Slashdot Mirror
Company Builds Fast Charging Station For Electric Cars
thecarchik writes "Japanese based JFE Engineering has released its ultra-fast charge station. Designed to comply with the CHAdeMo standard developed by Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota, the system is capable of charging a 2011 Mitsubishi i-Miev from empty to 50% full in just three minutes. Even just three minutes plugged into the fast-charge station was enough to enable a standard 2011 Mitsubishi i-Miev to travel a further 50 miles before further charging was required."
I would be inclined to stand back before switching the power on. And I don't think I would leave the kids in the car during the charging operation.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
I have never owned or even driven one save for a golf cart. My experience with the golf cart leaves me doubt as to whether an electric car can deliver enough torque to climb steep inclines.
Have you tried a Tesla? I hear they are fast.
Heck, what happens when you are stuck in snow all the while, the spinning of wheels eating away at your juice? Scary, isn't it?
Heck, what happens when you are stuck in snow all the while, the spinning of wheels eating away at your fuel? Scary, isn't it?
http://michaelsmith.id.au
they lack the range to be useful outside of a commuter scenario
And that scenario only makes up, what, about 80% of the passenger car miles driven in North America?
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
Heck, what happens when you are stuck in snow all the while, the spinning of wheels eating away at your fuel? Scary, isn't it?
When stuck in snow, the need to keep warm and therefore keep the engine running consumes fuel. When you finally run out of gasoline, you can replenish your supply via some container. How the heck do you do that if your primary source of energy if a battery? This is the problem.
My experience with the golf cart leaves me doubt as to whether an electric car can deliver enough torque to climb steep inclines.
Er, what? When dealing with electric motors, you have much more torque than a comparable gas motor.
It will probably rely on some sort of capacitor-based local storage, so it'll always be drawing power from the grid, but at a steady pace awaiting the next charge.
Extreme environments pose challenges for vehicles. There are examples you can point to where EVs may not be appropriate. But say I want to camp in the desert. The nearest petrol station is 1000km away. I could use a bank of photocells to charge my vehicle on site.
And BTW 1000km is quite realistic for remote areas in my country.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
I think that, on some level, owning a car actually represents a certain measure of personal freedom to many individuals in our society: specifically, the freedom to be able to go to and fro, wherever one wants, and whenever they want. I think that this association is made subconsciously even if they don't actually exercise that liberty. To that end, I believe that people's problem with the range of EV's is less of an issue of actually needing a really large range on a daily basis and more an issue of having the freedom to drive almost anywhere they might want to on a spur of the moment, if they should so choose.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
I agree completely. As with most issues, it's a matter of separating the emotional part from the practical part.
a gas turbine is over 80% efficient
:-)
I imagine they're also very efficient at annoying the neighbors with the noise.
Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas
I would be inclined to stand back before switching the power on. And I don't think I would leave the kids in the car during the charging operation.
But you're happy to have your kids in a car while you fill it up with 50 liters of some toxic and highly flammable liquid or even gas.
You don't have to heat the fuel tank to do that.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
Sure, but who wants to buy a car that only gets 100 miles, then needs to be recharged every 50 miles?
I do! My work is located ~15miles from my home and I could charge the car (for free!) all day while I'm working. A car which could go ~100 miles would cover almost all my personal transportation needs (not only to and from work), and if I would need to go longer I could rent or borrow another car (or take a bus / cab).
Whereas 90% of journeys have 1 adult and no luggage.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it