Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[KiwiBro]

Yeeesss...

Doesn't matter even if it is smoother, more powerful, better range, cheaper to run and half the price to buy, no real man is going to buy a truck that sounds like a Toyota Prius.

If a real man is worried about it sounding like anything, more than what he can get done with his Ute, he can take a flying leap for all I care. Phuck'm.

 

[woodchip rookie]

I would already own an electric vehicle if they werent $60K. Electric tiny pickup? Sweet. $40K for it? You can keep it.

 

[steved]

Yeeesss...

Doesn't matter even if it is smoother, more powerful, better range, cheaper to run and half the price to buy, no real man is going to buy a truck that sounds like a Toyota Prius.

But they add engine sounds to the radio so it sounds gooder....

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[JustJeff]

Towing capacity is based on the chassis and not just the engine. I think the towing ratings are getting out of hand. If you are going to tow more than 8000 lbs more than once, get a 3/4 ton truck.
Back to the electric truck. I would absolutely own one. As soon as the price gets down to where it makes sense, I'm in. And as far as the chest thumping V8 guys. Once they see the power, they'll convert. Just like the Tesla model s kicking butt over nitrous powered Mustangs. I do agree it's not as visceral as that screaming internal combustion engine but we have our saws for that!

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[steved]

Towing capacity is based on the chassis and not just the engine. I think the towing ratings are getting out of hand. If you are going to tow more than 8000 lbs more than once, get a 3/4 ton truck.
Back to the electric truck. I would absolutely own one. As soon as the price gets down to where it makes sense, I'm in. And as far as the chest thumping V8 guys. Once they see the power, they'll convert. Just like the Tesla model s kicking butt over nitrous powered Mustangs. I do agree it's not as visceral as that screaming internal combustion engine but we have our saws for that!

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Your saws are already becoming electric...[emoji6]

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[James Miller]

Towing capacity is based on the chassis and not just the engine. I think the towing ratings are getting out of hand. If you are going to tow more than 8000 lbs more than once, get a 3/4 ton truck.
Back to the electric truck. I would absolutely own one. As soon as the price gets down to where it makes sense, I'm in. And as far as the chest thumping V8 guys. Once they see the power, they'll convert. Just like the Tesla model s kicking butt over nitrous powered Mustangs. I do agree it's not as visceral as that screaming internal combustion engine but we have our saws for that!

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What they don't tell you is that the manufacture and disposal of all those batteries is just as bad or worse for the environment as anything we've done with internal combustion engines. Also if you hot lap that Tesla you'll hurt the batteries and motors in short order.

 

[MustangMike]

I totally agree with what James said, and there is also a limited supply of the rare earth materials they need for all this fancy stuff.

However, the torque of electric motors has been known for years, the problem is the weight.

When the 3rd rail runs out (North of Brewster on the Harlem line) the locomotives are diesel/electric. The diesel motor generates the electricity and the electric motors power the locomotive. That way when they get into a tunnel that has a 3rd rail they can turn off the diesel motor.

 

[MustangMike]

Fuel mileage with the truck seems very similar to bike riding. If you can average 16/17 MPH on hilly terrain, you can easily maintain over 20 MPH on a straight flat stretch for a prolonged period of time.

 

[steved]

I totally agree with what James said, and there is also a limited supply of the rare earth materials they need for all this fancy stuff.

However, the torque of electric motors has been known for years, the problem is the weight.

When the 3rd rail runs out (North of Brewster on the Harlem line) the locomotives are diesel/electric. The diesel motor generates the electricity and the electric motors power the locomotive. That way when they get into a tunnel that has a 3rd rail they can turn off the diesel motor.

Those rare earths are also located in some not-so-friendly places...that's why solar panels are still expensive.

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[steved]

Fuel mileage with the truck seems very similar to bike riding. If you can average 16/17 MPH on hilly terrain, you can easily maintain over 20 MPH on a straight flat stretch for a prolonged period of time.

Also helps to have a tail wind!

I drove out to Washington, had a 45mph sustained (with a lot higher gusts) tail wind going through the Dakotas, that truck normally averaged 21mpg, I got 26mpg that day...you could roll the windows down and have no wind noise at times.

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[MustangMike]

One of the things that always impressed me was how you can tac a sailboat into the wind. Would be great if they could figure out how to incorporate a little of that technology into a vehicle, instead of just making them slippery! It would need to be something that adjusts based on the wind angle.

 

[steved]

In the driveway...I think it will do good.

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Took this much wiring out last night...and we aren't even close to being done...

At least my 10yo daughter is excited to help...

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[KiwiBro]

I would already own an electric vehicle if they werent $60K. Electric tiny pickup? Sweet. $40K for it? You can keep it.

Chances are if it ever gets released in'21 the market will be flat at best and likely depressed and unable to swallow a high premium. Given it's ford, with their outright volumes of truck sales hopefully they'll have some economies of scale the others don't. Not saying it's true but I read somewhere the production costs of an ev are no more than conventional and with scale actually cheaper. Spreading the r&d costs over the volumes ford has might help too. We can but hope.
They've already sunk $500m into Rivian, an ev truck maker so I think we might actually see a prototype make it to market.

 

[KiwiBro]

I totally agree with what James said, and there is also a limited supply of the rare earth materials they need for all this fancy stuff.

However, the torque of electric motors has been known for years, the problem is the weight.

When the 3rd rail runs out (North of Brewster on the Harlem line) the locomotives are diesel/electric. The diesel motor generates the electricity and the electric motors power the locomotive. That way when they get into a tunnel that has a 3rd rail they can turn off the diesel motor.

we aren't too far away from different battery tech that doesn't require rare earths. Still a few years but certainly getting closer.

As for motor weights, that's already been solved.

Mpg isn't much of an issue with Lecky either.

Range is the biggest hurdle. I've seen the studies suggesting the overwhelming majority don't travel anywhere near enough for range to be an issue, even if they think it is. But I haven't seen these studies break it down by vehicle type. I mean will those with a SUV or 4wd actually travel further than those with a hatchback or sedan, etc. My guess is yes BC apart from the metrosexuals trying to appear manly in their pickups others might actually go on outback adventures with theirs or travel long distances for work and carry/tow good loads.

 

[cat10ken]

The Ram Eco-diesel was very economical to drive but very unreliable as to durability and I think it has been scrapped and no longer available. Those who know more are sure to reply.

 

[LondonNeil]

petrol here is £1.30 a litre. 4.54 litres to a UK gallon (same number of pints but a UK pint is 20 not 16 fl oz)

I can get 50 mpg from my skoda...not bad from a warm hatch car with 220 ps/217 bhp.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

we aren't too far away from different battery tech that doesn't require rare earths. Still a few years but certainly getting closer.

As for motor weights, that's already been solved.

Mpg isn't much of an issue with Lecky either.

Range is the biggest hurdle. I've seen the studies suggesting the overwhelming majority don't travel anywhere near enough for range to be an issue, even if they think it is. But I haven't seen these studies break it down by vehicle type. I mean will those with a SUV or 4wd actually travel further than those with a hatchback or sedan, etc. My guess is yes BC apart from the metrosexuals trying to appear manly in their pickups others might actually go on outback adventures with theirs or travel long distances for work and carry/tow good loads.

If the military contracts for them I'd consider them reliably tested.

 

[KiwiBro]

petrol here is £1.30 a litre. 4.54 litres to a UK gallon (same number of pints but a UK pint is 20 not 16 fl oz)

I can get 50 mpg from my skoda...not bad from a warm hatch car with 220 ps/217 bhp.

That's great mileage.

I wonder, if we calculated it on a cost per km travelled, what the true societal cost of petro or lecky really is, taking into account the environmental costs, every life-cycle cost from mining materials to disposing/recycling. It might be a bit like trying to nail jelly to a tree but I'm sure someone has tried to work it out.

 

[KiwiBro]

If the military contracts for them I'd consider them reliably tested.

US Navy has already tested a few, with some interesting results I'm sure the military industrial complex is always looking into it.

 

[KiwiBro]

I would already own an electric vehicle if they werent $60K. Electric tiny pickup? Sweet. $40K for it? You can keep it.

Blows me away how expensive cars are. But then I look at some of the machinery I own that is in no way as complex yet about the same price as a new or near new car that has considerably more engineering and R&D in them. Still, I can't bring myself to spend $60k on ute/pick-up.
My nephew is buying a new toyota hilux. He has one kid of his own, his partner has one, and they are expecting twins. They rent, go on holidays, complain about not having any money, and with twins on the way, he's buying a new ute with debt.
Thankfully there are people in the next generations with their heads screwed on, but he sure ain't one of 'em.