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Volkswagen Bets Big On Electric Cars, Plans 30 Models By 2025 (usatoday.com)
An anonymous reader writes: German automaker Volkswagen plans to deliver 30 electric plug-in models by 2025. The new plan comes in the wake of a devastating emissions scandal that cast doubt on the future of its once-beloved diesel cars. It also exposes the immense challenges that the company will face internally. Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller suggested that Volkswagen Group, whose brands include Audi and Porsche, will "significantly" reduce the number of models it makes and will slash almost $9 billion in spending annually to bolster the bottom line.
Except they specifically refer to them as "plug in" electric vehicles. Which shows they have no intention to ditch their engines. They may even create travesties like the plug in prius (w/ 11mi range; not even worth plugging in).
That's not the only problem.
Not to mention places like Los Angeles, where our infrastructure is shit, power rates keep climbing, and we have multiple brown/blackouts during the summer months just from A/C usage alone. They're talking up to two weeks of blackouts this summer due to the Aliso Canyon fiasco. Just what we all need, electric cars that we can't charge because the power's out, and can't afford to charge because we've already got second mortgages just to keep the house cool when it's 110 outside. Electric cars are a great idea, but some places just aren't prepared for a massive influx of them.
They'll sneak little tiny diesel generators in all of them that pollute 10 times more than a regular diesel engine.
Diesels used as generators can generate less pollution, because they can run at an optimal constant speed.
They're talking up to two weeks of blackouts this summer due to the Aliso Canyon fiasco.
Obvious solution: Charge your car at night, when the ACs are mostly off, and there is plenty of cheap base load power.
I have an electric car, and it is preprogrammed to start charging at 2am.
TFA, as usual, is short on details but this may give a hint:
"The bet on fully electric vehicles will be paired with an investment in battery technology,"
(They have also announced that they are building their own battery "Gigafactory".)
A "fully electric" vehicle has no ICE engine. A hybrid has ICE and electric.
BEV is Battery Electric Vehicle (no ICE).
Plug-in Hybrid is an ICE engine hybrid electric that usually has a small battery which you can plug in to charge.
It will be interesting to see what they come up with. They pretty much single-handedly killed the diesel car and now they are scrambling to put something together so they can regain some green street cred.
I wish them luck.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Just... wrong.
Even if you get all of your electricity from dirty coal (like Colorado), it is still cleaner to drive an electric vehicle than a 35 mpg gas car because coal fired power plants are much more efficient than gas or diesel car engines and electric cars are much more efficient in using that electricity.
Plus, as we retire dirty coal plants, electric cars get even cleaner.
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-ve...
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
The IMF is a reputable organization.
http://www.imf.org/external/pu...
You, on the other hand, are just some random person on the internet.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
In absolute terms Volkswagen is outspending everyone else for research and development. And they have been high on the list for decades. I, for one, am hoping all that work finally pays off big.
If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.