quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Until the government is willing to give me $30,000 to build a garage to be able to charge my car off the street, $6,000 to upgrade my 100A service to 200A and $1,500 for a charger, they can kiss my ass and I'll continue to buy and drive good old fashioned gasoline cars.

I wouldn't charge an EV inside my garage. I don't even charge any tools unattended in my garage! Too much risk of a battery fire.

Finally gave up on the old Battery powered weed eater and bought an awesome 2-stroke Stihl from the local dealer today, figured get one while I can, it would last and while overkill would work for my application. After 30 minutes I am so glad I did, it is way more solid in every way than the big box store electric ones I saw. Plus it smells awesome, like a pre GWOT military vehicle. I also intend to keep my 19 MPG Tacoma as long as possible. So that's me

100% Against these EV mandates and DREAD the fact we will be forced to subsidize it and others via taxes and fees. I do also recognize and appreciate there is a place for them, especially hybrid. (My 50 mpg VW TDI was awesome, especially when I was commuting 500 miles a week)

Honestly, very unlikely but I would like to see and be able to afford:
- plug-in hybrid Porche Cayman
- Tacoma with MT and gas motor driving the rear wheels and electric driving the front via wheel motors (Not just spinning the existing drivetrain)

MAYBE, JUUUSSST MAYBE, some day I get that early 90s mustang LX trunk slammer and drop a hot 5.0 Coyote in it (Sigh)

quote:

Originally posted by Speedbird:
My 50 mpg VW GDI was awesome, but that got jacked up with the Dieslegate debacle)

Was that TDi, rather than GDI?

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Was that TDi, rather than GDI?

Sorry, typo, yes TDI. 2013 top of the line Gulf with manual trans. All the options, actually very brisk and great low end torque. Drove it hard and never got under ~46 mpg. (never a single problem, but I was always a little afraid of a catastrophic $$$$ breakdown.)

We've got a '12 Passat TDi, averaging 38 mpg. I wonder, if it hadn't gotten "the fix," would we be seeing 10mpg more? I do enjoy the torque on some of the long hills around here. And yes, I'm afraid of the catastrophic breakdown, too.

With 12- and 22-year-old vehicles in the fleet, I'm always worried about a breakdown, though my '12 worries me more than my '02.

I may not be in the market for an EV, but have no complaints about my EV lawnmower [Ryobi AWD].
Still using a Stihl 2 stroke weedeater, but will likely swap to a Ryobi there, too.

I 100% agree with Stickman. EVs are fun toys and have the potential to be a great product.

I'd buy an EV if the value was there. I bought my current car for $34k marked down from $42k. Want to know why? It gave me the highest ratio of weight to horsepower per dollar. Pure and simple, if I could find a faster $34k car be it electric or gas I would buy it.

For me the electric would be 50% subsidized by my employer and I get now 17mpg burning premium fuel. Additionally I can add an home charger for $80 to $800 depending on the charger/car.

There's a good financial use case and I love torque especially when delivered to four wheels. I could actually make it make sense for an electric econobox, but I need something that does 0-60 in under 5s (preferably 4s) and looks sexy.

I'll keep my gas guzzler for now. Anyways I'm considering buying another AWD high hp/tq to tide me over until my finances catch up with desires or the cars become less expensive.

As for the government fucking with free markets with zero, I mean absolutely zero return on investment money or environmentally has me beyond pissed off. Not only that, but the idea of a plumber or a food service worker paying for a subsidy on a lawyer or doctor's car is sickening.

I can understand the people in the thread who hate EVs because of the unrealistic and disastrous policies and laws. I get it, I truly do, we are going to set fire to trillions of dollars and make cars too expensive for those in the middle and lower class to afford all to speed the timeline up ten years. In the process we will get junk products that will not be the final product that gains a foothold.

Ford is losing so much money on their EVs it's laughable. All out of impatience. Taxes; higher vehicle costs; and vehicles that will be antiquated in 5-10 years just to say we are doing something to help reduce by a small amount 20% of the US CO2 production that comes from cars. It's infuriating.

Don't let your anger at that situation cloud your judgement on EVs. The enthusiasts; the early adopters; and the tinkerers are helping refine the ultimate product and having a good time doing it.

My next car will be another gas powered AWD high HP/weight vehicle. The one after that will probably be electric because I'll be able to get more HP for less money. I'm more interested in smiles per gallon and HP per $ than anything else. I might even end up with an Ebike before an EV, who knows.

If not for being forcefed to us and subsidized by us they be cool interesting toys.

I bought my first “production EV” today. This is my first electric vehicle that I didn’t build myself. It’s a downgrade on power by quite a bit but a major upgrade on suspension and handling. And gasp it isn’t a car.

It’s a Niner RIP E9. I opted for power and range first and foremost over less power, less weight, and an emphasis on handling.

I don’t want an electric car. They cannot compete yet in my eyes. Forcing EV’s on people is a huge mistake. Government shouldn’t choose winners and losers. The invisible hand of the market handles that well enough.

While it might trigger people who ignorantly liken these to a “power wheels” play thing for children I am exited to see how my new EV slays the singletrack trails.

Cool toy Stick! The important word in your not wanting an EV car was 'yet'. Give it 5-10 years, they will figure out how to bring a better product to market, I'm sure.

I've checked out bikes, but haven't pulled the trigger yet or even test driven one yet. I'm waiting for the price drops. I paid over $4,000 for my first 4k TV, I just bought a 55" Samsung 4k TV for $300. Bikes and cars are going to get cheaper, more reliable, more uniform, and faster in the coming years.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:

While it might trigger people who ignorantly liken these to a “power wheels” play thing for children I am exited to see how my new EV slays the singletrack trails.

That was a joke, sport. And the only person who is clearly "triggered" here is the one who continues to throw out ad hominem attacks despite being asked to end it...

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
...but the time has come for me to tell you guys that that's the end of it.

But hey, good for you, stick, for getting in the last word. Well done.

Japan (Toyota, Honda, Suzuki & Yamaha) are all betting against EV’s and going for renewable fuels while still making a modest effort to offer electric vehicles but mostly as an after thought. I find it quite interesting that the Japanese auto manufacturers have been so reluctant to embrace EV’s considering they pioneered the hybrid.

Toyota has been especially vocal with their criticism of EVs. Their last two presidents have caught hell for their opinions on EVs. I find that fascinating.

I consider Toyota to be an excellent manufacturer of vehicles and a company capable of engineering damn good vehicles. Toyota’s resistance to EVs is definitely noteworthy.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. I’m not trying to get any last word. I am simply adding to what I consider to be a VERY interesting subject/topic.


EVs are not without their problems. I deal with them every day at work. The are also definitely not for everyone. I do feel like there is a bit of hate towards them that is unjustified. I also understand there is a lot of anger towards EVs that is 100% justified because of idiots pushing tech they don’t understand completely for short sighted and ignorant political reasons.

quote:

I find it quite interesting that the Japanese auto manufacturers have been so reluctant to embrace EV’s considering they pioneered the hybrid.

Capitalism is a beautiful thing when allowed to flourish in a free country.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

I find it quite interesting that the Japanese auto manufacturers have been so reluctant to embrace EV’s considering they pioneered the hybrid.

Capitalism is a beautiful thing when allowed to flourish in a free country.

I agree 100%.


Mercedes Benz has recently and very publicly backpedaled from their projected date to go 100% electric. Why? The demand for their EVs has fallen QUITE A BIT short of their expected goals. So much so that they needed to admit it publicly. I find that incredibly amusing and entertaining.

Dodge killed off their V8 challenger and charger for what was supposed to be an EV but they have already kinda admitted that was a mistake and are going to offer a 6 cylinder hybrid along with stupid EVs slated to replace iconic namesakes and power train platforms that will leave enthusiasts underwhelmed. An electric hellcat is not going to be the same.

I wonder how much of this is being done voluntarily and how much is being coerced by idiot politicians with power?

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:

I wonder how much of this is being done voluntarily and how much is being coerced by idiot politicians with power?

Yes.

I appreciate the enthusiasm for the electric bicycle and the things you can do to achieve speeds and power otherwise not obtainable. But to expect everyone to share the same level of excitement as you do is not realistic.

It appears that's what you are doing. This is not even a bicycle thread but you insist on inserting it and when you get push back you start name calling. Curb your enthusiasm a bit and read the room. You will create fewer enemies.

Best to start your own thread, stickman, and let others have this thread for the subject at hand.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:

Are the LS swaps really expensive for a DeLorean!? I guess the low production numbers for kits and the exclusivity of such a project could make it $$$$. Being rear engine probably does complicate things quite a bit.

You might actually be right that an EV conversion kit for a DeLorean would be less expensive than the alternatives. It is a very unique car.

I’ve always wanted a DeLorean but I think the ownership experience probably wouldn’t live up to my expectations.

Sadly, working DeLoreans are now going for about $65K and doing an LS Swap isn't as plug and play as you might think. You'll also want to budget in a Porsche 6 speed manual because like this video mentions, the Renault UN-1 that Lotus supplied was designed for high horsepower/low torque engines and not an LS.

I am extremely opposed to government diktat about what we can buy and drive. The percentage of the government that (in my opinion) should be summarily shutdown and disbanded seems to grow every day.

Some folks say that in five or ten years there will be cool EV car products. That may be true. However, without the government forcing all of us to subsidize the development of this technology I believe it would be a much longer wait. I’m not normally a patient person by nature, but I’d prefer the government to but the heck out of what we drive and I’d be quite happy to wait however long it takes in a free market for cool EV car products.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Best to start your own thread, stickman, and let others have this thread for the subject at hand.

He already has one or two…

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:

I wouldn't charge an EV inside my garage. I don't even charge any tools unattended in my garage! Too much risk of a battery fire.

https://www.denverpost.com/202...oulder-firefighters/

Electric vehicle catches fire, explodes in Boulder garage Saturday morning

No injuries were reported and the family evacuated safely, according to Boulder Fire-Rescue

By LAUREN PENINGTON | lpenington@denverpost.com
March 30, 2024 at 1:48 p.m.

A Boulder home was evacuated Saturday morning after an electric vehicle caught fire and exploded in the garage.

The family was safely evacuated from the home, and no one was hurt, Boulder Fire-Rescue stated in a Saturday release.

Boulder Fire-Rescue crews responded to a fire alarm on Emerald Road around 6 a.m. Saturday after an alarm was tripped at the house, Boulder Fire-Rescue stated in the release.

When crews arrived, they found an electric vehicle smoking inside the garage, the fire department stated. The team on-site requested backup after the vehicle exploded.

The home filled with smoke during during the incident, and firefighters remained on the scene to ventilate the home and remove other vehicles from the garage, the fire department said.

Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire, according to Boulder Fire-Rescue.

================================

Here's the FD press release with photos:

https://twitter.com/boulder_fi.../1774071832368300421