
marathag
Banned
Power dense batteries takes a lot of fancy materials and chemistry, and then there is the price.
Lead/Sulfuric Acid wasn't surpassed in amp/hour/Dollar till the 1970s, and those had number of cycle and cost issues.
So you really need modern materials and microprocessor controlled charging for EVs to become really practical and popular.
Before that, it will be niche, like golfcarts
I meant, why do batteries need petroleum.
Could these things have been possible to be made at or before the early 1900's? Because otherwise it seems the only way electric cars can become popular is if the development of the internal combustion engine is somehow hampered.
They dont, but a vehicule with a battery (using electricity) would be an advantage over a petroleum car in a country forced to import (and thus paying higher cost) all its oil
Driftless
Donor
Nothing directly - it would be the trade-off between two fuels for the vehicle - either it's an internal combustion engine (using some petroleum based fuel) or an electric powered drive. The secondary connection would be whatever fuel runs the centralized electricity power generation plant
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marathag
Banned
No, the only options are Lead Acid and Nickel-Iron, and the latter isn't suited for mobile use, low power density and slow charge rates.
If you delay IC, that just open the way for Steam
Except at the time the US had a large share of the world's oil so they didn't mind as much when it came to petroleum.
Ya'll are thinking inside the box. Focusing exclusively on batteries. Preautomobile the electric interurbans had been started & those ran for 3-4 decades. Figure out a practical way for automobiles to run off the electric grid to extend time between battery recharge. Electric power cables were extended over urban city streets for the large commuter trolleys. Maybe that is possible for the automobile owner? Temporally run off the grid when using major thoroughfares and highways?
I do agree electric autos sound more practical in regions with a high petrol cost.
I do agree electric autos sound more practical in regions with a high petrol cost.
SsgtC
Banned
That's a disaster waiting to happen. Those caternary wires are deadly. And you want Joe Blow from down the street to be connecting and disconnecting his car to them on a daily basis? One mistake raising or lowering the pantograph, and Joe is getting lit up like a Christmas tree.
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So, something like a dual-mode bus, with a pantograph or a bow collector to connect to the overhead power lines which also charges the car's battery.
Even those saying that petroleum being expensive could boost electric is seriously underestimating how cheap oil was is the past. In the past it wasn't expensive it was just limited in location and as long as you had good trade relations with an oil producer it wasn't an issue.
Trolleys worked because they were like trains with set tracks and routes. In order to have cars run on a similar system you would need something like the metal grids over bumper cars like at an amusement park over every street, which is insanely impractical and expensive.
Trolleys worked because they were like trains with set tracks and routes. In order to have cars run on a similar system you would need something like the metal grids over bumper cars like at an amusement park over every street, which is insanely impractical and expensive.
Trolleybusses don't need them. Why should trolleycars? Anyway, bumper cars drive over a low-friction surface.
Devvy
Donor
It's all on the battery capacity, even in Europe where shorter distances prevail.
The most popular I can see them being is a worse Oil Crisis of the early 1970s, which skyrockets oil prices in Europe who were dependent on Middle Eastern oil. This spurs electric development, particularly in France with it's plentiful cheaper nuclear energy, with battery development increasing from the 50 miles or so in the 1970s to 150 in the 1990s. By the end of the 20th century, electric cars are the norm in most of Europe, and making significant inroads in to areas of North America; the East Coast, California, Chicago area. Japan and South Korea have also experienced a similar switch to Europe.
The most popular I can see them being is a worse Oil Crisis of the early 1970s, which skyrockets oil prices in Europe who were dependent on Middle Eastern oil. This spurs electric development, particularly in France with it's plentiful cheaper nuclear energy, with battery development increasing from the 50 miles or so in the 1970s to 150 in the 1990s. By the end of the 20th century, electric cars are the norm in most of Europe, and making significant inroads in to areas of North America; the East Coast, California, Chicago area. Japan and South Korea have also experienced a similar switch to Europe.
marathag
Banned
1st Problem is taking the overhead DC voltage(600V at minimum), and getting that to a voltage and current level that won't smoke your battery tray. For WWI era, easiest way is a motor-generator set.
2nd is rubber tires prevent a ground path to complete the circuit to Ground/Earth
So you would have to drag a long steel chain(s), like a drag harrow, to hope to make good contact with the street rails for the circuit to complete