Mercedes is going “All In” on Electric…👎 With their recent record on batteries one has to wonder….
‘There is an error when it says all Electric by 2025…s.b. 2030 nothing new except for the investment details.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/daiml...110528481.html

 

Get 'em while you can.

 

It’s the future and No company will be investing in further development of ICE in the future. We must face the fact the future is electric. I wish there were more choices immediately. I normally buy my cars but I think my next car will be a lease EV. The technology is changing so quickly, I don’t want to end up with an obsolete EV three years after purchase.

 

The ICE was maxed out years ago. The big holdup for electric cars is of course infrastructure and charge times. Once there are more electric cars on the road, the infrastructure will catch up, like putting your cart before the horse. Most people aren't "car people." A car to them is a utility device. Any skeptics of electric will get on board once they realize the operating costs and reliability (not talking about MB here!) are minimal compared to ICE.

 

That's what they said in 1938, 1955, 1975, and the 1990's.
However, it is said that if ICE's reach 50% efficiency, they will be cleaner than EV's.
The ICE is approaching that now.
It'd be a shame to kill the clean power plants of tomorrow by legislative fiat, but there are many stupid things that lawmakers (or Administrations) have done in the past, that have harmed the Planet or Humanity with their unintended consequences.

EV's have their place, I'm considering one. But it'll probably be 40 - 50 years before they are practical in most of the US.

 

Here's a publication from Crain Publications (Automotive News) about EVs. I haven't reviewed it, but Crain is usually a reliable source.
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cra...zine#/p/Cover1

 

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Cheers,

 

The News feeds are loaded with MB Electric news. I think there was a Canadian Auto Show starting today.
Mercedes is going to have more EV’s by year end 2022 and high density batteries. Plans to build eight partnered battery mega factories, etc.

I might try an AMG Hybrid but have doubts about the Formula 1 4 banger. How long will a 2 liter with 450 hp last? Maybe they will put the 6 & 8 hybrid in the GLE AMG’s.

Let someone else be the guinea pig for the EV’s. I think the massive Forrest Fires in the West are wiping out the next several years of emission savings.

 

Well, now PG&E will spend $10 - $30 Billion to bury 10,000 miles of electrical lines to prevent recurrence of the fires they have started - in part because CA bankrupted them by forcing them to buy out-of-state "clean" energy, so they fell behind in maintenance. https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...eas/ar-AAMpSgl
Since the rest of the US follows CA, expect that new EV grid to be delayed by the additional cost, and environmental impact, of burying lines. And of course, the lines must be much larger gauge because they don't have the free-air cooling of tower lines. So the copper shortage will be greater. It goes on.....

 

This is all old news....I want my flying car! They said in the 50's we'd have flying cars by now.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dZIpG7hFHEw

 

I saw that & also wonder how much it will increase the power bills that are already the highest in the Country. They might have to increase gas taxes again or fossil fuels will have too much of an edge.

 

It will be paid by ratepayers. In addition they've petitioned the PUC (?) to charge solar rooftop users more for their grid access. Also considering decreasing overnight charge subsidies to EV owners.
But you might be right about increasing gas taxes to reduce that advantage.

 

I was kind of kidding about the gas taxes but Cali isn’t bashful about any kind of new taxes.

 

That's probably a really good idea. I may do the same.

 

Eagerly awaiting the EQE SUV debut, which I expect to happen on the 2021 Munich Motor Show on September 6th this year.

 

I read an article earlier this week that said that the world's capacity to produce batteries for EV's, will be maxed out by 2025. I am trying to find the article. I am also wondering if this will impact our military ground war capabilities

This is not the article I referred to, but it makes the point: https://www.autoweek.com/news/a37079...tery-shortage/

Battery manufacturing is a very intense user of electric power. There are several large manufactures of batteries in Berks County Pennsylvania. They present some of the largest, if not the largest (I no longer have access to the data since retiring 15 years ago), loads to the regional electric grid.

 

I have a little over 9kw of solar panels on my roof. Right now I am paid by the power company for excess power I feed in to the grid. If I lose that advantage, I'll invest in batteries and go totally off grid. As battery technology improves, it's getting cheaper and more efficient.

 

Unless we have a disruptive technology breakthrough in distributed power generation; the electric generating infrastructure required will not be able to keep up. If we go full electric, distributed power generation is going to be key -- my 2 cents.

 

That could be the scenario. However electric companies will fight that, because they will still have to keep their infrastructure alive and relevant for those who can't afford their own power, or join a cooperative. Either way, it will compromise the current grid. Catch 22.

 

There may come a time that the Power Co/Government will allocate how much power you can use through the thermostat/meter at your home. If not the amount of total power, maybe they will level out usage by some other method. I hope I’m wrong but Government seems to have a habit of leading from behind. Highway districts in my area wait until congestion is so bad that no one opposes the high cost of widening the road. There are revenues generated from various fees and taxes but seldom spent looking foreword. Instead of acquiring right of way early, they wait until those acquisitions cost more than the road improvements themselves. Highway Districts have 5, 10, 20 year plans but seldom if ever fund anything in advance.
I see ever increasing Electric Power needs taking the same approach since almost any new plant will be opposed by some group. It’s more than just EV’s since our population growth and other Electrification will also be a factor.

 

If everyone uses their stoves at dinner time , why can’t the grid handle charging cars at night when there is much less demand for power. I don’t see an issue.

 

Can you support your statements with your professional credentials, sir? We WILL adapt, that much I can assure you of.

Such a ludicrously broad brush is being painted with here. Get off my lawn?! Yeah, I think so!

edit - directed at Texas and Mica, and probably Ron too.

 

Like, really. Such silliness being propagated here.

 

Other than TexAg, probably few of us, pro or con, have any credentials. I have read a little about the supply/demand issue in the US, done by a professional. It’s a lot more complicated than everyone plugging in overnight. I don’t think any power generation facility works 24/7…there must be some maintenance done off peak. There seems to be a looming supply issue without EV’s & they will only add to it. Does anyone seriously believe that we have existing capacity to replace all of the energy from Fossil Fuels with our existing electric power grid. In the US there are still Coal plants closing and pressure to breach dams is starting to take hold. Gates and Buffet are attempting to get a new Nuclear Plant in Wyoming that will be a very long time hitting the grid-if ever. In the US no one wants a power plant of any kind in their area. There is no place to store Nuclear waste since Harry Reid stopped the Nevada plan. Give me a plan, not an opinion & maybe I’ll get on board.
Since the EV revolution will be gradual there may not be a serious problem in the short term. I’d like to see a plan for the future rather than blindly stumbling into the unknown when there is genuine reason for concern. Do any of you make important decisions in this manner or do you evaluate the situation and then make a decision?