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0 pointsWillPostForFood2y ago0 comments

Efficiency is pretty closely aligned

Not in the battery power era.

0 comments

Of course it still is… smaller cars, smaller batteries, better all around.

Versus distance and that is an issue of just the geography of the US, we are insurmountable large, even a high end bullet train would take 8-12 hours crossing the country. Stopping absorbs a lot of time for charging compared to ICE or hybrids.

Broken_Hippo2y ago

It isn't an issue for everyday driving though. Most folks never take that trip at all, and they surely aren't doing it for a commute. Truck drivers are an exception.

IIRC, the average commute in the US is about an hour. Realistically, you probably are only going to need a few hours of charging daily.

Of course, the real problem in the US is infrastructure. It does no one any favors if you can't charge your car at your apartment, while at work, or can't find places to charge along the way. I haven't lived in the US for nearly 10 years - I moved to Norway, where electric cars are popular but the infrastructure for them has been growing too and there are places to charge your car. And that's just not possible in the US, and I doubt this is going to change in the current political atmosphere - again, rural and poor areas will be left behind at best.

dontlaugh2y ago

China is similarly big and it has trains as the primary form of long distance travel.

It’s possible and should be done, but it’s expensive and not directly profitable.

zirgs2y ago

But how many people, excluding truckers, drive those distances?

Most commutes are under an hour.

WillPostForFoodOP2y ago

Weight != size. Battery powered cars tend to weigh a few hundred pounds more than comparably sized gas powered cars, which is more efficient? Weight doesn't give you an answer on efficiency.

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