Chavez and oil Brazil and ethanol

[Zathras]

Lazarus,

That is what I thought too. However after more research the efficiency is still twice that of the internal combustion engine with all that included.

If you are interested, there is a whitepaper and more info at http://www.teslamotors.com/blog1/?p=8

 

[larry]

Some of us in coastal areas wonder how tidal energy could be used without detrmental impact.  I don't want turbine blades chopping up sea creatures, but all that ebb and flow surely could be put to work.

Seems to me I read that someone is working on a wave energy generator whereas the up and down motion of a bouy tethered to an anchored generator produces electricity. This would probably only saw sea serpents in half.

 

[greg]

larry: Here's one:

http://engr.oregonstate.edu/news/ar/2005/waveenergy.html

 

[Brat]

Seems to me I read that someone is working on a wave energy generator whereas the up and down motion of a bouy tethered to an anchored generator produces electricity.  This would probably only saw sea serpents in half.

All that chop off the mouth of the Columbia should be good for something more than sinking boats.

 

[Lazarus]

Lazarus,

That is what I thought too. However after more research the efficiency is still twice that of the internal combustion engine with all that included.

If you are interested, there is a whitepaper and more info at http://www.teslamotors.com/blog1/?p=8

From the white paper on the Tesla car batteries:

“However even with this high energy density, the lithium-ion batteries in the Tesla Roadster only store the energy equivalent of about eight liters of gasoline; a very small amount of energy for a typical vehicle. “

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Eight Liters of gas is 2.11 US Gallons. If the car can go 250 miles on one charge that figures to an equivalent of 118 miles per gallon! A very efficient car indeed. I have not tried to calculate the cost of charging it every day.

I found the white papers well balanced and they pointed out the shortcoming of their design as well as the advantages.

A range of 250 miles would be sufficient for all my driving needs except out of town trips.

The cost of the car must be comparable to a gas car for me to consider buying one.

 

[Zathras]

Yeah, the first model is going to be comparably priced. Unfortunately the first model is a roadster that does 0-60 in 4 seconds. So a comparable Lotus or Jag that can do that means about 90k I believe.

They are currently planning a sports-sedan for about half the price of the roadster in 2008. They then plan to follow that in another year or two with a family sedan.