Americans are buying Teslas, not EVs, but experts say that's about to change

turbobrick240

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maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
This is totally unremarkable. Of course wind and solar lead in new generation. The NIBY forces against fossil fuel plants are very, very strong.
Trust me, the NIMBYism isn't restricted to fossil fuels and nuclear. The HVDC "green energy corridor" to bring clean Canadian hydropower to the New England grid through Maine is stalled out right now because of the prevalence of NIMBY entitlement. Wind and solar projects have to deal with it too.
 

turbobrick240

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Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
T minus 10, 9, 8, 7, ... Giga Texas going live this week. The world will never be the same after the two new behemoth Tesla factories kick into mass production. Apple and Microsoft had better keep a good look in the rearview.
 

kjclow

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Apr 26, 2003
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Charlotte, NC
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2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
As I was on my way into work this morning in my diesel pickup, I was sitting behind a Subaru and thinking about the range issue. From what others have said, those things only get about 300 miles per tank. That would fit into most of the current EV offerings. Of course the charging versus refueling time would come into play if on a road trip. Part of this thought process was triggered by my conversation with the wife yesterday that we need to leave a line in the budget for a car payment even if we are not currently making one.
 

vandermic07

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Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
Ever stop and think that maybe it's because solar PV is FAR superior to other options with regards to efficacy? Do you have a carbon-free alternative that can even come close? My PV system is going to deliver ~35kWh today. Using heat pumps I can turn that into >100kWh to heat my home. That's equivalent to ~3 therms of natural gas or ~3 gallons of heating oil. From a single day in December. Do you have another alternative that even comes close? The lifetime cost of that ~35kWh is about $1. So combined with efficient heat pump heating I'm getting the equivalent of ~$0.33 per gallon of heating oil or therm. Is there anything else that can even come close to that?

And it's not like any of this is rare, elaborate or expensive. Home Depot sells heat pump water heaters for ~$1500. You can get a Mr Cool heat pump online that works great for ~$2k. Using fossil fuels is a choice. Make smarter choices....
Again, its about having a backup plan. You don't provide a long term backup plan. Its no better than my backup plan.

PA we have things called Clouds, Snow, and less sun in winter. I can guarantee it will run out of power without adequate battery backup which costs $$$$. Then add an electric car? I think having a system to back up the solar is a great idea, since I have a 85 mile commute. I actually would like to make it to work everyday to pay for my solar array and electric vehicle when i get them.

I don't know where Eunice is located, but it sound like a place everyone should live. Where the buffalo roam, the solar panels have 24hr sun, the electric cars are always charged, and endless cash to buy all of the "carbon neutral" items you desire. ;) ...sarcasm...

Financially
Its a lot harder for me to justify a system when 1 pay .11 per kwh and 1/3 of my bill is service fee. My ROI is a lot longer than someone that pays .2 per kwh. There is a lot more to life than Carbon Credits. There is peace of mind in not having debt. I only have a house payment. I am not going into debt again to make "smarter choices" that are not necessary for my existence nor the existence of future generations. I will make my positive environmental impact with the resources I have available. Eventually I will have more green energy in my home.

I will keep my 20yr old paid for, still working cars. that way they don't got to the land fill, and recycler. No point in replacing them with a brand new EV right now.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I was on a Zoom call with three friends last night (because that's what we now do) and one of them recently ordered a Ford Lightening to replace his F250. His wife has as horse so they legitimately have a use for the truck.

None of us are at the poverty level, but we were split two and two regarding spending $50K plus for any new car, including an EV. Two of us had a strong opinion that we'd never spend that much money on a car (EV or not), and the other two were OK with it.
 

kjclow

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Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
We fought a longtime about paying more for a vehicle than we paid for our first house. It was $30k in 1984. My 03 Avalanche was the first one that crossed that mark. My 17 Ram is well above that mark but am planning on that being in the drive for at least 10 years. Since the JSW is about 12 years old, there's no reason to think that the truck won't be around at least that long.
 

turbobrick240

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Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
My understanding of the heat pump issue is that an air intake flap is freezing open under certain conditions, causing a sensor to deactivate the heat pump. Even if it is only affecting a handful of cars in the great white north, the press will jump all over it because Tesla headlines get clicks. I'm sure a much higher proportion of TDIs have had premature heater core failures resulting in heat loss, but of course, nobody would click on that headline.
 

nwdiver

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Location
Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI (sold); 2012 Tesla Model S
My understanding of the heat pump issue is that an air intake flap is freezing open under certain conditions, causing a sensor to deactivate the heat pump. Even if it is only affecting a handful of cars in the great white north, the press will jump all over it because Tesla headlines get clicks. I'm sure a much higher proportion of TDIs have had premature heater core failures resulting in heat loss, but of course, nobody would click on that headline.
I wonder if it would be worth the trouble to have a 'cold weather' package that integrated a catalytic heater. 1L of kerosene is ~10kWh and a catalytic heater is 99% efficient. So if you're using resistive heating that's 10kWh that doesn't need to come from the battery. So 1L of kerosene could boost range by >30 miles in cold weather. That's one heck of a range boost. Have a tiny 4 liter tank squeezed in someplace that would probably last all winter.

Be kind of a niche market though. Would only be useful in places that regularly see 0F.
 

kjclow

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Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Of course the CARB would want that heater to meet the current clean air regulations too.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I wonder if it would be worth the trouble to have a 'cold weather' package that integrated a catalytic heater. 1L of kerosene is ~10kWh and a catalytic heater is 99% efficient. So if you're using resistive heating that's 10kWh that doesn't need to come from the battery. So 1L of kerosene could boost range by >30 miles in cold weather. That's one heck of a range boost. Have a tiny 4 liter tank squeezed in someplace that would probably last all winter.

Be kind of a niche market though. Would only be useful in places that regularly see 0F.
I like that idea. Besides a nice wool blanket I like to carry an extra coat and small propane catalytic heater in my car during the winter months. A catalytic heater like you mention that warms the "coolant" would be even better. If Tesla doesn't do it, it won't be long before the aftermarket comes up with something. My parents first VWs had propane heaters.
 

nwdiver

Veteran Member
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Sep 27, 2015
Location
Texas
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2003 Jetta TDI (sold); 2012 Tesla Model S
Of course the CARB would want that heater to meet the current clean air regulations too.
I would imagine any catalytic heater would meet the strictest air regulations. You can use most of them indoors.
 

turbobrick240

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maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I'm really hoping that the fire aboard the transport ship carrying 2,500-4000 VWs, Porsches, Audis, etc. to the US from Germany wasn't caused by LG pouch cell batteries in ID4s or other EVs. Looks to be a complete loss, including the ship itself. Couldn't have come at a worse time. :(
 

TurboABA

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Kitchener, ON
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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
Lithium-ion batteries in the electric cars on board have caught fire and the blaze requires specialist equipment to extinguish, captain Joao Mendes Cabecas of the port of Hortas said.
 

turbobrick240

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Nov 18, 2014
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maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
There's no word yet on what started the blaze. All of the vehicles aboard (mostly ICEV, I think) have caught fire. Certainly nothing to be jubilant about. VW lost another transport ship to a fire a couple years back- and that fire was not EV related.
 

Dubious

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May 27, 2021
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NJ
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'02 Jetta
The Ford Maverick is the best thing to ever happen to America since Britney regrew her hair.
 

kjclow

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Apr 26, 2003
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Charlotte, NC
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2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Notices a neighbor has an Audi etron on Sunday. Kind of cool that you slide the grill emblem to plug it in.

Also read the first drive report on the ID-Buzz. Might be the only thing that will keep a VW in my garage long term.
 

turbobrick240

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Joined
Nov 18, 2014
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maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Well, the Felicity Ace sank with all vehicles (or what was left of them) aboard. Hopefully VW will be more forthcoming with the exact number of ID4s, Bentleys, etc. that were lost, now.
 

TurboABA

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Joined
Jul 24, 2010
Location
Kitchener, ON
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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
Sounds like the used TDI values will be on the rise again.... those "new" '15s will be listed for 70k next week. :rolleyes:
 
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