Morning Edition e-news for Boom Boom

[aai]

I'm allow to talk smack. I've designed and driven more electric vehicles that DAMN near everyone up until just a couple years ago. Over the last 21yrs I've been head designer for a gazillion watts of solar controllers too.

Electrics and renewables are the future. But in getting there you have to break a few eggs to make the omlettes. They have to use fossil fuels until they build out the infrastructure.

EVs make a TON of sense for commuters. Not so much for ADV or camping where the whole point is to go far from the grid.

agreed, but just a weekend camp and ride at WV or PA is a good start. Stephen how far are we on solar panels? trickle charging while driving. Im clueless on all this stuff but I do pay attention. Jeep just came out with a hybrid 4XE, that we are considering trading our Rubicon in on. 2.0 liter turbo backed with E-motor. Puts it in v8 class torque, and of course the extra travel range. disclaimer: all for the renewable energy etc, but not at the expense of destroying the fuel the current economy is running on.

[smdub]

You will never run a car on solar panels. The sunlight hitting the earth is 1kW/m^2. A Camry is ~9m^2 footprint = 9kW. At 30% cell efficiency = 2.7kW if the sun was directly overhead. That's less than 4hp. No car can cruise on that. When I was in the solar car competition we could run on ~2kW but those are SUPER low drag and rolling resistance cars.

[Bucho]

I'm allow to talk smack. I've designed and driven more electric vehicles than darn near everyone up until just a couple years ago. Over the last 21yrs I've been head designer for a gazillion watts of solar controllers too.

Electrics and renewables are the future. But in getting there you have to break a few eggs to make the omlettes. They have to use fossil fuels until they build out the infrastructure.

EVs make a TON of sense for commuters. Not so much for ADV or camping where the whole point is to go far from the grid.

I agree, they are the future. The whole modular van/truck/camper idea is pretty cool.
Just not quite “there” yet.

[Boom Boom]

And I thought my van was ugly... looks like a devil dog with wheels.
Now drop in a turbo diesel and my mind might be changed.

[smdub]

Agreed, that one is fugly.
The originals were much cooler