Why Electric Cars Are Not The Answer - Go By Bike Episode 14

[axlrod05]

electric cars are indeed the answer. eventually we will be able to generate solar energy at such a cheap cost taht it will make sense economically and environmentally. the efficiency of solar power harnessing increases almost exponentially much like computing power does. the "murphy's law" almost applies to solar as much as it does to computing power.

[axlrod05]

@axlrod05 but yeah bikes are great for exercise. and theres nothign wrong with electric bikes if it fits your personal needs. some people have kids and need more space than a bike can provide. also hauling cargo is pretty hard to do with a bike....

[m9078jk3]

An excellent video that I agree with.Yes most of the mass being transported by a car is the vehicle weight itself and is very wasteful.Electric powered vehicles only make sense when the vehicle itself is very lightweight and most of the mass being transported is the rider.Ideally the vehicle should have the least mass possible.Hence electric bicycles make sense whereas heavy electric cars don't.Also very fast vehicles are inefficient too and speed introduces dangerous accidents.

[FightUni09]

I agree with you, as I have been using my Amped Bike with a trailer for the batteries since May 2011. Ebikes are the future.

[amindrawer]

yes in a first glance you are right BUT Do not forget about a missive renewable energy out there !!

[JigSkipper]

Hi! Just saw this and wanted to add that future electric vehicles will be made from light weight carbon fiber which will dramatically increase the range of these vehicles. I'm a bike rider and still favor that mode of transportation for lots of reasons but I'm just saying electric cars will be more efficient than they currently are.

[CosmicDamian]

Very interesting. I have a concern about bicycles - most people live further away from work than they can bike, even if they're in great shape. The geographical location of businesses and homes in this country (suburbia) represents an investment of tens of trillions of dollars... If going to bicycles was mandated today, it seems the saved oil would have to be burned anyway, in tje process of completely rebuilding homes and businesses next to each other, in mega-urban centers.

[cyclenut]

250 million electric cars will need hundreds of new nuclear power generators.

The cost to build all those nuclear power plants, mine nuclear fuel and upgrade power lines will cost trillions and trillions of dollors. Then add everyone will live close to a super large nuclear power plant.. Learn about three mile Island, and the two biggest nuclear disasters in Japan and Russia..

Why do I feel America is stupid enough?

Bicycles forever!

[dafranx]

Wow nice informative speech about conventional bikes and electric bikes being the saviors of Planet Earth, not the electric car. You can inform and persuade Al Gore about bikes and electric bikes; maybe we can see him ride a bike or electric bike, that can change his mind.

[mickeygklug]

Hi, I happen to be an ESL instructor at a university in the industrial midwest. I showed this video in class alongside some Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf ads. Thanks for offering an alternative viewpoint.

[The6000Sabre]

Propane cars run 97% clean with no anti-pollution equipment needed. With propane fuel, engine oil changes can be extended to 20,000 miles or more. Propane vehicles can be refueled almost as quickly as gasoline or diesel vehicles. Engines run on propane require fewer tune-ups. Propane cars have no cold weather or hot weather starting problems. Propane cost 1/4 to 1/3 less than gasoline or diesel fuel. PROPANE - IT JUST MAKES SENSE!

[The6000Sabre]

Propane powered vehicles are the answer. The cost to convert the average vehicle is under $500.00. New propane vehicles would cost less than gasoline models. Propane requires no expensive anti-pollution equipment such as catalytic converters. And requires no fuel pump or expensive fuel injection system. Propane is 97% clean when burned. A propane car will burn as cleanly as your gas furnace or water heater. PROPANE - THE INTELLIGENT CHOICE

[simplemind111]

Elise, you seem like a nice person, but you are really misinformed about this subject. You are right about about the energy density of gasoline, there are no rivals to that but 33kwh of electricity can move an EV over 100 miles how far can a gallon of gas move a car? That's because EV's are way more efficient. Also you said a home solar system can produce 8kwh per day? My array produces 50kwh/day and powers my entire house and my EV that I drive 100 miles a day on clean, renewable energy.

[The6000Sabre]

@simplemind111 Electric vehicles are impracticable at speed and distance. This was true when EV's lost the technology, practicality and the affordablity race to the internal combustion engine in early 1900's. EV's are even more outmoded in today's world of Interstate highways, suburbs and on the go lifestyles. this in spite of government subsidies and marginal improvements in batteries.

The answer is propane!

[andreschapero]

Smart Elise !

I like your ideas, the way your brain works.

Go Cycle9!

Andrés from Santiago, Chile

[trx1961]

and not all of us are ABLE to ride a bike. or are too overweight to be able to ride.

[experimental0000]

Well, electric, hybrids, biofuel, and natural gas are answers to using standard gas and diesel , Elise. Granted yes a short quick trip to the store down the street or within reasonable distance works best on bike, that only applies in good weather. not many people can or would try that in the winter, especially if they have very cold winters with near zero degrees and a couple feet of snow and ice. The hype for alternative powered vehicles is a good thing in order to get us weened off oil

[dafranx]

Yeah, it's time to ditch the Tesla Roadster, the Aptera, and other EVs for cargo bikes, because they're the true alternative energy vehicles to use in the future. I wonder if bikes can be powered by fuel cells, just as they can be powered by batteries.

[setsallset]

Sorry cyclenine, what you are proposing is to eliminate cars rather than electric cars. If you don't think electric cars is a step forward, then you must not endorse cars in general... Yet we still have cars. There is no way people, American, the world are going to give up on cars to go on two wheels. I see electric cars as a stepping stone akin to what hybrid were ment to do for ev's.

[experimental0000]

@setsallset I agree completely. there is honestly no real way that all 50 states can do bicycles year-round. It's harder than heck to cycle in near zero degree weather in 10 inches of snow and ice, and I don't see many people going wanting to be in the elements in the snow like that. electric or biodiesel would work better and then use the bike in the spring through fall before it gets nasty outside again. 

[NWforager]

@experimental0000 right , there really is no 1 answer . Its important though to look at the growing number of Americans who do't own cars, and what they do . In Seattle where it rains year around there are millions of year around commuter riders who commute 100s of miles a week comfortably .

[NWforager]

@setsallset It must be said that to keep building a better horseless carriage might need to be questioned . Sometimes it's better than to scrap the whole idea and start with something new . Cars Where fine when before the multi million pop suburbs and city created traffic jams ..etc. There have been hundreds of time where I've beaten my driving friends home from work on my e-bike . Not to mention the physical shape most drivers are in .

[setsallset]

@NWforager hey man, I know what you mean. I built a x5304 with a 48V LiFePO4 last year and that sucker moved. The problem with going 2 wheel ebike is you inherit some of the same problems motobikers have. People don't pay attention to you. The fact of the matter, cars are easier to drive than going 2 wheels. Why do I have to work harder to get to point a to point b on a bike when I can cruise in a car? Its fun but I have to pay extra attention when I had my ebike. People wont give up the luxury.

[NWforager]

@setsallset my Bionx only assist up to about 21mph but i ride like a bike messenger . personally , bikes are the preferred means of travel . No traffic, no parking issues.... . If I'm tired I push level 2 or 3 . if raining ,I pull out a jacket. No insurance, safety check fee, monthly payment, gas prices, costly maintenance, the list goes on . If I feel unsafe I ride on the sidewalk.

Yes , I still own a car , but its got only 20000 miles in the 5 years i've had it.

[KrunchyJD]

You are 100% right, the problem with cars is that they require most of the energy to transport the car, not the occupant. They are not efficient.

[moretora]

Electric car will come and you are right: not the answer. There might be a decrease in oil consumption but all the other problems still exist. Eventually the market will settle on a range target to hit, like maybe 250 miles on a charge. Then people will buy as much "horse power" as they can afford. Back to the same game again. Key is AFFORD. People in China can only afford eBike, so ebikes are popular. The moment they can get a car and there are roads to support that, they will get a car.

[cyclenine]

Great comments (Rickdeckard2020) - the key is these are part of a mix of options, available for situations like you mention. But if we just think we'll replace our current car usage with electric cars and all will be well, I think we're in for a surprise.

[Hirotoro4692]

@cyclenine As a note for those who are watching this video in 2011 -

Dense as petroleum may be, it is still far less efficient than a lithium-ion battery.

We're talking 30-35% efficient versus 94-96% efficient.

Even if you follow power generation to a grid that's 50% coal, we're talking roughly 80 g/km carbon dioxide emission versus 100-150 g/km.

As it stands, all things considered, there is no way in hell even the best hybrids come close in terms of efficiency to an EV.

[Rickdeckard2020]

imo electric cars are a great option to have available in the mix of transport possibilities(4 a family in subzero winter a bike is a non starter). public transit should be improved and urban design should reduce the need to travel great distances and be walking and cycling friendly (in europe offices have showers for cyclists,etc). Electric cars are much more efficient (less friction) than ICE and EV tech has been greatly suppress ("who killed the electric car?" is just the tip of the iceberg)

[KrunchyJD]

@Rickdeckard2020 In places like Copenhagen in Denmark, they ride bicycles when it is snowing.

What is worse smelling a bit, or breathing in poisonus fumes. Install showers if you have to.

[Rickdeckard2020]

@KrunchyJD

"In places like Copenhagen in Denmark, they ride bicycles when it is snowing. "

great for them

"or breathing in poisonus fumes"

Hence why electric cars, electric public transit and other types (bikes, walk) are interesting

"They are not efficient"

Electric cars are much more efficient than ICE cars and although efficency is a wothy factor it is not the only factor to consider(convenience, versalitity, etc). Electric public transit and bike are good options when conveniant

[KrunchyJD]

@Rickdeckard2020 What this lady says in the video is true. Electric cars, require power that is best used for other purposes. There are many times when people could ride a bike, but are just too lazy. If everyone drives like they do now, but in electric cars you will still get traffic jams, or worse, have to spread cities out into sprawl. There is NO car based solution.