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The vehicle you could make with a "Black smiths forge" would be barely functional by todays standards. If your standard is something that converts stored energy

The vehicle you could make with a "Black smiths forge" would be barely functional by todays standards. If your standard is something that converts stored energy into motion EVs and ICE takes similar levels of technology to implement. Which is why they were both invented around similar times.

rewiuoeriouf 4y ago
>Which is why they were both invented around similar times. The ease with which you can make oil-based fuels convert chemical energy into mecahnical motion, is the reason that EV development largely stopped until quite recently. Efficient EVs are the pinnacle of materials and electronics engineering.
- _ea1k 4y ago
  It seems like just the opposite to me. The current wave of EVs are very early technologies that stem from neglecting the cost of batteries for a long time. 15-20 years from now, they'll likely look more like the pinnacle of engineering, but they are actually pretty crude right now.
  - rewiuoeriouf 4y ago
    > The current wave of EVs are very early technologies The efficiencies of the various powertrain components are very high (eg, charging efficiency and motor controller efficiency). I really don't see how they can be improved by very much. The main area of improvement is the battery. >they are actually pretty crude right now Interesting. I am assured that they are the latest and greatest in motorised transport!
    - _ea1k 4y ago
      > >they are actually pretty crude right now > Interesting. I am assured that they are the latest and greatest in motorised transport! These two concepts are not mutually exclusive.
      - rewiuoeriouf 4y ago
        In that case I'll hold off on buying an EV until these new, futuristic and not at all crude vehicles get made. Hopefully by then, we'll have solved the problem of how to sustainably fuel both the manufacturing process and the fuelling of EVs.
Gordonjcp 4y ago
Again, what are you defining as "barely functional"? What would they not do, what would be lacking? Bear in mind that no-one cares about things like iPhone integration, reversing cameras, lane assist, or any of the other pointless crap that overcomplicates modern vehicles.

rewiuoeriouf 4y ago

>Which is why they were both invented around similar times. The ease with which you can make oil-based fuels convert chemical energy into mecahnical motion, is the reason that EV development largely stopped until quite recently. Efficient EVs are the pinnacle of materials and electronics engineering.

_ea1k 4y ago
It seems like just the opposite to me. The current wave of EVs are very early technologies that stem from neglecting the cost of batteries for a long time. 15-20 years from now, they'll likely look more like the pinnacle of engineering, but they are actually pretty crude right now.
- rewiuoeriouf 4y ago
  > The current wave of EVs are very early technologies The efficiencies of the various powertrain components are very high (eg, charging efficiency and motor controller efficiency). I really don't see how they can be improved by very much. The main area of improvement is the battery. >they are actually pretty crude right now Interesting. I am assured that they are the latest and greatest in motorised transport!
  - _ea1k 4y ago
    > >they are actually pretty crude right now > Interesting. I am assured that they are the latest and greatest in motorised transport! These two concepts are not mutually exclusive.
    - rewiuoeriouf 4y ago
      In that case I'll hold off on buying an EV until these new, futuristic and not at all crude vehicles get made. Hopefully by then, we'll have solved the problem of how to sustainably fuel both the manufacturing process and the fuelling of EVs.

Gordonjcp 4y ago

Again, what are you defining as "barely functional"? What would they not do, what would be lacking? Bear in mind that no-one cares about things like iPhone integration, reversing cameras, lane assist, or any of the other pointless crap that overcomplicates modern vehicles.