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ICE cars are around 15% efficient. Electric cars are generally 85% to 90% efficient. "50% more" is a pretty big understatement. 1.5x * 15 is only 22.5% effic
by sliken 8y ago
ICE cars are around 15% efficient. Electric cars are generally 85% to 90% efficient. "50% more" is a pretty big understatement. 1.5x * 15 is only 22.5% efficient still around 1/4th as efficient as an electric car.
Also given solar's growth and the time it will take for most cars to be electric there's plenty of room for more solar production. California now requires solar on all new homes, and it's getting ever more price effective to use renewables. Seems like I see a few stories a week about a coal, NG, or similar peaker plant being cancelled, or decomissioned in favor of battery storage, solar, or both... for purely economic reasons.
A 75kw battery in a tesla gives you a range of 310 miles or so. So that's 4 miles or so per kw. So if I install the smallest Tesla solar system (4kw for $8,000) and being in central California I get a fair bit of sun. Should easily make 15-20kwh in the winter, and a fair bit more in the summer. That's 80 ish miles a day in the winter, and more in the summer. I drive about 30 miles a day on average.
So with a 8kw solar system I'd likely handle my driving needs and put a big dent in my other power needs. Tesla's new solar pricing puts it around $2.00 a watt installed. $16,000 isn't cheap, but our power bill isn't cheap either, especially in the summer.
As a nice bonus solar panels noticeably decrease the heat load in the attic, saving airconditioning costs. Amusingly solar panels over parking lots (so they provide shade) actually save a fair amount of gas. The huge win is when everyone runs their AC flat out for 15 minutes when they get into their 130F cars, if their car is closer to ambient they spend much less gas on the AC.
While solar does contribute to the "duck" shaped power production curve, cars typically spend the vast majority of their time parked, and can be programmed to use power whenever there is a surplus/whenever the price is lowest. So while electric cars can consume large amounts of power, they generally aren't picky on when they get it. At least for home users they typically schedule charging for whatever time the cheapest rates start.