possible major changes to net metering (for the bad, of course)

[blueman2]

Maybe we are getting a bit off topic with the car talk, but I think we have to agree that electric cars are here to stay (regardless of their individual longevity) and that will have a big impact on the business model for POCOs.

[SunEagle]

I don't know what kind of American built car you are driving that only lasts 100,000 miles. My parents have only driven American built cars and the last few went well over 100,000 miles.

I actually drive a Toyota Tundra with 220,000 and it will easily go 400,000. Of all the ones my parents owned (Chevy, Ford, Dodge, American Motors, to name a few) none of them lasted even 200,000 without requiring a major overhaul.

I look forward to getting an EV truck once they have gone through their trial period. But until then or if the cost of gas goes over $3/gal I will stick with my Tundra. Being retired I do not need to drive it a lot anymore.

[bcroe]

You guys must be selling rose colored glasses. Cars need tires and brakes.
Other drivers are intent on helping you wreck. Rust is a constant problem
here, it is going to end the life of my 82 which has recently been to Florida,
California, New Hampshire, and Canada. It is near 300,000 miles without
serious operational problems.

My 62 managed over 200,000 miles as seen here, I had to add a digit to the
odometer to keep it from rolling over. An 01 daily driver here is at 460,000 miles
and counting, took this 400K pic a couple years ago. The oil has been changed
61 times, a trivial thing in the big picture. Takes only 15 minutes here.

Accidents and rust will eventually get it, stuck up door locks, failing accessories,
and the like will kill any car. EVs are taking their place, but have issues too. My
house is solar powered, but only an internal combustion engine gets me and a
lot of luggage across 7 states in a day. Bruce Roe

62YelSpdo.JPG1CRV4.JPG

[Ampster]

You guys must be selling rose colored glasses......... My
house is solar powered, but only an internal combustion engine gets me and a
lot of luggage across 7 states in a day.

I guess it all depends on where you are standing. For the past 30 years I kept most cars four or five years. Four years ago I bought a Tesla that now has a hundred thousand miles on it and and I have no plans to sell it. I did recently get an over the air software update that gave me many of the same features that are in 2020 models.
Last year I also drove across 7 states in a day on my way to Tennessee. During that time I made six stops to pee. In the time it took me to pee I had charged another 100 miles.

[loungelizard]

At some point, I want an EV for around town. I currently have a 97 4Runner that's been paid for 20 years and only has 135K miles on it. Still runs great.

One thing I wonder about is here, in California, with all the gas taxes etc and the state wanting green energy, how will they recoup lost tax revenue from gas taxes? If everyone goes EV, they have to nail us somehow.

[RShackleford]

Cars need tires and brakes. Rust is a constant problem.

Well yeah, when I said no maintenance, I wasn't including tires - lawyering that they are a wear item, not maintenance

EVs actually DO require a lot less brake work; they have pads, but a lot of the braking is regenerative, so the pads last way longer. Our Leaf does specify changing the brake fluid every year, which seems a bit excessive. When my wife took it to the local Nissan dealer and mentioned changing the brake fluid, they were like "whuh ?" But I'm a maintenance National Socialist and do in fact change my ICE car's brake fluid once every year or two, so I suppose I will do the same on the Leaf. I believe the main enemy of brake fluid is moisture, and it's really humid here, and I doubt the regenerative breaking helps with that. And SpeedBleeders make it a pretty painless procedure.

Rust isn't really that much of a problem outside the northeast. And manufacturers have gotten really good at rust-proofing, so I'm not even sure it's an issue up north for any car made in the last 10-20 years.

[RShackleford]

At some point, I want an EV for around town.

Even a Leaf is a good for a lot more than around town, and a Tesla even more so.

One thing I wonder about is here, in California, with all the gas taxes etc and the state wanting green energy, how will they recoup lost tax revenue from gas taxes? If everyone goes EV, they have to nail us somehow.

Here in NC, they tried to add a fee to registration for EVs and hybrid (and apparently have done so in Illinois): https://www.govtech.com/policy/EV-Ow...ion-in-NC.html. Done by the troglodytes who gerry-mandered their way into control of our legislature awhile back, but I suppose there's a certain fairness to it (if you believe the lack of pollution doesn't offset the road wear).

[Ampster]

.........
One thing I wonder about is here, in California, with all the gas taxes etc and the state wanting green energy, how will they recoup lost tax revenue from gas taxes? If everyone goes EV, they have to nail us somehow.

When California raised the gas tax they added something to the registration for EVs based on some revenue equalizing formula.

[loungelizard]

When California raised the gas tax they added something to the registration for EVs based on some revenue equalizing formula.

Yikes. And there it is.

https://electrek.co/2020/07/10/california-starts-charging-ev-registration-fees-up-to-175-in-july/

[nwdiver]

My
house is solar powered, but only an internal combustion engine gets me and a
lot of luggage across 7 states in a day. Bruce Roe

62YelSpdo.JPG1CRV4.JPG

You can charge a Tesla enough to get you to your next piss break in the time it takes to you take a piss break. Unless you like peeing in a bottle while driving EVs (Teslas at least) are just as good at road trips as ICE now. Welcome to 2020

[Mike90250]

> You can charge a Tesla enough to get you to your next piss break in the time it takes to you take a piss break. Unless you like peeing in a bottle while driving EVs (Teslas at least) are just as good at road trips as ICE now. Welcome to 2020

Yeah, that might work for some folks, but if I have to road trip, it will be in my subaru, burning 22 gal for 550 miles. I get 26 on the highway @ 75mph and can refill faster than the toilet flushes in the gas station. Waiting for a battery to charge, in hilly country, does not cut it. Several major 4,000 foot passes to get through. Maybe in 10 years I'll sing a different tune, but not right now. I am in the market to a DIY conversion of an ATV to electric for use around the ranch. That I can likely charge off the PV

[azdave]

(Teslas at least) are just as good at road trips as ICE now. Welcome to 2020

I guess that large crowd of ticked-off Tesla owners I saw waiting impatiently for their turn at a crowded charging station on my way from AZ to CA was just a mirage in the desert?

[peakbagger]

I work from home in NH but most of my work is in Mass. I do a lot of telecons of late but my current CHP projects are in the early phase. Once they start construction I do need to visit the sites. I usually do day trips and they are usually in the 400 to 500 miles round trip range. My fiesta with a stick get around 39 MPG when going with the traffic in southern NH and Mass. I can usually just squeak out a round trip if I fill the tank the night before. My gas warning alarm may go on 10 to 20 miles before I get home. I have looked for charging locations at all my past and current clients and they are slim to none. Thus the infrastructure in place doesn't match my needs. They are long days as it is, I would not appreciate a 15 to 20 minute break a couple of times during the day to wait to get a boost charge.

When I do long road trips , I just want to get there and the way to do it is minimize stops and the duration of the stops. hard to beat pouring liquid KWs into my tank .

[Ampster]

I guess that large crowd of ticked-off Tesla owners I saw waiting impatiently for their turn at a crowded charging station on my way from AZ to CA was just a mirage in the desert?

No mirage. It happens once in a while, especially on holiday weekends. The Nav screen tells you how crowded each station is and Tesla usually hires concierge/valets who keep your place in line. I have actually had interesting conversations with people at Superchargers. One thanksgiving weekend stop at Buttonwillow with a 15 minute wait, some NBA player was getting surrounded by fans asking for photo ops and autographs.

I still remember the seventies when you could only fill up gas on odd or even days based on the last digit of your license plate. During our last planned public safety power outages I remember the lines at the gas pumps with people filling up because the pumps were going to have no power for up to three days. Of course I filled up when I got home. Also the power outages were checkerboard in some cases and at least two Superchargers were functioning within 20 miles of my home. Go figure how you would find out which gas stations were pumping during the outage. I guess it all depends on where you are standing.

[azdave]

Well, my question about the charge station delays was one that really didn't need answered but I know EVs fans are passionate. No problem. EV's just aren't ready for cross-country road trips the way I travel. I don't want some concierge (who probably expects a tip) holding my place in line and the last thing on my wish list is meeting a professional sport figure. That's like extra punishment on top of the wait time for a charge station.

Go figure how you would find out which gas stations were pumping during the outage.

Gasbuddy is a great phone app to stay current on who has fuel and the best pricing around. I use it all the time. I was driving in the 70's too but never had to do that odd/even thing.