G. David Felt

Gotta love all the new EV announcements this week! Check out the Alternative Forum for EV auto's and Semi's!

No matter how one looks at auto's the future is bright for EV auto's and fast charging. Wireless has a huge support by various groups around the US. If they can get 350kWh fast charging that is wireless, where you just drive onto a pad, that would rock!

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Faraday Future and Lucid Motors, Newest EV Automakers in America! Tesla as well as the Detroit, European and Asian auto companies have new competition. Tesla has seen in the last few years, engineers leave that had alternative dreams / plans that conflicted with Musk. As such this fall 2016 we are seeing coming out of the skunk works mode two new EV auto companies based in California is Farady Future who is already big in F1 E-Racing with over 1,400 employees world wide and Lucid Motors. Both companies have broken ground in Arizona for auto production lines. While there is little spec on motors, battery packs, etc. both companies using a rich background of Tesla Engineers clearly seems focused on building new Green auto's compared to waiting for Detroit to figure this out. Faraday has their F1 racer which also uses the same skateboard platform of which their concept driving around California is using. You can check out plenty of pictures online of heavily disguised CUV type EV. Lucid Motors also has their release pictures which includes their own camo covered auto's. For reading interest you can get more details on either of their web sites listed below. Lucid Motors Faraday Future

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Nikola Class 8 Zero Emission Semi Debutes December 1st was a huge night for Nikola, an EV Semi truck start up by various Tesla folks that felt the world needed Zero Emission Semi's before auto's. As such Nikola showed off their first long range Class 8 Zero Emission Hydrogen-Electric Semi. The Nikola One semi has the following specifications: 1,000 Horsepower 2,000 ft. lbs. of torque 4 electric motors for AWD. 800 - 1,200 mile range 320 kWh battery pack recharged by on-board generator and regeneration braking, plug-in recharging available at Hydrogen fueling stations Nikola Fuel Cell - Produces 200 kW of energy to recharge the battery pack and provide added power for the motors during steep hill climbs Pure electric mode is 100-200 miles depending on load. 1-2 full sized beds Large 4K TV Full size fridge and freezer Microwave Large closet for hanging clothes Computer desk Apple TV integrated WiFi and 4GLTE Internet connectivity Electronic climate control Free hydrogen fuel for 1,000,000 miles 364 current hydrogen stations planned across Canada and U.S. 800 Service & warranty locations provided by partner Ryder Systems Electric regenerative braking with air disc brakes as assistance is needed. 3-4x the life of traditional brakes Nikola is starting with their two Semi options, the Nikola One, long distance Class 8 Semi and their Nikola Two, a day only use Class 8 semi. Cost comes in at a very competitive $5,000 - $7,000 per month Lease. At this time no purchase options are available. Nikola says this will give fleets and independent truckers equal par on the rigs and price and allow them to get a new truck every 7 years or 1,000,000 miles which ever comes first. Nikola has announced that since they started sales 30 days ago, they have booked 3 Billion of Nikola One Sales already with a down payment. Nikola expects to have the Nikola One and Two semi on the roads of america by January 2020 beating German and Asian auto companies to be the first long distant pure zero emission class 8 semi. Nikola also announced that starting in 2017, OEM's and personal EV conversion outfits can purchase their 107 kWh battery pack. Nikola says that their 107 kWh battery pack if used in a BMW i3 would give the car a 400 mile range. They say that they could also use their battery design and pack a 125 kWh battery into the existing space on a Tesla S battery envelope allowing a greatly extended range over Tesla current 100 kWh battery. Nikola has also gone into production the Nikola Zero, a 4x4 AWD UTV that has 520HP & 476 ft-lbs. of torque good for a 200+ mile range depending on terrain, check out Nikola Power Sports for more details. Nikola Motors Press Release Nikola 30 Days of Sales Nikola Power Sports Additional Nikola Press Releases and Pictures Nikola Picture Album

True, there are those that show great fiscal responsibility. Sadly the bulk do not and that is where America will Fail Again. Too many greedy instant gratification people. I see this every day in the amount of auto's that people drive to their electronic toys they must have and yet I question just how much of it is really needed. Upside down on auto's is at a point that we now have stories on how to get into a new auto when you still owe more than the old one is worth. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/need-a-new-car-but-still-owe-more-on-yours-than-its-worth/ This story covers the truth of this upside down mess. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/11/27/record-number-car-buyers-upside-down-trade-ins/94506786/ The USA Today story just confirms this thread and has many scary facts about where we are going. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/your-money/how-to-buy-a-car-when-you-have-an-upside-down-loan.html?_r=0 This story does not help as it comes across as embracing debt and going deeper. Sad times on one hand we live in, yet very exciting times also for the EV future of the Auto Industry. Job report is out, we are at a 9 year low and one of the best rates since 2000. Guess some things came out good about the last 8 years.

The cool thing is we can all discuss our differences and mostly based on education choose to agree to disagree and still debate our differences. I for one Love change, live on the bleeding edge of technology and welcome change. I welcome that many of our favorite US auto companies are involved in the future fuel system of auto use in Europe and hope it comes to North America Soon. I also while loving my petro luxury and go fast auto's have also started to convert my 1994 GMC SLE Suburban. It will become an in wheel hub motor AWD EV SUV. I love the fact that the body style and room inside is what I enjoy, Ultra quiet due to EV powertrain and total confidence in long road trips due to size allowing me to have a large battery pack. When will it be done? Good question, slow but steady for me as I have a wife who finished college and I need to finish paying off her education but it will get done and then I will be driving my GMC Classic, quick, silent and roomy. Now to research what it would take to make the auto 120Kw which is available all over Seattle for quick fast charging and prep for the future of 350Kw charging. The future is so fast, silent and green!

Totally agree here, one must pay one self first. CC is to be used to cover expenses as long as one can pay it off and manage their money. This way you can optimize the investing side, rewards side and manage all bills no matter what your paycheck payout by your company is. Today's millennials to generation X, those in their 40-50's have poor money management skills and this comes from parents and the schools that have removed home ec class where they used to teach money management. Plus the total self instant gratification just makes me shake my head. Amazing how many people thing no big deal of carrying a ton of credit card debt with the attitude of everyone has debt. No big deal I will die with debt so why worry about if it is paid off or not.

Yes and No, depends on which thread you are on. Plus the holidays are a diversion for so many, so normal slowness.

Some Very lovely Hot Rods!

Thought you wanted to be a twin turbo V8 Nice Job, keep up the effort. All very true realizations. Keep up a diverse ab routine and you will see the cuts you are desiring. Nice Job!

Amazing what one can see on this site for home and public charging places. Especially in far north Canada. http://www.plugshare.com/

Nutella Chocolate Lava Brownies are Da BOMB! http://kirbiecravings.com/2011/06/nutella-lava-brownies.html

Right!, Worse thing that can happen is being too Rubbery in the morning!

EV devices like these 4wd chairs can really sell people on the whole EV movement IMHO.

I figure the pickup is a blimp as I expect it to go down as VW not only tries to close down the Diesel scandal, but then has to deal with their Petro scandal also. This is going to hurt VW big time long time.

Unless your in Alaska, There I learned the hardway on how low a tire can be in the morning. With their cold temps, go max at night before you go to bed if you need air, by morning it will be down about 10lbs. Darn cold below zero temps.

Yawn, can I get back the few minutes I wasted looking at this dog?

Yes Blow outs do happen, though I honestly have never had one happen to me. But then I am OCD about lots of things especially my auto's, tire pressure, etc.