[ausev] Daily Driver?

Sun Jul 6 20:23:20 GMT 2008

Don't count on it.  They still think oil prices will come down.

This was my Letter to the Express-News in San Antonio.

I guess they figure the didn't want to offend their big advertisers.

If we, as Americans are addicted to oil, then that means we have to find a way to stop our consumption of oil.
Asking the government to allow offshore drilling or to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the same reaction a drug addict would use when told he must kick his habit.  He will STEAL from his friends and relatives to get more dope.

Plug-in Hybrid technology exists that will give us 100+ miles per gallon, but at the current time it requires independent conversion shops to make the hybrids plug-in capable.  Instead of asking our government to drill more oil, we should be asking our car companies to produce plug-in hybrid cars.  Gasoline will never go down in price again.   

http://www.transtexastrucks.com
I decided to challenge the Automakers.
I will make a Plug in Series Hybrid Crew-Cab Pickup before Detroit does.
But if I lose this race, we all become winners.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mike Seningen 
  To: AustinEV News Announcements and General Discussion 
  Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2008 2:34 PM
  Subject: Re: [ausev] Daily Driver?

  Sadly no longer an option :-(

  Hmmm -- with GM at an all time low -- maybe they'll get the Volt here sooner.

  m

  Gil Dawson wrote: 
Hi, Mike--

Your specs describe the General Motors EV1 perfectly.

Very stylish.  http://chargerfinder.com/EV1/SaturnShowroom.jpg

80 mile range.  (100 miles with NiMH upgrade.)

Zippy.  (0-60 in 8 seconds; 72 mph software-limited top speed.)

Reliable.  (Maintenance handled by Saturn dealers at no charge.)

Cheap. ($294/month lease.) (50 cents per gallon of gas equivalent in 
electricity.)

Safe.  (All the GM standard stuff: DTRLs, air bags, ABS brakes, etc.)

--Gil

At 11:37 A -0500 7/6/08, Mike Seningen wrote:
  Is anyone here using their PEV for daily driving?

I'm new to the concept -- but doing some serious thinking about it.

I'm ~15 miles to and then 15 miles back -- up and down HWY 71.

I've got a handful of practicality issues......

these have me leaning towards a converted vehicle -- As my wife put it
-- are you going to drive a tin can (her term for an EV trike, or small car)
 up and down Hwy 71 -- I don't think so.

Safety (71 is not for the faint of heart!)
Hills -- lots of them
Speed -- 65+ is the "common" speed limit for Hwy71 (despite it being
lowered to 55!)
I'm not a light foot -- and if I was -- I'd get run over on 71 anyways.

Nice Car -- this is to be my everyday driver -- and I enjoy driving
roadsters and "sports" cars.

Two car family max -- wife's edict.  No back-up plan for me.

I don't have a way to plug in when I get to work -- unless the pack
was convenient enough to lug to my office.  -- so it has to be able to sit
for 8-12 hours and still make it home.

A couple times a month I need to drive to work, then UT, then home --
total ~50miles
with a single charge.

Also:
I'm ~18miles from the airport
Airport parking -- how long can a PEV sit without charging and still
make an 18mile return trip?

I've got 7 months to come up with a new vehicle (my current 350Z lease
expires Feb 1, 2009.

thanks,

Mike

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