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G. David Felt

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Everything posted by G. David Felt

  1. G. David Felt
    Battery Replacement, Prius cost $800 only for a reconditioned battery pack that has warranty and is stated to last 75,000 miles. Great read: Replacing Dead Hybrid Battery Pack for $800 Green Car Report Updated June 17th 2016 on Battery Replacement cost. To quote this researched story that includes plenty of FACTS from Toyota, the Battery in all Toyota Hybrids / EV's are now expected to be for the life of the auto. This is backed up with proof of Ford Escape Hybrids that have gone 300-400 thousand miles and Consumer reports research on Priuses with over 250,000 miles on battery packs that have insignificant battery storage loss. With that said, Toyota did supply this fact about a Prius Battery replacement installed price: Toyota hybrid battery replacement costs Below is a list of MSRP battery cost details for the various hybrid Toyota models offered since 2001. 2001-2003 Toyota Prius (1st generation) - $3,649 2004-2009 Toyota Prius (2nd generation) - $3,939 2010-2011 Toyota Prius (3rd generation) - $4.080 2012-2015 Toyota Prius Liftback - $3,939 2012-2016 Toyota Prius V - $3,939 2012-2016 Toyota Prius C - $3,807 2007-2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid - $4,892 2012-2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid - $4,892 2013-2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid - $4,892 2006-2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - $6,198 2011-2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - $6,353 Each of these prices will be reduced by a $1,350 "core credit" for the old battery pack being replaced, which the dealer then recycles through a long-established Toyota program. So price is not the scary 5 figures that some believe it to be. Plus if you look at Tesla Forums, it is interesting to see that the original Tesla Roadster had a 245 Mile range in 2008, in 2015, for $29,000 Tesla would replace that battery pack with a new one that would give you 400 miles plus a $5,000 dollar credit so ending up costing you $24,000 and they had according to the web site plenty of people sign up for it. Now with the newest 100KWh battery pack, it seems the Tesla Roadster can get 600+ miles and the price is still the same yet the miles has jumped in how far you can drive it. Have to be a Tesla owner to get access to the full story, but plenty of archived web pages showing this off and Autoblog also did a story on this. http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/01/tesla-roadster-battery-pack-replacement/ Is Tesla Battery Packs expensive? YES, are they worth it? To many they are. Have they helped push the R&D for battery research and EV's? YES Proof comes with the BOLT, Ioniq, Leaf 2.0, etc. Seems we will be seeing plenty of 200+ mile range auto's soon that are pure EV's.
  2. G. David Felt
    @ccap41 That is a good rate, one of the lower rates in the nation. So that is very Good. Washington is .06 per KWh, yet with that you have some places that are crazy high. Also, remember that the rate you have you will need to check what the tax's and fees are as that does push it up. This is a great starting place for rates by state in the US. http://www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/204.htm Washington with all the tax's, etc. comes out as the lowest in the nation at 7.41 cents or .0741 per KWh. This is an interesting site that is good if you state has options for who supplies your electricity. https://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state/ Another good source of electric rate info. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/ This is my favorite web site as it shows month by month the rates paid by residential, commercial, Industrial, and Transportation. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_5_6_a I think this last one will help you best in finding the info you are asking for.
  3. G. David Felt
    Last count the following auto's had regenerative braking that benefits the auto. Toyota Prius Family Honda Insight Ford Escape Tesla Chevy Volt / Bolt Nissan Leaf To name just a few and regenerative braking is not new, but has been around since the early 1900's. This PPT from Oregon State University is packed full of info about this tech and the history and pro's and con's. Very well done. Oregon State University Regen Braking Also this well done story on Regen Braking Hidden benefits of Regen Braking by Clean Technica Regen Braking is awesome, but better yet is that all EVs have regeneration from the motor, which creates power when not needing it. Unlike a petro car that you can coast down a hill but it will still use gas so a net negative, but regeneration in EVs as you coast down a hill creates energy which is a positive.
  4. G. David Felt
    I am excited by the new battery tech that gives 400 miles of range. This would be a real deal changer in how people see the EV auto.
  5. G. David Felt
    Very Exciting!
  6. G. David Felt
    Interesting thought, being that I love projects and not a fan of spending crazy money on the real thing, I would go for what you suggested above. Even bet that a Supercharged V8 from GM could kick the real things butt.
  7. G. David Felt
    I was told to blame it on the Bat Man movies with Joker and all the rest of the crazy clowns. JK
  8. G. David Felt
    We know that you can build an EV without all the computers, this is being done all the time by the hobbyist groups. I know based on monitoring the DOD, that they have EV projects, this project was called out for by the DOD to explore this technology. I just think it is a waste of Tax dollars as the facts show it takes more energy to produce Hydrogen than what you get out of it. So I just think they could have invested in research for other better options. Why not a CNG/LNG truck that could easily do everything this truck could do and we have a ton of supply already available. That is all.
  9. G. David Felt
    GM needs to get their Hybrid on and stop just messing around with the Volt, that is a proven powertrain that should be in every CUV as well as they better have plans for EV's in other models. The planet is changing and with it, humans needs to change and adapt. Being set in one's way is a sure way to become extinct. GM gave the Military what was asked for as this was a Hydrogen Project. I also think they should have also looked at other options. Yes this hydrogen truck can make electricity for use by troops. Something EV is not ready for doing but moving in that direction. Someday we will have solar panels that can recharge quickly battery cells. I just personally think that the whole hydrogen thing is a waste of money. The military would have been far better off going with natural gas. As proven by the truck companies, you can have CNG or LNG on a generator with electric motors moving the actual rig. That is a fuel now that the Military can use for all the same reasons as they are stating about Hydrogen without the expensive cost of creating hydrogen. I am still very much a pro supporter of natural gas, but also clearly see a valid use for ev's. The technology is there now to start converting fleets of delivery trucks, vans, etc. to pure EV in the city reducing smog, emissions and noise as the cities become more quiet and a better place to live for those that like the city. We also have EV buses that can clearly go the miles on 1 charge for a day long service.
  10. G. David Felt
    @ocnblu Ocnblu, giving me a negative is fine, please post your own thought about this concept, why or why not it will work or what you think is a better solution. Anyone that follows alternative energy knows that Hydrogen is very wasteful to produce yet very green for the planet. So why not look to other forms of propulsion. Coming from a multi-generation military family, being stealth and sneaking up on your enemy in todays terrorist world is now more crucial than ever. So why not have a PURE EV assault vehicle that can have fast swap of energy cells to keep the auto moving. If there is a better idea, name it and explain why please. I loved the TV Series Terra Nova http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1641349/ The auto's were all quiet electric ones with quick change energy cells that also quickly recharged off solar.This I would think would be perfect for a Military auto.
  11. G. David Felt
    Never said I never cared about weight, I care more about performance and sustained long term dependability. I agree with you that a $1,700 battery is over kill for most people but then that battery is clearly slated at Class A motorhomes. If you paying a million for this type of retirement travel around North America, then a $1,700 battery is cheap. That said, I love my $200 Li-Ion battery from Sears. It is on it's 6th year in my Suburban that I use during the summer to pull trailers, my waverunners, etc. During the fall, winter and early spring, the Suburban is covered and stored with Dri-Zee to keep it mold free, moisture free. I disconnect the terminal lines on the battery and in the spring time, I reconnect, takes 3-4 extra turns to get the gas pumped back up to the engine and it roars to life. Drop Dead Dependable. That is what I love about the Li-Ion plus it does run the stereo with serious bass well.
  12. G. David Felt
    I was wondering if you would only hang on the most expensive top end Li-Ion battery Wings. If you had gone through all the links and my gut tells me you did, yet you just totally ignored the Li-Ion battery's that start at $199.99 and go up from there, yes most of the auto batteries are around $500 and have an 8yr warranty. Some only state a 1-2% energy loss over a 1yr sitting, others state no energy loss over a year just sitting. Yet all do cover deep cold cranking amps that surpass your $100 battery and life expectancy. I enjoy my auto's with decent stereo's and for that, I know if I am not running the auto, a normal $100 battery might give you 10-15 min of time in today's auto's before running out of power and then it will not crank your auto. The Li-Ion can go much longer and still crank your auto. The devil is in the details, but depending on your expectation of quality, long life and deep cycle use, there are valid use cases for the Li-Ion auto batteries.
  13. G. David Felt
    Very Cool, but will never see the daylight of production even in the Military. The energy deficiency of Hydrogen makes no sense especially when deployed outside of this country. That is to clarify and say that while Hydrogen has power as a fuel, the ability to create the fuel to power a hydrogen engine is negative as it takes far more energy to create the fuel than you get out of it. Concept, an 11 on the 1-10 scale. Coolness Factor - 11 Reality factor - (-11) The Military would do far better putting these tax dollars into an EV rapid assault vehicle that is whisper quiet or quieter that can sneak up on the enemy and with fast swap out energy cells.
  14. G. David Felt
    Very Cool!
  15. G. David Felt
    The Photo's Rock! Not sure I would want to be in those cars on a rainy day as you can clearly seeing the rain dumping and those wheels are pretty much slicks. But I love that Purple!
  16. G. David Felt
    Time for a new thread, I think many of us grew up seeing the various auto mags and the crazy Hot Rods that were totally custom rides from vans, to custom corvettes, etc. Post your cool find of Custom Ride. I will start by one that just blew my mind, talk about the perfect Van / Boat Hauler.
  17. G. David Felt
    Being that cost of batteries has been brought up, we are in a time of dropping price per KWh of batteries and there are many stories that cover this. http://www.powertechsystems.eu/home/tech-corner/lithium-ion-vs-lead-acid-cost-analysis/ This story above actually shows that while the Li-Ion cost is higher right now, long term those batteries are cheaper due to weight, so shipping is cheaper, storage of power is superior, so long life which again ends in reduced cost plus many other factors. End result was that the Li-Ion is truly cheaper. http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/07/electric-vehicle-batteries-are-getting-cheaper-much-faster-than-we-expected/ This study shows that while Li-Ion was about $450 US dollars in 2014 per KWh, by 2020 the cost is expected to drop to around $200 per KWh and could go significantly lower depending on the ramp up of battery production. End Result is that Li-Ion is a superior battery to use in any Auto. The stability and long life especially in storage makes it a better route than traditional Lead Acid batteries or the various mid level batteries. I will say that I have found Li-Ion gel pack batteries to work extremely well in auto's. Li-Ion Auto Batteries Sears Li-Ion Auto Batteries Smart Li-Ion Batteries JEGS Li-Ion Batteries ebay Li-Ion Battery Listing
  18. G. David Felt
    Hell Ya This should go into production for spring 2017 sales.
  19. G. David Felt
    Your so right, he just needs to give up everything especially his petro powered auto since the worst polluting areas in the word are the gas / oil refineries and coal burning power plants. The toxic levels emitted are just killers. http://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/toxic-air-pollution-concentrated-at-small-number-of-sites/ar-BBwLQ7P?OCID=ansmsnnews11
  20. G. David Felt
    So how does a Ford Fan feel about Fords first EV attempt. 1967 Ford Comuta EV! http://blog.caranddriver.com/electric-youth-fords-1967-comuta-ev-concept-was-a-city-car-for-swinging-london/ We know cause ford reports clearly state they will have a 200+ mile EV auto to compete against the BOLT. http://www.automobilemag.com/news/ford-will-unveil-chevrolet-bolt-competitor-this-year/ Also Ford has decided to enter the e-bike market. So are e-bikes terrible because they are not pure original bikes? https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/feu/en/news/2011/09/18/ford-rides-into-e-bike-market-with-stunning-concept.html https://www.cnet.com/news/ford-mode-ebikes-mwc-2015/
  21. G. David Felt
    WOW, talk about nit picking, are you sure you want to open up this can of worms? We can go down all the negatives about petro cars from the child labor in China that builds various parts for cars to iPhones to clothes to the health issues with Petro / oil and the toxic issues on any car, to the negatives about all the maintenance. Come on @Wings4Life we all get you clearly HATE EV's! Talk and debate the actual auto rather than having to dive so far into the weeds of the back 160 acres. Is any auto clean, planet friendly, NO. I am starting to get the feeling this is more about it being GM who brings out the first mass produced EV auto with rang world wide than your beloved Ford Motor Company. How are you going to respond when Ford finally shows off their first long range EV? Are you going to be just like SMK and move the field goal posts to justify what Ford finally is building to compete against GM?
  22. G. David Felt
    Those are the kinds of customers Cadillac does not need or any luxury car maker wants.
  23. G. David Felt
    Talk to woman, the number one complaint when the Female Engineering team started researching to build the Ford Flex was that Woman hated the smell of gas and having to touch the dirty gas cap. The Engineering team was the first to remove the gas cap and integrate the vacume gas cap into the gas door. This allows you to push on the door, it pops open and you can then stick in the gas nozzle and pump. Men have been for too long used to ignoring woman and not listening to what they want or like / dislike. If you talk and ask woman the top 5 things they dislike about cars, I bet you will hear gas smell, fueling, gas cap, maintenance.etc. We just have not been used to asking let alone listening to what woman want.
  24. G. David Felt
    Have to Say that I do love the Chevy Bolt EV Savings Calculator as it gives so many options to play with. http://www.chevyevlife.com/bolt-ev-savings-calculator Have to say, Drew has stated this time and again, EV's right now is about saving a different type of Green. The BOLT is the first Mass Produced auto that delivers on this that addresses many peoples concerns. People worry about range, not a problem with 238 mile battery pack. People want quiet, EV's deliver that. People want their Tech connection, BOLT gives that. People want comfort, again this is given with the various packages. People want CUV's, this is give as the BOLT is the first CUV EV. People are tired of pumping gas and having that smell on their hands, EV's remove this. People want less maintenance, EV's give this. I could go on and on, and yet I will also acknowledge that EV's are NOT for everyone. They have many things people like, many things people will miss about existing auto's. This is the time for EV's to start making a difference and if we want to have a cleaner planet, cleaner cities, cleaner air, then EV's have their place. Much noise polution can be removed by cities mandating delivery trucks, buses and auto's be moved over to EV's.
  25. G. David Felt
    Weird, as I do not see them either.
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