3 ms·

Got it. So just make sure your vehicle is constantly consuming energy and you'll never have an issue... unless the power is out for an extended period of time.

gambiting 4y ago
You never started your car and just let it warm up before setting off in winter? How much energy do you think that uses?
- kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
  No. That's a waste of a useful resource. It's also illegal in various places.
  - gambiting 4y ago
    Well, I envy wherever you live then, must be nice in winter!
    - kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
      It's 13F right now. I can afford clothing.
  - simfree 4y ago
    Driving with an iced over window impairing visibility is illegal in most places, you have to address this with defrosting and perhaps scraping before moving the vehicle. Idling combustion vehicles is bad, but sometimes it's a necessary evil to ensure visibility so the driver can avoid harming other road users.
    - avar 4y ago
      > Idling combustion vehicles is bad. Not really, you're spending a fraction of the fuel you'd use per minute if you were driving. So, in terms of pollution it's no worse than taking a short detour to wherever you were going.
      - jsjohnst 4y ago
        > > Idling combustion vehicles is bad. > Not really Yes it is, it’s bad on the engine.
- simfree 4y ago
  Letting the car consume a small amount of constant electricity to keep the battery above freezing is thankfully not very expensive compared to a standard space heater (usually 1.5kW at 720 hours a month, costing $150 a month in Seattle). Defrosting and toasting the cabin to 92F in freezing conditions usually burns about 1.2kWh to 3kWh while plugged in, but that is just a few tens of cents (or free depending on the charger) to get nearly instantly toasty and ready to drive.
  - alphabettsy 4y ago
    $150/mo just to keep it ready to drive? That doesn’t sound right.
    - simfree 4y ago
      No, I was trying to convey that it costs significantly less than keeping a space heater running 24/7 (which would cost about $150 a month at 14 cents per kilowatt hour). $10 to $30 a month in power use to keep your battery toasty in the dead of winter isn't too bad a price IMO
tshaddox 4y ago
If the power is out for an extended period of time you’ll find gasoline hard to come by as well.
EdwardDiego 4y ago
Want to see how quickly the petrol supply line breaks down in an emergency? We had severe shortages for a month after an earthquake. People hoarding fuel contributed significantly, at least you can't hoard electricity. Also, electricity supply isn't prone to supply shocks when Russia invades Ukraine, or the Saudis want to flex their muscles.

gambiting 4y ago

You never started your car and just let it warm up before setting off in winter? How much energy do you think that uses?

kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
No. That's a waste of a useful resource. It's also illegal in various places.
- gambiting 4y ago
  Well, I envy wherever you live then, must be nice in winter!
  - kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
    It's 13F right now. I can afford clothing.
- simfree 4y ago
  Driving with an iced over window impairing visibility is illegal in most places, you have to address this with defrosting and perhaps scraping before moving the vehicle. Idling combustion vehicles is bad, but sometimes it's a necessary evil to ensure visibility so the driver can avoid harming other road users.
  - avar 4y ago
    > Idling combustion vehicles is bad. Not really, you're spending a fraction of the fuel you'd use per minute if you were driving. So, in terms of pollution it's no worse than taking a short detour to wherever you were going.
    - jsjohnst 4y ago
      > > Idling combustion vehicles is bad. > Not really Yes it is, it’s bad on the engine.
simfree 4y ago
Letting the car consume a small amount of constant electricity to keep the battery above freezing is thankfully not very expensive compared to a standard space heater (usually 1.5kW at 720 hours a month, costing $150 a month in Seattle). Defrosting and toasting the cabin to 92F in freezing conditions usually burns about 1.2kWh to 3kWh while plugged in, but that is just a few tens of cents (or free depending on the charger) to get nearly instantly toasty and ready to drive.
- alphabettsy 4y ago
  $150/mo just to keep it ready to drive? That doesn’t sound right.
  - simfree 4y ago
    No, I was trying to convey that it costs significantly less than keeping a space heater running 24/7 (which would cost about $150 a month at 14 cents per kilowatt hour). $10 to $30 a month in power use to keep your battery toasty in the dead of winter isn't too bad a price IMO

tshaddox 4y ago

If the power is out for an extended period of time you’ll find gasoline hard to come by as well.

EdwardDiego 4y ago

Want to see how quickly the petrol supply line breaks down in an emergency? We had severe shortages for a month after an earthquake. People hoarding fuel contributed significantly, at least you can't hoard electricity. Also, electricity supply isn't prone to supply shocks when Russia invades Ukraine, or the Saudis want to flex their muscles.