bhtooefr
TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
There's also the Sun Trip Tour 2019 that was last month mostly in the French Alps, and the upcoming Sun Trip 2020 from Lyon, France to Guangzhou, China, specifically for solar-powered e-bikes.
The rest of the story.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1bfmlPNAPui3dFsLKR5VWrtk2gpZoTkq1ISHBob-I3CE6
Check out the power source for this electric charging station
Stupid facts getting in the way of a good story
Is Nissan About to Sleep With the Fishes?
By Eric Peters , Automotive Columnist • August 4, 2019
Some very bad news for Nissan.
Profits are down 99 percent. Not a typo. A near-total wipeout which triggered the wiping out of 12,500 jobs, the immediate suspension of manufacturing in Indonesia and Spain and an announcement that Japan’s second-largest car company will reduce its model lineup by at least 10 percent by 2022.
Nissan’s U.S. market share is down to 7.9 percent; it was 8.1 percent a year ago.
It is quite possible there won’t be a Nissan by 2022.
So, what’s gone awry?
One thing—a thing which is going awry generally—is the money being wasted on electric cars for which there is no market. Or rather, which there’s no money to be made from making.
Nissan’s Leaf, the company’s first electric car, cost Nissan almost as much money to develop as it continues to lose “selling” it. And when the federal subsidy for electric car “purchases” goes away, it will cost Nissan and everyone else “selling” electric cars even more as people decline to “buy” them at all.
Which will happen, because the ending of the subsidies amounts to a $7,500 effective increase in the cost to the buyer, the price of “green,” as it were.
Nissan et al will then have to resort to discounts of their own equivalent to the federal subsidy, just to get the electric Turduckens off their lots.
This would be no big deal if it were only a handful of electric Turduckens. Due to “climate change,” Nissan and everyone else has been forced to commit billions to the development of hundreds of thousands of electric cars they won’t be able to sell.
That is unless the ability of people to buy them somehow increases by 30-50 percent or more— this being the rough difference (all else being equal) between an electric car and an otherwise equivalent non-electric car.
Who’s going to ante up?
The going-away subsidy all by itself is equivalent in value to 3,125 gallons of regular unleaded at current prices (about $2.40 per gallon). That fills up a 12 gallon gas tank about 260 times — enough to take you 93,000 and change miles at 30 MPG.
However many people believe the sky is about to fall due to “climate change,” most aren’t going to walk away from what amounts to free fuel for nearly 100,000 miles of driving by not driving an electric car.
The 12,500 jobs that just went up in smoke, along with Nissan’s profits and possibly Nissan itself, are just the beginning.
A real scheisse show is percolating.
But there is a silk lining to this sow’s ear, for the moment.
It is that you stand to score a deal on any Nissan (excepting the Leaf). The news about Nissan’s precarious finances is already spreading like an oil slick on the ocean and dealers will be increasingly desperate to offload what they can while they can.
And here’s the crazy thing:
Much of what Nissan sells is actually good stuff. In part, because it hasn’t got much of the new stuff; things like turbo fours in big trucks and direct injection and ASS in everything.
Nissan is also the only car company whose new cars let you drive without “bucking up for safety.”
Well, without badgering you like an annoying mother-in-law via a buzzer that won’t shut up until you do.
All the more reason to shop now.
While you still can.
I had a Sentra for a rental car a few weeks back. I'm not sure they've upgraded anything in that car since I looked at buying one in 2005. They just seem to be stuck in the past. I agree that the disappearance of Nissan from the North American market would hardly be noticed.That's a rubbish article. The Nissan Leaf is a rounding error in terms of the whole company. It's a North-American-centric article ... conditions in the rest of the world aren't necessarily the same as those in North America; notably they're serious about CO2 emissions rather than flippant and dismissive of it, they pay a lot more for fuel, and they're getting serious about controlling smog in urban areas to the extent of implementing congestion charges (London - EVs get a pass) or banning older higher-emitting vehicles from urban centres (EVs get a pass).
Nissan does indeed have some financial trouble, but it's not fair to put all the blame on the Leaf. They have a fair number of products in their lineup that are uncompetitive, outdated rubbish (and replacements are in the works for several of them). And, a global slowdown in motor vehicle sales is unsurprising given the unsustainable pace of the last few years.
I don't think there's anything like that in the US market anymore.Except that I like they still had small trucks for sale. I haven't looked at them in a while so I don't know how small they are any more. I miss small economy trucks like they used to have around.
They're all more midsized trucks these days. From what I read, the Frontier is at the bottom of the pack and Tacoma is at the top. Everyone else just kind of shuffles around the middle. Personally, I did not like how the Tacoma drove or the seat comfort. It's like the bolted the driver's seat directly to the floor. The last one I drove also had issues shifting into third. Took a two step shift up or down. Not sure that any of the recent updates have been anything more than lipstick.Except that I like they still had small trucks for sale. I haven't looked at them in a while so I don't know how small they are any more. I miss small economy trucks like they used to have around.
Yes I saw Robby's Jetta ALH truck conversion. Very neat and in today's larger truck environment it would stand up, or should I say 'stand down'I understand. Ford, Chevy, Toyota and Nissan all had them at one time. I had a Toyota and worked the heck out of that thing. But giant is in and tiny is out currently. I was hoping VW would do a mini truck with a diesel here in the US. I had even thought about the alh Jetta truck conversion at one time. Runonbeer was building one of those back some time ago.
According to one libertarian author, its even worse:On the state of electric vehicles and their viability: as of mid 2019, they are still toys for rich boys principally. When Tesla first released the S model sedan, I cheered because I realized that only deep-pocketed vanguards could float such a radical concept. But when the model 3 came out (6 ish years later?) and didn't compete with the (at the time, cheapest of their model lineup) 3-series BMW it was aimed at, I groaned. Still too pricey, and no hatchback? Stupid choice, imo. Before you start nitpicking pricing of a 3 series versus a model 3, consider that BMW has kept ahead of them by releasing a cheaper, smaller 2-series.
Chevy Bolt, BMW i3, and other electric cars still look so stupid, like they're styled by drunk college students.
Maybe in 5 or 7 years I will be able to pay cash for an electric car worth owning--not sure, but we'll see.
EV's such as the Tesla model S may use more energy created by burning fossil fuels than currently available hybrids that are slower but much more thrifty. He may not have his figures in line, since EV's also are pretty frugal with MPGe figures that are pretty high, but the jury is still not finished. We are not consistent in our approach IMO.EVs are popular with the affluent – who want to signal their virtue – but not if it means driving something like an ungainly and far-from-speedy Prius. A Tesla is sexy and speedy. It blows Corvettes away – and goes over well with their friends who drive BMWs and Porsches, also soon to be electrified.
But their emissions aren’t zero.
And unlike hybrids, they make as much sense for most people – who need to think about things like cost and range and recharge times – as driving around the block to cross the street.
It’d be funny if it weren’t so sad.
Interestingly, if a hybrid is still better overall than your average "rich person's" EV, where do diesels fit in? For a while, a good diesel could do better than a hybrid. Food for thought....
Sure it is a good start.Says the guy with a Bimmer and a Jag in the garage . Not everyone who buys an EV does so to virtue signal to the world how green they are. I think it was a genius move for Tesla to start off with premium EV's that have amazing performance. Eliminating the stigma of EV's as tiny little weirdmobiles is a key step in getting the public to embrace the technology.
Yes, a Tesla Model S might use more energy to go down the road than a Prius. But a motorcycle might use even less still! Those are comparable right?EV's such as the Tesla model S may use more energy created by burning fossil fuels than currently available hybrids that are slower but much more thrifty....
So, you're right, in that case. The same is true in HICC Oahu (which is pretty self-explanatory) and SERC Midwest (covering most of Illinois and Missouri and parts of Iowa), which have similar emissions.A 2019 Tesla Model S Long Range charged in 53558 produces about as much global warming pollution as a gasoline vehicle getting 42 miles per gallon.
That's getting very close to what a Prius gets.A 2019 Tesla Model S Long Range charged in 67201 produces about as much global warming pollution as a gasoline vehicle getting 50 miles per gallon.
That's EPA for a Prius, right there.A 2019 Tesla Model S Long Range charged in 80201 produces about as much global warming pollution as a gasoline vehicle getting 52 miles per gallon.
And, none of this is considering things like adding home solar (which I get it, many people can't do, many states have hostile policies towards it, and many homes are badly situated for it) or subscribing to a renewable energy plan when available (which I do, generation to offset my usage is guaranteed to be 100% from wind).A 2019 Tesla Model S Long Range charged in 78701 produces about as much global warming pollution as a gasoline vehicle getting 67 miles per gallon.
A 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus charged in 53558 produces about as much global warming pollution as a gasoline vehicle getting 51 miles per gallon.
...except that to justify EV shortcomings, everyone uses environmental concerns and sometimes even bashes diesels, even if most diesel problems are arguably solved with the Jaguar 2.0 liter ingenioum diesel design. Mob mentality?Says the guy with a Bimmer and a Jag in the garage . Not everyone who buys an EV does so to virtue signal to the world how green they are. I think it was a genius move for Tesla to start off with premium EV's that have amazing performance. Eliminating the stigma of EV's as tiny little weirdmobiles is a key step in getting the public to embrace the technology.
Your numbers on option 3 and 4 are a little high. RAV4 start at $25,650 for gassers and $27850 for hybrids. Given a $2200 upcharge for the hybrid, that's the one I would put in my driveway. Unfortunately, we drove the highlander first. With the better driving dynamics and third row, that would be the winner. Of course price then changes to $31,800 gasser versus $37,500 hybrid.Please for those making environmental comparisons I would suggest dropping altogether a sedan type vehicle and bring a reasonable size CUV/SUV for the North American market reality. I bet you right now environmentally, and on the AVERAGE, and initial purchase of said vehicle you would end up like this using the Argonne National Labs GREET model for GHG and non-GHG health impact:
1) Best environmentally, an all electrical non-luxury SUV/CUV. Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $55,000 (perhaps more) for something like a Toyota RAV4 EV (if it would exist).
2) Second best environmentally, a light duty diesel non-luxury SUV/CUV with DPF/SCR. Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $35,000 to $40,000.
3) Third best environmentally, a non-luxury gasoline hybrid SUV/CUV without gasoline particle filter (GPF). Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $35,000.
4) Fourth and last environmentally, a non-luxury gasoline SUV/CUV without gasoline particle filter (GPF). Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $30,000.
Now ask yourself, this question: at today's average cost of $2.60 for a Gallon (or approx. $0.68/liter) of regular unleaded gasoline in the US, what would be the first choice for an average American buyer from the above choices?
Very interesting, thanks.Please for those making environmental comparisons I would suggest dropping altogether a sedan type vehicle and bring a reasonable size CUV/SUV for the North American market reality. I bet you right now environmentally, and on the AVERAGE, and initial purchase of said vehicle you would end up like this using the Argonne National Labs GREET model for GHG and non-GHG health impact:
1) Best environmentally, an all electrical non-luxury SUV/CUV. Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $55,000 (perhaps more) for something like a Toyota RAV4 EV (if it would exist).
2) Second best environmentally, a light duty diesel non-luxury SUV/CUV with DPF/SCR. Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $33,000 (based on 2019 Chevrolet Equinox Diesel)
3) Third best environmentally, a non-luxury gasoline hybrid SUV/CUV without gasoline particle filter (GPF). Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $30,000 (use the Toyota RAV4 hybrid as an example).
4) Fourth and last environmentally, a non-luxury gasoline SUV/CUV without gasoline particle filter (GPF). Expect to pay an AVERAGE in today's dollars of around $28,000 (use the Toyota RAV4 as an example).
Now ask yourself, this question: at today's average cost of $2.60 for a Gallon (or approx. $0.68/liter) of regular unleaded gasoline in the US, what would be the first choice for an average American buyer from the above choices?