Would an All-Electric yaris be cheaper in the long run?

[cali yaris]

electric is cleaner here than any other form of energy and is cheap, renewable, and clean

It has the potential to be renewable and clean, but it is not at this time, so I have to correct you there.

I'm a big fan of modernizing our grid and adding as many renewable resources to it as possible. I also read in a science journal that a solar grid 100x100 miles in size would produce enough electric power for the entire country.

I know that's BIG, but it's not that big -- an encouraging statistic in my opinion.

[Sidicas]

Originally Posted by cali yaris

I also read in a science journal that a solar grid 100x100 miles in size would produce enough electric power for the entire country.

The most efficient and best solar panels that you can buy right now are about $30 for a panel the size of your fist... It'd take 250 million of them to fill up a single square mile.. Multiply that by 100 miles in one direction and then another 100 miles in the other direction to get 100x100 square miles..

You're looking at 2 trillion 500 billion fist sized solar panels at $30 a piece.. 75 trillion dollars, that's over 6 times the current national debt.. Does that still sound reasonable? How about if you factor in that our power demands are growing rapidly...

[Zaphod]

I doubt there is enough demand for Toyota to produce a profitable all electric short ranger commuter vehicle.

[toyo]

don't really know about how the government in the us finances electricity, but in my country it is all privately owned, and it would not benefit anyone to have an electric car, unless the government got in to the electric bussiness and stop thinking about profit over global warming =(

[DevilGirl]

Originally Posted by scape

now a diesel-hybrid yaris would rock, imo, it'd also probably be around 16-18k$ or more, when all is said and done :\

A diesel hybrid would be the only hybrid I would even consider. I find it sad that, on average, I see better fuel economy in my all gas Yaris than is seen in some of the hybrids out there... (I commute mostly highway, so the hybrid thing really isn't an option, as it costs more and does no better than what I have).

Originally Posted by why?

The biggest argument against them has not been presented yet: Range. Even the Chevy Volt, supposedly the most advanced hybrid, can't go squat on battery only. Battery technology is not even close to where it needs to be for ev's to be useful. A range of at least 200 miles on a charge at maximum of 8 hours is necessary.

And then, say the range is decent, the price is alright, you have to calculate electricity costs and all that other good stuff.

Range would be the killer for me. I like being able to go 3 days commuting without filling up my Yaris. Can your electric vehicle do that? Once it can, then I'd consider it.

Originally Posted by jambo101

Sounds like an option i would consider if 100% of my driving was local,but when doing trips of 500 miles or more how far you going to get before you need to plug it in? and where will you plug it in? and how long will you have to wait till its charged?

Where to "refill" would be the biggest issue. I can see the electric vehicle being a local commuter car only. And that's it. And I'm talking less than 20 miles one way to work.

Originally Posted by Astroman

I live in central washington with the lowest rates in the country thanks to hydroelectric dams (which have been here working great for 60+ years, with an average of 2 power outages a year mostly due to weather or a raccoon getting into the transformers) and windfarms. We actually have too much of the stuff, and have to sell it to the rest of the state, parts of Oregon and Idaho. And central WA is a desert, our rivers are fed by snowpack. No problems with drought as the mighty Columbia roars on. Our electricity rate is about .02 cents per kWh so electric cars are very viable here. However our other energy costs are on average higher than the rest of the country. The last couple of times I was down in California their gas & diesel was cheaper.

Our wind farms are not subject to hurricanes, that is strictly coastal areas, and nor do we get cyclones. Those wind farms are put in with agreement (and nice compensation) to grazing land owners.

Eelectric cars might not be cost wise for all areas, but here in the Pacific Nortwest they certainly are. We even have a outfit here in the area that does plug-in conversions for hybrids. So please, save us the myth that hurricanes and beavers make "green" energy viable. We've been doing it here for over 60 years, long before Fox News, and the proof is in our low electricity rates and our awesome clean air.

I believe it's been said already about different parts of the country not really being able to utilize the same types of renewable energy. Again, climate and other environmental factors make this not really possible in certain areas. But that's wonderful that your area can. Keep on doin it!

Until such time as this country/government can actually produce viable, inexpensive vehicles, I'll stick with my gasser, and do just fine with it.

[BailOut]

Originally Posted by DevilGirl

Range would be the killer for me. I like being able to go 3 days commuting without filling up my Yaris. Can your electric vehicle do that? Once it can, then I'd consider it.

Because plugging in a cord is just soooo much work!

[why?]

Originally Posted by BailOut

Because plugging in a cord is just soooo much work!

Because no one travels more than 40 miles a day... no not ever, no one has a daily commute that long, never mind wanting to do chores, pickup groceries, maybe go out after work... that absolutely never happens...