Electric van

[user 22017]

^^ this
And each state have different laws regarding RHS vehicles. You might not be able to drive in some states, mail carriers (being federal) are exempted.

I did a search on Duck Duck Go and the top five results say they are perfectly legal in all states.

 

[abnorm]

^ Right hand drive is not the problem.........

Google says .......JDM has to be 25 yrs old to be legal here........ 1998.......and probably never in California.......

 

[RonDean]

I don't know what a "RHS vehicle" is, but if it refers to EVs I'd like to know which and why. Many states are now providing incentives for such a switch and according to the following link, 9 have plans to to ban gas powered cars. https://money.com/states-banning-gas-powered-cars/

IMO, having a life style that allows you to pull over and recharge and not having to be somewhere immediately, makes RVing perfect for some kind of EV RV.

 

[BlueMarkOhio]

For longer trips or van life, larger hybrid would make the most sense. Maybe it would be possible to add range via extra battery packs or a larger one if someone could fab it up.

I read in a Chrysler forum that the poster was able to hook up his house batteries to the regenerative breaking circuit in his drive batteries to extend range. He could flick a switch to recharge the drive batteries when there was plenty in his house batteries from solar etc.

 

[Happy Camper]

Would love a link for that if you can find it.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I don't know what a "RHS vehicle" is, but if it refers to EVs I'd like to know which and why. Many states are now providing incentives for such a switch and according to the following link, 9 have plans to to ban gas powered cars. https://money.com/states-banning-gas-powered-cars/
.....

I was abbreviating Right Hand Steering (steering wheel on the right side). I thought the previous posts would be enough explanation. (sorry about that)

EV manufacturing, along with all other consumers of computer chips are going to have supply chain issues for the next few years. Due to de-globalization, de-capitalization, political turmoil in component supplying countries, and famine, alternate raw materials and critical component suppliers will need to be developed. I don't think anyone knows how the market is going to be affected.

Right now there is a lot of pushback from banning ICE vehicles from parts of London. Politicians can pass laws but if people don't want it or the technology isn't mature it won't happen or if forced it will kill the economy.

 

[RonDean]

I was abbreviating Right Hand Steering (steering wheel on the right side). I thought the previous posts would be enough explanation. (sorry about that)

EV manufacturing, along with all other consumers of computer chips are going to have supply chain issues for the next few years. Due to de-globalization, de-capitalization, political turmoil in component supplying countries, and famine, alternate raw materials and critical component suppliers will need to be developed. I don't think anyone knows how the market is going to be affected.

Right now there is a lot of pushback from banning ICE vehicles from parts of London. Politicians can pass laws but if people don't want it or the technology isn't mature it won't happen or if forced it will kill the economy.

I figured the RHD out when it was too late to edit. Thanks for the illumination anyway.

ICE engines are BAD. They pollute and put us at the mercy of people that don't give 2 figs about anything but making more money. The mainstream EV industry is just getting started. Sure, there are some things to still work on. The first ICEs were not perfect either. Still aren't. "Toxic emissions from tailpipes of diesel and petrol cars have caused air pollution problems in European towns and cities for decades and cause tens of thousands of unnecessary, premature deaths each year." per https://www.transportenvironment.or...ars-when-it-comes-to-air-pollution-heres-why/ You can be sure this also applies to the US. Read the whole article and you will find it addresses pretty much all the standard EV push-back arguments.

Computer Chips? Yes, that's a concern. We no longer "own" the industry. But neither do those that hate us. Manufacturing of all kinds have gone global and diversified. I don't see that changing anytime soon. So, we need to learn better ways to deal with globalization. Recently we discovered the largest lithium deposit in the world just happens to be near the Oregon Nevada border. We still have much chip research going on in the U.S. And so on.

I'll still vote for cleaner air, lower global temps, milder weather patterns, more economic independence that EV can provide. There will be no sunshine embargo or OPEC-like group just deciding to raise the price of sunshine. Did I mention fewer deaths from all the fossil fuel pollution? I think that's kind of important too.

 

[Happy Camper]

I figured the RHD out when it was too late to edit. Thanks for the illumination anyway.

ICE engines are BAD. They pollute and put us at the mercy of people that don't give 2 figs about anything but making more money. The mainstream EV industry is just getting started. Sure, there are some things to still work on. The first ICEs were not perfect either. Still aren't. "Toxic emissions from tailpipes of diesel and petrol cars have caused air pollution problems in European towns and cities for decades and cause tens of thousands of unnecessary, premature deaths each year." per https://www.transportenvironment.or...ars-when-it-comes-to-air-pollution-heres-why/ You can be sure this also applies to the US. Read the whole article and you will find it addresses pretty much all the standard EV push-back arguments.

Computer Chips? Yes, that's a concern. We no longer "own" the industry. But neither do those that hate us. Manufacturing of all kinds have gone global and diversified. I don't see that changing anytime soon. So, we need to learn better ways to deal with globalization. Recently we discovered the largest lithium deposit in the world just happens to be near the Oregon Nevada border. We still have much chip research going on in the U.S. And so on.

I'll still vote for cleaner air, lower global temps, milder weather patterns, more economic independence that EV can provide. There will be no sunshine embargo or OPEC-like group just deciding to raise the price of sunshine. Did I mention fewer deaths from all the fossil fuel pollution? I think that's kind of important too.

I don't mind new tech improving things. But in the rush to get it done they have pushed the wrong parts of the idea before the very necessary foundational parts are at least ready to go.

Right now I'm paying over $5 a gallon for gas. That is mostly due to decisions made well before Ukraine or other factors.

The new EV tech is great and I look forward to it when it's ready and makes sense. I'm not happy that my gas costs $2 a gallon more than it did a couple years ago.

I have been saying that hybrid tech is really the best way to go until the much promoted infrastructure is ready to handle a country of EVs. But for some reason hybrid are now evil to many. It's the best way to bridge the gap.

And one more thing to consider. There are a lot of people that would love to see the future you mentioned that can't afford to live today because of higher gas prices. Which affect the prices of goods. Today is also very important.

 

[user 22017]

^ Right hand drive is not the problem.........

Google says .......JDM has to be 25 yrs old to be legal here........ 1998.......and probably never in California.......

I saw that, too. Right in my price range

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

.....
ICE engines are BAD. They pollute and put us at the mercy of people that don't give 2 figs about anything but making more money. The mainstream EV industry is just getting started .....

If you are dead set on getting an EV I'd get it now. Prices are going to go up a lot. Cost of the average EV went up 13% from 2021 to 2023. The UAW is demanding a 46% pay raise. I could see used EVs going for the same price a new for a while like truck prices did during the COVID lockdown.

What makes you think that the people that control the EV industries aren't just as greedy?

Computer Chips? Yes, that's a concern. We no longer "own" the industry. But neither do those that hate us. Manufacturing of all kinds have gone global and diversified. I don't see that changing anytime soon ....

Globalization as we have known it for the past 40 years is going away. It started before COVID. It has been tending towards regional for a while but it is going to take time to redevelop the infrastructure.

.... Recently we discovered the largest lithium deposit in the world just happens to be near the Oregon Nevada border .....

Lithium ore isn't the problem; it is abundant in the earth's crust. It's the processing into battery usable lithium that is the problem: it pollutes about 50 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of usable lithium. An EV uses about 1500 pounds.

There's lots more, but I have some other pressing things this weekend and by the time I get back to this we all will be on to something else.

 

[user 22017]

Computer Chips? Yes, that's a concern. We no longer "own" the industry. But neither do those that hate us.

Who hates us?

 

[RonDean]

Who hates us?

* It depends on who you ask, I suppose. Or on your politics.
Many folks in the oil-producing parts of the world don't like us a lot. Yes, I know we have to be careful with generalizations and there is a lot of oil being pumped in countries that don't feel this way. And attitudes can change over time. But, that's how I see it.

*As far as gas prices being affected by EVs? You might find the data on this site of interest. - https://www.agweb.com/news/business...tric-vehicles-actually-drive-down-prices-pump

The numbers indicate inflation, OPEC and other suppliers, and demand has a lot more to do with higher gas prices than EVs. In fact, the more EVs on the road the lower demand for gas. This would reduce - not increase - gas prices. Unfortunately, as the site explains, "The bottom line for consumers as EVs become more popular, reduced gas demand likely will not lower prices as refiners constrict supply. In fact, supplies will probably decrease slightly faster than demand, keeping prices high." - This is a factor of the "unfettered free enterprise" system we all so love.

 

[Happy Camper]

You keep believing what you want. You can spin statistics any way you want, and they do.

 

[RonDean]

You keep believing what you want. You can spin statistics any way you want, and they do.

Yup! It's possible to confuse and mislead with statistics. But, both sides of every issue run that risk, not just the folks you (or I) don't currently agree with. I try to always find multiple sources and also apply what seems to be all the logic my poor aging brain can handle. For example, More EVS on the road = fewer ICEs on the road. That means less demand for gas. In a system without someone putting their finger on the scale, this SHOULD reduce gas prices. The reason it might not be was also explained in the article I posted.

I am also old enough to remember visiting the LA basin back when the smog was so bad that you couldn't see the nearby mountains that are crystal clear these days. I believe this is because of the strict CA vehicle laws that irk so many people today. But many of them never experienced the bad times. Dirty air means lives lost too soon for some or a lifetime on oxygen for others.

These are just two examples that are not some kind of statistical mumbo-jumbo meant to fool anyone. However, I am totally willing to look at your sources and logic and if they make more sense, I'm more than willing to reconsider my position. But please don't just post suppositions and opinions. They are even less dependable than statistics.

 

[Happy Camper]

I've lived in Socal NY entire life. I remember the smog, and I also appreciate they did something about it.
Carb was formed to make it happen and they delivered.

But at this point I think carb has become far too powerful and is going above and beyond their initial directive. And not for the better.