The Car Thread

[Witchfan]

I want the car companies to make new replicas of classic cars and give them EV guts.

[achilles]

I want the car companies to make new replicas of classic cars and give them EV guts.

That could work. I can think of any number of classic cars I'd love to have if only they weren't terrible in every way other than looks.

Speaking of which, for those who like it, the world's best loved/hated trio of car/travel/comedy show hosts are back with a new episode of "The Grand Tour" tomorrow night, about French cars. Like the previous one, "Lochdown", this one is also filmed in the UK, but tests classic French cars, presumably the ones that haven't fallen into rust just yet. Free for Amazon Prime members.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

It’s a shame that Ford, the company that gave America the Model T, the Mustang, the Thunderbird and the cruiser beloved of police departments from coast to coast, the Crown Victoria stopped making cars, focusing on SUV’s and pickup trucks. I know the money is in sport utilities and trucks, but it’s sad that there’s no room on the ledger sheet for actual cars, and don’t sell me on the electric Mustang which is in NO way a car and, in my opinion, looks like crap.

[MajorHoy]

It’s a shame that Ford, the company that gave America the Model T, the Mustang, the Thunderbird and the cruiser beloved of police departments from coast to coast, the Crown Victoria stopped making cars, focusing on SUV’s and pickup trucks. I know the money is in sport utilities and trucks, but it’s sad that there’s no room on the ledger sheet for actual cars, and don’t sell me on the electric Mustang which is in NO way a car and, in my opinion, looks like crap.

I thought they were still going to make non-EV Mustangs as well?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I thought they were still going to make non-EV Mustangs as well?

I could be wrong, but I don’t think they are.

[Kirby101]

They still make the mustang, but that's the only sedan, I think. The fusion will be a sedan-wagon mix.

[Witchfan]

Ford still makes the Mustang coupe. They will produce one more generation of gas Mustangs before switching over to an electric model. Ford has stopped making sedans, and the Escape has been given a car shape in order to replace the sedans.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

They still make the mustang, but that's the only sedan, I think. The fusion will be a sedan-wagon mix.

Ford still makes the Mustang coupe. They will produce one more generation of gas Mustangs before switching over to an electric model. Ford has stopped making sedans, and the Escape has been given a car shape in order to replace the sedans.

Thanks for the information.

[achilles]

I can understand having EVs in your lineup, but making them your entire lineup, as most auto makers have, by either 2025 or 2030, to meet government standards or head them off...sounds a bit problematic.

Given that California has indeed mandated that all new cars be EVs by that date, while at the same time the guy making that pitch, the governor, has also asked Californians NOT to charge their cars for fear of overwhelming our newly mostly solar or wind grid, which can't even begin to meet the peak demand now, without all those extra cars charging. And CA has by far the most charging stations in the nation. That in addition to the class and racial gap some have noted in the uptake on using EVs. As noted elsewhere, few of the lower income people cited in such articles can afford EVs in any event. Or their maintenance, which is much more expensive than with gas powered vehicles, (servicing them requires special skills and equipment).

[Kirby101]

I think if the infrastructure for EVs does not meet demand, those timelines will be extended. EVs cost more for repair now, which will change as more of them are on the road and more shops do the work. But it is important to note that EVs are cheaper to maintain over the life of the car than gas powered.

EVs are cheaper to maintain but may cost more to repair, research says

They are cheaper to own overall.

https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/articles/true-cost-of-ev

Fuel – the electricity required to drive 15,000 miles per year in a compact electric vehicle costs an average of $546, while the amount of gas required to drive the same distance costs $1,255 (or 130%) more.
Maintenance/Repair/Tires – electric vehicles do not require as much maintenance as gas-powered ones since they don’t need oil changes or air-filter replacements. If maintained according to the automakers’ recommendations, electric vehicles cost $330 less than a gas-powered car, a total of $949/annually.

[achilles]

I think if the infrastructure for EVs does not meet demand, those timelines will be extended. EVs cost more for repair now, which will change as more of them are on the road and more shops do the work. But it is important to note that EVs are cheaper to maintain over the life of the car than gas powered.

EVs are cheaper to maintain but may cost more to repair, research says

They are cheaper to own overall.

https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/articles/true-cost-of-ev

Cheaper to own? Maybe, though I somewhat doubt that study. As I do the idea that it will be cheaper to repair as time goes on. It isn't going to require cheaper ingredients; those rare earth metals are just not that easy to get. It won't get any easier as to the knowledge and skill and the danger involved in working with high voltage systems won't get any less.

Here's the thing though, the NY Times did a study on the "environmental payback period" of gas cars and EVs, which found the period for EVs to be 54 years. Mining rare earths is hideous from an environmental perspective, and then they have to be shipped across the globe for further processing, to Europe for some more, than it's shipped to Japan to make those batteries and other components. And EVs have to take into account the source of their electricity when calculating the environmental score. So EVs really aren't all that clean or good for the environment when you calculate the not so obvious costs of using them.

A worthy idea in need of a LOT of work on the basics to make it work the way it's supposed to.

[Kirby101]

A worthy idea in need of a LOT of work on the basics to make it work the way it's supposed to.

I agree with this. It needs to be done, we MUST move from fossil fuels, but I do think it will take more effort than we are currently using.

[achilles]

I agree with this. It needs to be done, we MUST move from fossil fuels, but I do think it will take more effort than we are currently using.

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised we haven't gone all Manhattan Project on that problem.

[Kirby101]

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised we haven't gone all Manhattan Project on that problem.

I should point out that Jimmy Carter started us down the path to do that. He had a plan to end use of fossil fuels in 25 years (that would have been around 2005). Ronald Reagan, the start of most things bad in America today, ended all those projects. America never got on track again. Now when we are faced with a disaster level crisis, we can only muster half measures.
G W Bush being appointed President over the winner, Al Gore, also set us back decades. Not only did any of Gore's agenda that would address climate change not happen, but Bush reversed all Clinton era environmental policies. By the time Obama got in, the country was in the midst of an economic crisis and there was little room to act on this in any substantial way. (and he only had 2 years before the GOP took Congress).

Today our nation is incapable to do anything big enough to matter, we might be incapable of doing anything at all. Except more tax breaks for the rich and corporations when the GOP is back in power.

End of rant, sorry for hijacking the thread.

[MajorHoy]

Maybe we should go back to steam-powered cars?

And have any companies seriously looked at incorporating solar panels into car roofs of EVs?
Maybe that would allow cars to recharge a little while on the road or parked in driveways?