What’s your plan in 2035 when E-cars are mandatory?

[Petunia 100]

I need to read up further too, but this is a *really* big problem. Heavy duty vehicles can have lifecycles of 20, 30 years. There are electric semi-tractors now, but it's still a developing market, and what does an entire state or nation do with a fleet of diesel semi-tractors that have plenty of life left, but can no longer be used? They're very expensive to replace and I doubt the EV market will make them significantly cheaper than they are now.

A bigger issue is the medium-duty fleet. Think like a big chassis-cab Ford F550 with a utility bed and a power take off for a big fluid pump or something. Again, can't just throw those all away as they are very expensive to purchase and outfit, and they often have a 20+ year lifecycle too.

I was thinking more about how an e-truck is going to haul big loads up steep hills. I don't think they have the same capabilities as a diesel engine.

[Petunia 100]

I don't think that insurance would go up on a used truck.
Especially if it got to a point where I only needed liability.

Maintenance on a diesel probably wouldn't be more than electric. Maybe on par.

Fuel costs could be a concern, but without a car payment it wouldn't bother me that much.

I do a lot of towing and hauling.
I just don't see an electric motor outworking my truck.
Pulling 16,000 pounds worth of dump trailer and backhoe isn't something I'd try with an electric vehicle.

Beyond all that, 15 years is pretty far off.
What if something better than electric comes along in the meantime?
Will this mandate still be enforced if some new and better technology comes out?
And we're still in a position where 63% of all electricity comes from burning fossil fuels
More electric vehicle demand means more burning of coal, natural gas, and nuclear.
Did we really achieve anything "green"? Or, is this more political than science?

I agree; this is something which needs to be addressed if we are going to switch to all (or mostly) electric.

[Petunia 100]

Nuclear is clean, natural gas is cleaner than gasoline, coal is on it's way out.
Also you see that 63%? This number have been decreasing from 100% for the past 30 years and will continue to decrease so this argument has always been dead. I remember just 3 years ago, Texas Husker was saying "80%".

Can't beat solar -> car. Fastest and most efficient way to use energy for transportation. So no it's not political. I and many others have been charging our car with zero Co2 usage for years now.

Where do you live, though?

[bjl584]

I was thinking more about how an e-truck is going to haul big loads up steep hills. I don't think they have the same capabilities as a diesel engine.

with current technology an electric motor would either burn up or it would kill the battery in a couple minutes.
you just aren't going to get the torque or longevity out of an electric motor when you are talking about semi trucks.
maybe in 15 years things will be different.

[ua_guy]

I was thinking more about how an e-truck is going to haul big loads up steep hills. I don't think they have the same capabilities as a diesel engine.

EV's have a torque advantage in general, and gearing can also be used with an electric motor to multiply torque, similar to how a diesel engine and transmission work together today. The bigger issue is still storage capacity and recharging. Pulling a mountain pass with a gross weight of 80,000lbs could probably eat up an entire charge. Then what? Plug in and have the driver wait 4 hours?

[Petunia 100]

with current technology an electric motor would either burn up or it would kill the battery in a couple minutes.
you just aren't going to get the torque or longevity out of an electric motor when you are talking about semi trucks.
maybe in 15 years things will be different.

Yes, maybe.

[disneysteve]

If people can keep existing (as in register and operate them on public roads) or buy used vehicles that aren't electric, and operate them, I agree, that's a different scenario.

There's no way they could entirely ban owning and operating gas/diesel vehicles. They can't force the entire population to ditch their existing vehicles and replace them with electric ones. There are about 270 million registered vehicles in the US and 15 million just in California.

[Singuy]

with current technology an electric motor would either burn up or it would kill the battery in a couple minutes.
you just aren't going to get the torque or longevity out of an electric motor when you are talking about semi trucks.
maybe in 15 years things will be different.

Factually incorrect. Tesla Semi here hauling 75k lb payload while exceeding the advertised range of 500 miles (this article is 1 year old). The Semi have also been hauling and delivering new Tesla cars all over the state daily for reliability testing.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/29449/...ern-california

This semi is using 4 plaid motors. The Cyber truck will be using 3 plaid motors. The reason that can't haul 75000lb is due to the chassis, not the motor.

[Singuy]

Where do you live, though?

FL?
I have solar, and it directly charges my car and powers my house CO2 free. I have no idea what the grid is like in FL nor do I care.

[Singuy]

EV's have a torque advantage in general, and gearing can also be used with an electric motor to multiply torque, similar to how a diesel engine and transmission work together today. The bigger issue is still storage capacity and recharging. Pulling a mountain pass with a gross weight of 80,000lbs could probably eat up an entire charge. Then what? Plug in and have the driver wait 4 hours?

Mega charges add 400 miles in 30 mins, but Tesla is developing something that can exceed this. The Semi will recharge itself on its way down the mountain via regenerative braking, recouping up to 32% of what was used to go uphill.

[disneysteve]

FL?
I have solar, and it directly charges my car and powers my house CO2 free. I have no idea what the grid is like in FL nor do I care.

That's great. I definitely see solar panels popping up on more and more houses around here in NJ. I have no idea what it cost the homeowners or how much it actually saves them/what the payback period is. But it's definitely becoming very common to see panels on homes and businesses.

[ua_guy]

Mega charges add 400 miles in 30 mins, but Tesla is developing something that can exceed this. The Semi will recharge itself on its way down the mountain via regenerative braking, recouping up to 32% of what was used to go uphill.

That's great news. I didn't realize Tesla had already advanced the technology that far. I know there's a big future in electric/autonomous trucks. *Not great news for drivers, but, kind of like coal jobs, when the industry shifts, so must the workers...

[Petunia 100]

FL?
I have solar, and it directly charges my car and powers my house CO2 free. I have no idea what the grid is like in FL nor do I care.

So the ground is flat where you are. Nothing wrong with flat ground, but this does not describe everyone's location.

I do see that there are a few AWD e-vehicles with a bit of clearance currently available for pre-order. I'm not interested in paying 70k for one, though.

[Singuy]

So the ground is flat where you are. Nothing wrong with flat ground, but this does not describe everyone's location.

I do see that there are a few AWD e-vehicles with a bit of clearance currently available for pre-order. I'm not interested in paying 70k for one, though.

Correct, I would say electric cars are currently not for you. But a 2025+ electric ..truck may. As for ground clearance, the cyber truck with 550+ mile range has a ground clearance equal to that of the hummer, twice of a normal unmodified truck. Of course the price is 70k, but will reduce to 50k eventually.

[Petunia 100]

There's no way they could entirely ban owning and operating gas/diesel vehicles. They can't force the entire population to ditch their existing vehicles and replace them with electric ones. There are about 270 million registered vehicles in the US and 15 million just in California.

No, they will just stop selling new ones. Eventually the old ones will no longer be in use. I hope to keep our tow vehicle running for the rest of my life, or at least until I no longer need a tow vehicle.