What would it take for you to switch from a gasoline vehicle to an electric vehi

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   Mark Meredithposted 15 years ago

   What would it take for you to switch from a gasoline vehicle to an electric vehicle?

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2. 60

   lfolkposted 15 years ago

   The vehicle would need to be in the price range of the vehicle I am driving, would need to maintain enough speed to use on the interstate safely and would need to hold a charge equal to a tank of  gas.
   
   The second part is tricky. I have driven total electric vehicles and you have to recharge often and they only go about 35 miles an hour. I don't think the partial electric and partial gas has an extended future with dwindling oil.
   
   Perhaps solar to kick in like gas diid is something worih exploring.

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3. 61

   dabeanerposted 15 years ago

   Battery technology that takes enough charge so that you can drive a full-sized non-doofus-looking car at least 400 miles at 80+ miles per hour.  (The Toyota Prius hybrid sucks.  Yeah, I know that is politically incorrect -- bite me).
   
   Then, the batteries would have to be cheap enough that they do not cost a fortune to service and replace.
   
   The batteries would have to be compact enough so that they take no more room than a gasoline engine, transmission, and gas tank.
   
   There will have to be a recharging infrastructure that is convenient, including for apartment dwellers.  Recharging should cost no more than fueling up a gasoline car to go the same amount of miles.
   
   The initial and total maintenance costs of an electric vehicle have to be no more than of a similar size and performance gasoline vehicle.
   
   BTW, if it takes government subsidies for electric vehicles to "compete", then the costs are actually more, and we will all pay more in taxes and/or reduced "services" in other areas.  TANSTAAFL.

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4. 68

   palmerlarryrayposted 15 years ago

   Buy me one.  I will drive it.  That is all it would take for me.

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5. 60

   Solar Bookposted 15 years ago

   I made the switch years ago and I've been using a small Reva G-Wiz electric car for my daily driving.
   
   We have two cars in our family and we found that whilst it was useful to have one car to do highway speeds and long distances, we didn't need two cars that could do it - inevitably there is one car that is only ever popping down to the shops, dropping the kids off at school or at one of their after school clubs, driving too and from work - all the short journeys that never take you more than 5-10 miles away from home.
   
   If you live in or near a large town, you'll be familiar with the problem: high congestion means you are forever stop-starting and trundling along at 10-20mph in a queue of traffic.  Fuel economy in a 'normal' car is pretty awful in those sorts of conditions, plus your exhaust pipe is pumping out lots of nasty stuff as well.
   
   But use an electric car and they are ideally suited to this sort of driving. It's extremely quiet with no vibrations, which makes it relaxing to use.  My car keeps up with the rest of the traffic flow around me.
   
   My G-Wiz has a maximum range of around 35 miles (newer ones have a range of either 50 miles or 75 miles depending on which batteries you choose).  My average daily drive is 12 miles, occasionally getting as high as 20-25 miles.  Frankly range is never a problem - every time I get up in the morning I have a car with a 'full tank' of electricity and I never have to go to a fuel station to refuel.

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6. 75

   LiamBeanposted 15 years ago

   I have a similar problem to "dabeaner's", but, from my point of view, the batteries would have to last longer than three years; more along the lines of ten to fifteen. This is the major problem in my view. These batteries are expensive, but Lithium-ion, for example, only last about three years. That's one huge expense.

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7. 69

   MikeNVposted 15 years ago

   Where does one buy an electric vehicle? I've seen bicycles and scooters but no publicly available electric cars in the united states that has a 100 mile range.  And until there is they won't sell.  People do not want to be stranded.

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   lime light powerposted 13 years ago

   This is obviously an old question and quite a lot has changed since it was originally posted. With the Nissan Leaf on the road and many more electric vehicles on their way right now (April 2011) - these cars are getting 100 miles to the charge, Level 3 charging stations are on the market (although still not readily available) and prices are coming down.
   
   My current car is about 7 years old and starting to cost a couple bucks to maintain... we are thinking about buying a new car and definitely considering fully electric.
   
   For those interested I wrote a hub on electric vehicle charging times not too long ago which might be worth a read.
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/Electric-Vehicl … -Explained

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