silent running electric-car
DESCRIPTION
I traded in our trusty Mercedez SUV for a Chevy Volt last August. Since then, our fuel costs have dropped 95% and our CO2 output is 82% less. And we get rock star parking. ------- Download and read the slide notes for additional information and calculations. For example: In August 2012, I traded in the Mercedez and leased a 2013 chevy volt. The smartest vehicle on the road today Volt is known as a plugin hybrid Large battery + electric motor. 35 mile range on just the battery Small gas engine that kicks in only when the battery is depleted. To calculate the cost/day of fuel to drive our Mercedez ML 430 to work Based on 20 mile commute each way: 40 miles daily. 40/15 mpg = 2.6 gallons of gas per day 2.6 * $3.95 = $10.17 / day http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/11/how_gasoline_becomes_co2.html The carbon from the gasoline mixes with oxygen from the air. Gasoline consists mostly of hydrocarbons—chains of carbon encircled by atoms of hydrogen. When the hydrocarbons burn, they break apart and recombine with the air. This reaction produces heat, as well as two chemical byproducts: water and carbon dioxide. My commute is 14 miles each way, so 28 miles / day. The Volt’s electric range is 35 miles, so I get by on just electricity If I need to drive further during the day, I charge up at the grocery store around the corner Discount of 2.5 cents / KWh given by LADWP Time of Use Metering is an additional discount, so I only charge up after 8pm at night http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/automobiles/how-green-are-electric-cars-depends-on-where-you-plug-in.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://carma.org/company/detail/70989 (CO2 emissions by power plant locally) http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/how-clean.html (look up your electricity by zip code) 659 lbs CO2 / MWh .659 lbs CO2 / KWh 400 KWh / month = 263 lbs If I purchase green power from LADWP or install solar panels on my house, I can drop this to 0 lbs of CO2 / month Then the question of CO2 is just about the embodied cost of the materials in the car, and their eventual disposal Global land-air temperature averages http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/719139main_2012_GISTEMP_summary.pdf 400ppm is higher than it’s been for at least 800,000 years http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/14/record-400ppm-co2-carbon-emissions 350ppm is regarded as the safe limit before irreparable harm is done Energy efficient. Electric vehicles convert about 59–62% of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels—conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 17–21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels.* http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/evtech.shtmlTRANSCRIPT
SILENT RUNNING10 MONTHS WITH AN ELECTRIC CAR
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Owning an electric is:Clean cheap fun
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1999 Mercedez ML430
15 MPG | 592 g/mile CO2
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1999 Mercedez ML430
15 MPG | 592 g/mile CO2
75 gallons / month
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1999 Mercedez ML430
15 MPG | 592 g/mile CO2
$300/ month in gas
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1999 Mercedez ML430
15 MPG | 592 g/mile CO2
1,400 lbs of CO2 / mo
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Plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
Vincent
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Plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
Plugs in to normal outlets
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gas station
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0 gallons / month
Plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
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$15 / month electricity
Plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
5% the cost of the SUV
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263 lbs of CO2 / month
Plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
82% less pollution than the SUV
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Clean
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Global Temperatures on the rise
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350 (safe limit)
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Electric motors are more efficient than gas engines.
Electrics are cleaner
No tailpipe emissions when electric
Regenerative brakes
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Fun
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0-60 : 3.7 seconds
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Rock-star parking
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Free charging at LACMA
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Free charging at LAX
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HOV Lanes
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Cheap-ish
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$7500 federal credit
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Distance on $1 of fuel
ML 430
Volt
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Miles
63 miles
3.8 miles
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Range of vehicles
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hybrid: Lexus RX4
29mpg | 309 g/mile CO2 | $46,000
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hybrid: Prius c
50mpg | 179 g/mile CO2 | $19,000
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Plug-in hybrid: Fisker
54mpg | 169 g/mile CO2 | $103,000
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Plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
98mpg | 81 g/mile CO2 | $31,645
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Electric: Ford Focus
76 mile range | 0 g/mile CO2 | $32,200
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Electric: Nissan Leaf
100 mile range | 0 g/mile CO2 | $21,300
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Electric: Tesla S
300 mile range | 0 g/mile CO2 | $63,000
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Lifetime average:241 mpg!
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Recommendation:Lease, don’t buy
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Owning an electric is:Clean cheap fun
Learn morefueleconomy.gov350.orgIPCC Report 2007