Porsche Goes Electric

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by vincesf

With Tesla owners finally taking delivery of their electric sports cars, and the price of gas almost at $5.00 per gallon in the U.S., Porsche will need to look hard at plug in electric/hybrid technology within the next few years, not only as planned for the Cayenne, but I dare say on their 997 and 987 variants. The 987 is a natural for electric conversion, as it has more than enough space to accommodate an electric motor and battery packs. In fact, in the next 10 years owners of the 986/987 should seriously contemplate a changeover to electric rather than a $15,000 gas engine replacement. I on the otherhand will be happy to keep my gas guzzling '08 987 S, and take delivery of my all electric Aptera in Feb. '09 (see photo attached). The range on the Aptera is 120 miles, top speed 90 mph, 0-60 in 9.5 seconds, and recharges in 2 hours on a regular house plug. My friends, as strange as it looks, the electric car is just in its infancy, and represents the future of cars. Porsche will be relegated to a fun novelty to drive on weekends if and when gas hits $10.00 per gallon, and shall need to change much quicker to meet market demands in an energy challenged world.
vincesf

Not to burst your bubble but why do you assume that the cost of electricity will not move along with the price of general energy sources? I guess I am puzzled as to why electric power will be a big bargain. That is certainly not true for heating your home, for example, as electric is far more expensive than natural gas and oil.

Certainly, a hybrid CAN be more efficient than a straight fuel car but there are trade-offs. I would have to add the costs of electric power, battery replacement and the like.

To me, I can't see any mode of transportation being a big bargain in the future.

Just my take on it.

[rick3000]

Personally, I think electric cars are another bait and switch type tactic. They will keep saying in a few more years we'll have a good electric but for know buy a gas car, and they never deliver. I think diesels or diesel hybrids that get 65+ MPG are the best solution, but I have been wrong before. The biggest problem with electric cars most people don't consider is the $8k battery replacement every few years.

[vincesf]

Originally Posted by rick3000

Personally, I think electric cars are another bait and switch type tactic. The biggest problem with electric cars most people don't consider is the $8k battery replacement every few years.

Electric cars may not be the solution to solving the world's energy crisis, they certainly will help in its transition. In the next 20 years, we shall experience a transition away from the internal combustion engine that was invented in the 19th Century, to a much cleaner, more efficient engine to drive automobiles of the future.
vincesf

[Perfectlap]

The expensive battery problem has many solutions. Nissan/Renault are cooking up a line of electric cars where rather than having bespoke batteries for each type of car, we'll have interchangeable batteries which are handed off at a gas station and a full charged one is put in. Solar panels could charge the batteries during the day and cheaper overnight rates would be used to charge the drained batteries.
Well at least that's how I understood it.

Sounds almost toooo logical.

[Quickurt]

How about disposing of or recycling the harsh chemicals in these new batteries. I don't think we need another nuclear waste storage problem, as manufactured as that is.
My brother in law is a Miami fireman and he says they already have warnings about containing anything leaking out of a Prius or Insight if involved in an accident.
I can see it now, starring Jane Fonda, an almost impossible random accident involving a Prius and an Insight. Crashing aluminum, magneseum, steel and unobtainium battery chemicals. Blah-woooosh, The Japan Syndrome!

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by Quickurt

How about disposing of or recycling the harsh chemicals in these new batteries. I don't think we need another nuclear waste storage problem, as manufactured as that is.
My brother in law is a Miami fireman and he says they already have warnings about containing anything leaking out of a Prius or Insight if involved in an accident.
I can see it now, starring Jane Fonda, an almost impossible random accident involving a Prius and an Insight. Crashing aluminum, magneseum, steel and unobtainium battery chemicals. Blah-woooosh, The Japan Syndrome!

That is funny!

Godzilla in the form of a battery?