Ecological Transition: EVs will replace all ICE cars

[Subduction Zone]

The design is absurd, and it probably costs way too much, but the idea is sound. Most of us are driving short distances with one or two people on board a huge majority of the time. A small, lightweight, two-person EV that is safe and inexpensive would be a hit with many people. Unfortunately, no one wants to build one for some reason. Probably having to do with profit margins.

What makes it "absurd"? The last I saw it was priced at $15,500. It was made in Canada. It does not have air bags, but it does have quite a few safety features. And it might even qualify for the carpool lanes.

 

[Revoltingest]

3 wheels at 80mph?
Hah!
That thing would easily start bouncing like a football.

3 wheel cars are best limited to cartoons.

 

[PureX]

What makes it "absurd"? The last I saw it was priced at $15,500. It was made in Canada. It does not have air bags, but it does have quite a few safety features. And it might even qualify for the carpool lanes.

It looks like someone just chopped off the back half of the vehicle and stuck a wheel under it to hold it up. I think a good designer could do a lot better then that. But I do like the price, and that it's made in Canada. Give it 4 wheels and it's own integrated design and I think they'd have something.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Okay, I guess three wheels is too many for some. I also saw one of these on the street locally. I am pretty sure that it was not this model. They are not yet available in models that go freeway speeds. So you would have to limit your trips to in city:

That one is spendy, it is a bit less per wheel than the SOLO. It has a top speed close to 45 mph. I can't remember its range.

By the way, you never want to hit "top speed" with any of these. That is always followed closely be a crash. It needs to be able to accelerate and decelerate to keep the ride vertical. Think of it as an anorexic Segway on steroids.

Most of these are under $1,000 and have a top speed of about 30 mph. That one is about $4,500 and has a top speed of about 45.

 

[Subduction Zone]

3 wheels at 80mph?
Hah!
That thing would easily start bouncing like a football.

3 wheel cars are best limited to cartoons.

There is a huge design flaw in the Reliant Robin. Its two wheels are in the back. Please note how safely and easily Homer drives through traffic.

But seriously, one wheel in front? What were they thinking?

 

[Revoltingest]

There is a huge design flaw in the Reliant Robin. Its two wheels are in the back. Please note how safely and easily Homer drives through traffic.

But seriously, one wheel in front? What were they thinking?

4 wheels are the minimum necessary for stability.
Mr Van has 6. It's a good improvement over 4.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Ooh, I have to take back my top speed of that unicycle. it can hit 60 mph. Still not quite freeway speed. In a year or two I would not be surprised if they broke 70 mph. And like all vehicles your mileage may vary. In the following video they claimed to have drained it inn only 16 miles. But they were trying to do that. Probably had a lot of offroad hill climbing. With regular usage its mileage could be ten times that:

 

[Subduction Zone]

4 wheels are the minimum necessary for stability.
Mr Van has 6. It's a good improvement over 4.

See above video. Now Mr. Van may have a slight edge in the cargo department. But that unicycle looks insanely fun.

 

[Revoltingest]

See above video. Now Mr. Van may have a slight edge in the cargo department. But that unicycle looks insanely fun.

Until a falling.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Did you say "SMALL"? I saw one of these about a month ago. It has a one hundred mile range and a top speed of 80 mph:

Meet SOLO - The Single-Seat EV Commuter

"Solo" is its name and it is name appropriately. it is a one passenger vehicle. It does have good "trunk" space for supermarket trips. It is very good looking I know nothing about its rideability.

Over flat terrain you might get 100 miles. Over hilly terrain? Good luck with that.

 

[fantome profane]

Here in Michigan, I'm having trouble finding a bicycle with snow tires.

Love your idea though.

I live in Hamilton Ontario, and for the last 8 years I have ridden my bike all through the winter, with the exception of a few days when it is not practical.

It is a very good solid mountain bike, a little ice and snow ain’t gonna stop me.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Fuel prices.
Culture.

When I watch TV shows like All Creatures Great &
Small, I wonder how their tiny cars can ever pass
each other on roads the size of my driveway.

We spend a lot of time giving way to each other. There are no rules as to who should back up when necessary.

 

[Wildswanderer]

I am so thrilled.
I have a dream, guys. That we live in a world where in cities people go to work on bicycle or they take the electric train, or the electric bus.
Germany has already wonderful hydrogen-engine trains and Italy is buying them too.

Few cars, no traffic, bicycles everywhere. Beautiful.

Europe’s industry and the ecological transition

Ugh. I'll stick with my V-8.
Never have to plug it in.

 

[metis]

I live in Hamilton Ontario

I've been through there several times but never stopped. Here in the Detroit area, we've only had one measurable snowfall, and even that wasn't much. I think we're well on our way for a new record low amount for the winter. Now, when I live in Kalamazoo, that was part of the snowbelt, and we had one storm that came through in 1967 that dropped 36 inches of blowing/drifting snow in 2 days. No car for 3 days, but I had my girlfriend.

It is a very good solid mountain bike, a little ice and snow ain’t gonna stop me.

I never had one of those, and at 77, I think I'll pass on getting one. I do walk or work outside 5-6 days a week, and that'll have to do.

 

[fantome profane]

I've been through there several times but never stopped.

Yep, that is pretty much Hamilton.

I never had one of those, and at 77, I think I'll pass on getting one. I do walk or work outside 5-6 days a week, and that'll have to do.

Fair enough. I am 53, I might not be doing this too much longer.

 

[Pete in Panama]

I didn't mean to eliminate all cars.
Cars will be fundamental so people can move from place to place.
But on a daily basis, people will use, besides their own cars, and if possible, other means of transportations like electric buses, electric trains (subway, tramway) etc...

My take is that (like u said) ICE's are going to be with us indefinitely, but for me EV's are still powered by coal and fracking (where most of our electricity now comes from) and would never exist even now w/o their subsidies that I have to pay for.

While I apologize for raining on your parade, I'm unimpressed.w/ EV's.

 

[Subduction Zone]

My take is that (like u said) ICE's are going to be with us indefinitely, but for me EV's are still powered by coal and fracking (where most of our electricity now comes from) and would never exist even now w/o their subsidies that I have to pay for.

While I apologize for raining on your parade, I'm unimpressed.w/ EV's.

You appear to be living in the past. Yes, a significant amount of energy comes from those sources currently. But since renewable energy is now the least expensive energy and is still getting less expensive as the technology improves we will see more and more carbon based energy retire.

 

[Estro Felino]

My take is that (like u said) ICE's are going to be with us indefinitely, but for me EV's are still powered by coal and fracking (where most of our electricity now comes from) and would never exist even now w/o their subsidies that I have to pay for.

While I apologize for raining on your parade, I'm unimpressed.w/ EV's.

Just one thing about my country. The enormous unfathomable gap between boomers and millennials.
The 70% of cars nowadays in my country are owned by boomers.

Boomers have all made children (us millennials, basically). The 95% did.
We millennials don't make children. Do you know how many people made children in my high school class of 25 people? Five people. Five. Out of Twenty-five.
There will be, soon, in few decades, a collapse of the population. There will be much less cars...and people will have to choose.

The powerful elites of the EU desperately try to fill Europe with migrants and illegals. But these will never be able to afford a car, whether EV or ICE car.

 

[Pete in Panama]

You appear to be living in the past...

Quite possibly. My intent is to be living in the present, and to do that I work w/ info that's come to me --info that was created in the past.

...Yes, a significant amount of energy comes from those sources currently. But since renewable energy is now the least expensive energy and is still getting less expensive as the technology improves we will see more and more carbon based energy retire.

Let's not get into predictions about the future, they can become far too controversial.

Hydro power can be cheaper some places, but more often than not most cases find that wind and solar are much more expensive because they consume too much of the most costly resources of our environment. Their increased use is the result of increased subsidies that you're making me pay for.

I prefer not.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Quite possibly. My intent is to be living in the present, and to do that I work w/ info that's come to me --info that was created in the past. Let's not get into predictions about the future, they can become far too controversial.

Hydro power can be cheaper some places, but more often than not most cases find that wind and solar are much more expensive because they consume too much of the most costly resources of our environment. Their increased use is the result of increased subsidies that you're making me pay for.

I prefer not.

No, you are living in the past. You should do your own homework. Solar is the cheapest energy today. Close followed by onshore wind energy.