Comments on: GE backs electric cars — this time for keeps! http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:15:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Ben http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9343 Ben Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:11:33 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9343 You should really do a full post sometime on why you think cars are so important. Have you ever tried to go car - free? It's quite easy. Most people live in cities now, so it's not unreasonable to think about moving away from inefficient low-occupant vehicles to more efficient modes of transportation. I rarely need to rely on public transit because the ease of walking and cycling where I live. I probably wouldn't have posted anything if it weren't for your aside about the Ox name. I just don't think there is really much need to be going 60 mi/h at all to be honest. Having long distances between destinations is inefficient. You should really do a full post sometime on why you think cars are so important. Have you ever tried to go car - free? It’s quite easy. Most people live in cities now, so it’s not unreasonable to think about moving away from inefficient low-occupant vehicles to more efficient modes of transportation.

I rarely need to rely on public transit because the ease of walking and cycling where I live.

I probably wouldn’t have posted anything if it weren’t for your aside about the Ox name. I just don’t think there is really much need to be going 60 mi/h at all to be honest. Having long distances between destinations is inefficient.

]]> By: Joe http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9344 Joe Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:21:16 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9344 Well, the 0 to 60 claim is kind of standard for an EV. Ox is just such a dumb name. There are 700 hundred million cars in the world (probably triple that by 2050) -- so I'm not sure the burden of proof is on me to explain why they're so important. Well, the 0 to 60 claim is kind of standard for an EV. Ox is just such a dumb name. There are 700 hundred million cars in the world (probably triple that by 2050) — so I’m not sure the burden of proof is on me to explain why they’re so important.

]]> By: Mike http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9352 Mike Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:45:49 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9352 Ben, Not everybody chooses to live your lifestyle. Maybe we will be forced to at some point by circumstance but, yes, people like powered devices... Also EVs are close to being as efficient as public transit, especially underutilized public transit. The capacity factor of EV use is 25% or higher while public trans can be less. I like public transit and bikes are OK too but they don't work for every place or every person. Remember, also, that some of the fun of bike use in cities and settled areas is based on violating traffic and safety rules...lots of bikes and lots of pedestrians don't mix unless there is very strict and some would feel "un-fun" regulation of bike traffic. I know this is not P.C. to say but if we just stick to the P.C. we will never get anywhere. Ben,
Not everybody chooses to live your lifestyle. Maybe we will be forced to at some point by circumstance but, yes, people like powered devices…

Also EVs are close to being as efficient as public transit, especially underutilized public transit. The capacity factor of EV use is 25% or higher while public trans can be less. I like public transit and bikes are OK too but they don’t work for every place or every person.

Remember, also, that some of the fun of bike use in cities and settled areas is based on violating traffic and safety rules…lots of bikes and lots of pedestrians don’t mix unless there is very strict and some would feel “un-fun” regulation of bike traffic.

I know this is not P.C. to say but if we just stick to the P.C. we will never get anywhere.

]]> By: Cheap http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9374 Cheap Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:00:20 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9374 I have driven a 100mpg wind powered Plug-in prius for about a year and I love it. I have driven a 100mpg wind powered Plug-in prius for about a year and I love it.

]]> By: Ronald http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9377 Ronald Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:15:38 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9377 It’s hard to believe that people can suggest that we can go car-free. I live in a northern state and maybe that’s why I find it so curious of a suggestion. Winter brings snow, cold and wind that can be difficult to get through as well as dangerous at times. I have been able to reduce my driving by combining trips and improved destination selection. I didn’t realize there were as many parks within biking distance from my house as there are until I found some good maps and went to everyone of them. There is this website that lists a rating of walk ability for a location. http://www.walkscore.com/index.shtml I got a 68 for where I live now. I have lived in places that got a zero for a rating. Not the best score for getting rid of the car. It’s hard to believe that people can suggest that we can go car-free. I live in a northern state and maybe that’s why I find it so curious of a suggestion. Winter brings snow, cold and wind that can be difficult to get through as well as dangerous at times.

I have been able to reduce my driving by combining trips and improved destination selection. I didn’t realize there were as many parks within biking distance from my house as there are until I found some good maps and went to everyone of them.

There is this website that lists a rating of walk ability for a location.

http://www.walkscore.com/index.shtml

I got a 68 for where I live now. I have lived in places that got a zero for a rating. Not the best score for getting rid of the car.

]]> By: John http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9394 John Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:42:05 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/11/ge-backs-electric-cars-this-time-for-keeps/#comment-9394 General Motors a few years back had a feasible electric vehicle. Badged under the saturn nameplate, it was called the EV1. Based on a documentary I viewed recently, GM gathered up the vehicles and destroyed them rather than sell them to former people who leased them that offered to buy them. I would like to see GE examine the EV1 and develop a product the would be an improvement on it. There is certainly a market for these vehicles. Let's hope that "Big Oil" and the auto parts industry doesn't undermine GE's efforts. General Motors a few years back had a feasible electric vehicle. Badged under the saturn nameplate, it was called the EV1. Based on a documentary I viewed recently, GM gathered up the vehicles and destroyed them rather than sell them to former people who leased them that offered to buy them. I would like to see GE examine the EV1 and develop a product the would be an improvement on it. There is certainly a market for these vehicles. Let’s hope that “Big Oil” and the auto parts industry doesn’t undermine GE’s efforts.

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