homemade car, sets world speed records

15 years ago

If this man can do what he does in his garage. Why didn't the "big" 3 get it together and come up with something LONG before this financial crisis? Yes, I already know what the issue is...they need money NOW and soon. Well, we had a energy crisis in the 70's and they have had YEARS to figure out other energy resources other than gasoline. This has not come as a BIG surprise to them.

Chrysler has already been bailed out once before. I am just having a real hard time feeling bad for any of them. Bad planning on their part DOES NOT mean automatic emergency on mine. In other words I would like to keep my tax money for other worth while projects. Thank you all for listening.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/videos/view/56-Electric-Drag-Racing

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Comments (2)

jemdandy
15 years ago
There are some missing pieces in this argument for electric cars. Lets look a some statements:

1. "Ran the race with zero polutant oupput"

Well, maybe this was true at the track, but in a technical sense, it it erroneous. It took a bunch of electrical power to charge the batteries, Guess what - That power was generated at a power station that was merrily pumpinp out carbon-dioxide as it burned hydrocarbon fuel. The emissions were merely transferred to a different location.

2. Electric power is cost effective per mile.

Who, wait a minute! The cost per mile may look good depending who is calculating, but did anyone figure out that it was subsidized by the utility customers? There was no road tax on the energy! Money for building and upkeep of state and national roads comes from fuel taxes. These taxes are paid by utility cutomers with convential cars. In the future, should electric cars become popular, there will be a road tax levied. Governmental bodies can not afford not to levy this tax. Of course, there will a cost involved for employing a system to separate the car's electric bill from the household bill since each will pay differening taxes.

Once the elecric car comes into use, the total fuel usage will not go down, but may increase a bit. Fuel once burned in the auto will now be burned at the power plant. More and/or bigger power plants will be needed to carry the extra load, and yes, you guessed it, a corresponding increase in smoke stack gasses. The total BTU input to autos plus power plants may increase a bit due to electric transmission losses, and losses during battery charging.

As I write this, the temperature outside my room is minus 6 below zero F. I wonder how much electric power the batteries would need to supply to warm up the cabin enough to keep my hands from freezing at the wheel. This heat load is a 100% loss as far as miles per energy-unit is concerned.

3. The car in this demonstration prooves that batteries require space, lots of space and has weight. The trunk and back seat space was filled with batteries. There was room for only one passenger, and some groceries and personal gear presumeably stowed on a cover over the back seat batteries. This is not a practical vehicle for a road trip.

We do have to admit that it is a fast little racer over a quater mile. I wonder how it would fare in the Indianaopolis 500, or a lesser race of 100 miles over a mountian.
rthummer
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi, I understand you fully. The electric car probably is not the answer, I surely am no rocket scientist!! That's for sure.LOL. But...IF HE can BUILD this is his garage, WITH LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES, why haven't the car manufacturers that have had Years to come up with ideas, years of market gains, (remember the 80's) done more? (than run their companies in the ground and want large retirements) That is all I question. You and me are ultimately the ones that are going to pay the price and bail them out. No one bails me out if I make bad choices, nor do I expect them to. My father who I admit was a straight laced retired military man often said, "a man learns the most when he is in the most pain." (from his own mistakes and hardheadness and foolishness...You learn not to do THAT again!!) When you have made wrong choices with your finances, and you feel the pain, you learn a thing or two. You know next time to better budget you money. If someone bails you out financially--- you feel no pain--- then you learn Nothing. Looks like Chrysler didn't learn from their mistake the first time and they are needing bailed out AGAIN. Lee Iaacoa turned them into a profit making company and they neither heeded his advice about researching alternative energy for cars, or kept the company finances in the green. They are one of the Big 3 that are needing a bailout now. We as taxpayers feel the pain and they don't. Guess who learns the lesson and who doesn't? I hope that people that have lost homes over job situations, or economy do not think that I am addressing your situation. That is a TOTALLY different. The average hardworking, RESPONSIBLE person is hurting in these times,and not by their own hand.
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homemade car, sets world speed records

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jemdandy

rthummer
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homemade car, sets world speed records

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jemdandy

rthummerOriginal Author

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rthummer
Original Author