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Regarding the third question, it's a nice analogy there but is he suggesting that electric power is predominantly clean? Across the US, 37.4% of our electric p

Regarding the third question, it's a nice analogy there but is he suggesting that electric power is predominantly clean? Across the US, 37.4% of our electric power comes from coal. I don't want to detract from the overall message because it is clear and accurate but I think it's important to think about how electric power is currently generated. Coal statistic pulled from: http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-10/documents/egrid2012_summarytables_0.pdf http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-10/documents/...

konspence 11y ago
In the first and second question he addresses pollution and coal. I think it's safe to assume he means an electric car powered by renewable energy.
mmanfrin 11y ago
Coal as a source of our electric power has plummeted in a decade, being taken up mostly by natural gas (but also in small part by solar/wind). Additionally, there is no change needed for an end consumer if the power they use is switched to a different source, whereas to switch a fuel for cars means switching cars. The drive to get people on electric cars means that switching everything off of fossil fuels is a matter of switching the power plants (which we've seen is something that can be done quickly as with coal->natural gas).
- redblacktree 11y ago
  I would be very interested in an all-electric minivan with enough range for my frequent 600-mile trips to my wife's home town. Sadly, this does not yet exist.
  - lmm 11y ago
    You make a 10-hour-each-way trip frequently? Man, stop throwing away your life like that. Downsize your house, take a pay cut, do whatever it is you have to to move somewhere closer. I struggle to even begin to imagine the misery of what you're doing.
    - Noted 11y ago
      I'm guessing there is probably a disconnect in what "frequently" means between you two.
    - lotharbot 11y ago
      Depends on what you mean by "frequently". I live within a 5-mile radius of 5 of my siblings, my parents, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle. I'm a stay-at-home parent, my wife works from home, and our son attends an excellent school a block away. My wife's family lives a little less than 600 miles away. We travel out that way 2-3 times per year, which is frequent enough that I wouldn't want to rent a car every time we did it. It wouldn't make sense to try to move closer, but it does make a lot of sense to have an efficient vehicle. If a full electric could make the trip with quick-charging stations along the way, I'd be all for it. For now (given that my old car was totaled in a hit-and-run this weekend) I'm leaning toward something like the Chevy Volt. The GP poster may be in a situation with similar characteristics -- frequent enough travel to want to do it in your own vehicle (rather than flying or renting something), too far for most electrics.
      - redblacktree 11y ago
        > The GP poster may be in a situation with similar characteristics Shockingly similar. Though I am the working parent, and my job is only about 1/3rd work-from-home.
    - drcube 11y ago
      You don't have relatives across the country? Or you just don't visit them?
      - lmm 11y ago
        Furthest in the same country is 200 miles away; I have an uncle 900 miles away who I visit occasionally (as in once in ~3 years). But in any case I take the train or fly, and sleep or watch a movie or even code on the way.
    - michaelt 11y ago
  - Gravityloss 11y ago
    A plugin hybrid minivan would be perfect for you.
    - redblacktree 11y ago
      Do those really exist? I recently bought a 2015 Toyota Sienna, and I didn't see any hybrid options in Honda or Toyota (arguably the leading minivan brands)
      - Gravityloss 11y ago
        I don't think so. There's very few plugin hybrids on the market at all, which is a shame.
wangarific 11y ago
The idea is that conventional gasoline engines will pollute, electric engines won't. As for the source of electricity, it's currently not 100% clean but getting cleaner as renewable sources take over.
jtolmar 11y ago
With gas burning cars we have two problems - pollution from cars and pollution from electrical plants. With electric cars we only have one problem - the power plants. It increases the magnitude of that problem, but the total complexity goes down.
scott_karana 11y ago
Centralized coal plants are more efficient than individual internal combustion motors. Even adding losses from transmission and the electric motors at the end, it's a net-win. Yes, other power sources are better, but even as a stopgap coal has its use.

konspence 11y ago

In the first and second question he addresses pollution and coal. I think it's safe to assume he means an electric car powered by renewable energy.

mmanfrin 11y ago

Coal as a source of our electric power has plummeted in a decade, being taken up mostly by natural gas (but also in small part by solar/wind). Additionally, there is no change needed for an end consumer if the power they use is switched to a different source, whereas to switch a fuel for cars means switching cars. The drive to get people on electric cars means that switching everything off of fossil fuels is a matter of switching the power plants (which we've seen is something that can be done quickly as with coal->natural gas).

redblacktree 11y ago
I would be very interested in an all-electric minivan with enough range for my frequent 600-mile trips to my wife's home town. Sadly, this does not yet exist.
- lmm 11y ago
  You make a 10-hour-each-way trip frequently? Man, stop throwing away your life like that. Downsize your house, take a pay cut, do whatever it is you have to to move somewhere closer. I struggle to even begin to imagine the misery of what you're doing.
  - Noted 11y ago
    I'm guessing there is probably a disconnect in what "frequently" means between you two.
  - lotharbot 11y ago
    Depends on what you mean by "frequently". I live within a 5-mile radius of 5 of my siblings, my parents, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle. I'm a stay-at-home parent, my wife works from home, and our son attends an excellent school a block away. My wife's family lives a little less than 600 miles away. We travel out that way 2-3 times per year, which is frequent enough that I wouldn't want to rent a car every time we did it. It wouldn't make sense to try to move closer, but it does make a lot of sense to have an efficient vehicle. If a full electric could make the trip with quick-charging stations along the way, I'd be all for it. For now (given that my old car was totaled in a hit-and-run this weekend) I'm leaning toward something like the Chevy Volt. The GP poster may be in a situation with similar characteristics -- frequent enough travel to want to do it in your own vehicle (rather than flying or renting something), too far for most electrics.
    - redblacktree 11y ago
      > The GP poster may be in a situation with similar characteristics Shockingly similar. Though I am the working parent, and my job is only about 1/3rd work-from-home.
  - drcube 11y ago
    You don't have relatives across the country? Or you just don't visit them?
    - lmm 11y ago
      Furthest in the same country is 200 miles away; I have an uncle 900 miles away who I visit occasionally (as in once in ~3 years). But in any case I take the train or fly, and sleep or watch a movie or even code on the way.
  - michaelt 11y ago
- Gravityloss 11y ago
  A plugin hybrid minivan would be perfect for you.
  - redblacktree 11y ago
    Do those really exist? I recently bought a 2015 Toyota Sienna, and I didn't see any hybrid options in Honda or Toyota (arguably the leading minivan brands)
    - Gravityloss 11y ago
      I don't think so. There's very few plugin hybrids on the market at all, which is a shame.

wangarific 11y ago

The idea is that conventional gasoline engines will pollute, electric engines won't. As for the source of electricity, it's currently not 100% clean but getting cleaner as renewable sources take over.

jtolmar 11y ago

With gas burning cars we have two problems - pollution from cars and pollution from electrical plants. With electric cars we only have one problem - the power plants. It increases the magnitude of that problem, but the total complexity goes down.

scott_karana 11y ago

Centralized coal plants are more efficient than individual internal combustion motors. Even adding losses from transmission and the electric motors at the end, it's a net-win. Yes, other power sources are better, but even as a stopgap coal has its use.