The Electric Car Conundrum

[Waukonda]

Then again, maybe someday in the future we will be singing the old Merle Haggard song.........."we'll all be drinkin' that free Bubble Up, and eatin' that Rainbow Stew"

A lot of the Hag's songs ring true now days, like "The Fightin' Side of Me"

Ain't that the truth!

[OLDE CUTLER]

GM is making steady progress onward toward their next bankruptcy. They had to recall every single car of one electric model because of battery issues, and now have had to halt production and recall another model because of software issues. Their self driving car project has also come to a halt.

[OLDE CUTLER]

I see Volvo is the latest car manufacturer to be reconsidering their position of all electric by 2030.

[Boji]

Mini Cooper has also backed off of their plan of going full EV.

[1967redrider]

A friend of my wife has a son who bought a Mustang, not sure if it was 2020 first model year or not but it might be. Anyway, one morning, he was going out to get in it and drive to work, the car was dead. He couldn't even get the door to unlock. Then he was able to get the hatch open, crawled in, and the car was still dead because it was "updating." He called his local Ford dealer, they could not help, so he Ubered to work. Apparently the car was taking several hours, instead of the normal hour overnight, to update. He's unloading it.

[schradefan27]

Merle Haggard and cars
going to have “Ford and a Chevy that still last ten years like they should” in playing in my head all day which is great

I am car shopping these days and can not believe the prices nor the number of 4 cylinder models - I will only buy Ford or GM but the prices are $40k or higher

[bestgear]

- I will only buy Ford or GM but the prices are $40k or higher

you’d be better off spending the same money on any Thursday at either a Barrett Jackson or Mecum auction and get yourself a fine ride that you can work on yourself. That’s my game plan when my 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee needs its next major repair.

[jmh58]

2015 Toyota Tacoma.
Just turned 120,000 miles.
I will keep it until they put me under!!

[Mumbleypeg]

I posted this a while back in another thread.

On the Tesla Cybertruck, apparently EVERYTHING is electronic. If the battery is dead, nothing on it works - including the doors, which operate fully electrically. A local county sheriff deputy told me they recently had a call where a driver was locked inside his Cybertruck, in 100+ degree Texas heat. The battery had run dead so the doors would not function (apparently they’re automated open and close by push button). He did not know how to get out. No one else knew how to open the doors either, and they were racing against time trying to get him out as the temperature inside the vehicle was increasing dangerously. About the time they were going to break a window, someone finally found a video online showing how to remove an interior panel (apparently located under the rear floorboard) to access a manual release. They held the video up to the window so the guy trapped inside could see what to do to get out.

Ken

[edge213]

"GASOLINE FOREVER"
David Frieburger Motor Trend TV

[LKSKNIVES]

The whole electric car thing is a bit baffling up here in the north. But the American people subsidized f150 lightning is a whole nother story. When they announced the electric truck thing, I was walking into work with this guy at my last place of employment. We got on the subject. I said what a joke my brother has had nothing less than a beefed up F350 for years plowing snow concrete guy. The first thing I say is the truck is stupid is my brother going to stop plowing for a hour if the snow is coming down at an inch an hour. Then the guy say something about the big Train engines running on electricity. One trains are my hobby and I have been too Union train museum a time or three. I said yes they run on electricity not from solar panels or windmills but because they have a huge diesel engine that generates electricity. Go figure.
Sorry for the long story. It twists my whiskers.
Steve

[1967redrider]

. . . Then the guy say something about the big Train engines running on electricity. One trains are my hobby and I have been too Union train museum a time or three. I said yes they run on electricity not from solar panels or windmills but because they have a huge diesel engine that generates electricity. Go figure.
Sorry for the long story. It twists my whiskers.
Steve

Glad you set him straight on how electric train motors work. They basically have a big diesel powered generator on board.

I would imagine the old catenary lines were wired right into the power grid, but many railroads have moved away from the catenary system.

[LKSKNIVES]

You can still ride the cantenary trains and busses out at Union. When the train starts to go in the opposite direction they have to switch the power end so it’s pulling. It’s pretty cool.

[1967redrider]

You can still ride the cantenary trains and busses out at Union. When the train starts to go in the opposite direction they have to switch the power end so it’s pulling. It’s pretty cool.

Nice! I think Milwaukee Road had catenary from Michigan to Washington State once upon a time.

[schradefan27]

2015 Toyota Tacoma.
Just turned 120,000 miles.
I will keep it until they put me under!! IMG_7749.jpeg

I am looking at SUV these days and asked a car guy buddy about Land Rover and Range Rover

He said there is a joke - if you want to get out to the wilderness get a Rover

If you want to get out and also get back get a Toyota

[jmh58]

2015 Toyota Tacoma.
Just turned 120,000 miles.
I will keep it until they put me under!! IMG_7749.jpeg

I am looking at SUV these days and asked a car guy buddy about Land Rover and Range Rover

He said there is a joke - if you want to get out to the wilderness get a Rover

If you want to get out and also get back get a Toyota

Never heard that one!!
Must be some truth to it!!
This is my 2nd Tacoma. Traded my 04 with 230,000 miles in on this one in 15.
John

[LKSKNIVES]

I was not going go here But. The picture is from the Cumberland plateau Tennessee 1975. I was only 13 and went with uncle ponytail that’s what we called him until then he got married after the trip and cut off his ponytail before we left.
Back to the story I was inside the Toyota Landcruiser with my grandfather uncle Carl is the picture and uncle Larry took the picture. At that point I knew Toyota’s were for me have had a couple of versions of the landkruiser. 6 Tacoma‘s. A Corolla that had 250k. They are not work trucks like a F350. I could possibly buy a hybrid no fully electric. That is a not so funny joke.