Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?

RSSfeed · April 2012

Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?Sometimes readers of SolarChargedDriving.Com e-mail us with pictures of their own personal solar-charged driving set-ups and, if we can, we try to persuade them to let us run their pictures so that everyone else can see them too. That’s the case with Linda Swyderski, who was inspired to e-mail us based on a blog entry [...]Solar Feeds Related posts:Getting People Excited about Solar Charged...

go to solarfeeds for the rest of this story>>>>>

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solar_dave · April 2012

Re: Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?

We do it every day! And it changed our world.

Travern · December 2015

solar_dave said:

Re: Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?

We do it every day! And it changed our world.

How are you doing it? Can I see a picture of your vehicle?

solar_dave · December 2015

Travern said:

solar_dave said:

Re: Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?

We do it every day! And it changed our world.

How are you doing it? Can I see a picture of your vehicle?

Picture? Sure, I have spoke of it many times here!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/fa/sotii14oh0o9.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/z1/j077260yza71.jpg

It is quite simple, a good grid-tie setup that gets you to virtually net zero , A vehicle that is charge for 90% of its miles yet has the ability to be driven any distance with the onboard gas generator. Absolutely the lowest cost driving around with those features. Low mileage used units are in the market for about $15K. Virtually maintenance free for 4 years, one engine oil change due to age not miles, and finally a new set of tires at year 4.

Not giving the site any endorsement but if you want to know everything about a Chevy Volt go to http://gmvolt.com/forum .

Like I have said before:
Drive for free! No OPEC Fee! (or big oil for that matter)

Xizang · February 2016

If it shows signs of becoming popular, you can bet government will step forward with their hands out, wanting you to pay taxes and fees. After all, they're missing out on all that gas tax you might otherwise have been paying.

MarkC · May 2016

solar_dave said:

It is quite simple, a good grid-tie setup that gets you to virtually net zero , A vehicle that is charge for 90% of its miles yet has the ability to be driven any distance with the onboard gas generator. Absolutely the lowest cost driving around with those features. Low mileage used units are in the market for about $15K. Virtually maintenance free for 4 years, one engine oil change due to age not miles, and finally a new set of tires at year 4.

Have you modified your GT system to charge when off-grid? I recently bought a used leaf for $9.5K and am working on some minor mods to use level II charging with my panels so that I can charge the Leaf during extended power outages (or maybe go completely off-grid if panels become cheap enough). It is only "minor mods" because I already have an off-grid backup system to my GT system, however.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/q5/87r9zq1h7lkm.jpg

KenBrown · May 2016

While I've been eyeing a leaf, my own personal transportation is 98% solar powered - we use our off-grid setup to charge my electric bike which takes me just about everywhere I need to go around town

With my 1kwh battery pack on the bike, I can go 30 miles no problem, although I rarely do. When you scoot around town that efficiently and watch 6 passenger trucks being driven around by one person - boggles my mind! During rush hours, I'm actually getting places faster as well!

Johann · May 2016

When it get's to popular, the power companies and the government will force you to have a watt meter on the car so they can charge you for your own generated power or they even charge you by the miles like some states do already.

solar_dave · May 2016

MarkC said:

solar_dave said:

It is quite simple, a good grid-tie setup that gets you to virtually net zero , A vehicle that is charge for 90% of its miles yet has the ability to be driven any distance with the onboard gas generator. Absolutely the lowest cost driving around with those features. Low mileage used units are in the market for about $15K. Virtually maintenance free for 4 years, one engine oil change due to age not miles, and finally a new set of tires at year 4.

Have you modified your GT system to charge when off-grid? I recently bought a used leaf for $9.5K and am working on some minor mods to use level II charging with my panels so that I can charge the Leaf during extended power outages (or maybe go completely off-grid if panels become cheap enough). It is only "minor mods" because I already have an off-grid backup system to my GT system, however.

Charging off grid has it's own issues. There is a guy occasionally on the gm-volt.com forum (DCFusor) that is totally off grid and he opportunity charges controlled from his solar battery charging system which runs a relay on his ESEV unit. He also has a web site, http://www.coultersmithing.com.

aminaelis · September 2017

Wow, really nice car. I can only dream about one like that now. Even though I am interested in less polluting vehicles, they are still out of reach and I have to drive my 25 yrs old grandpa, inherited from my dad. Lol

Isabella · November 2017

RSSfeed said:

Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?Sometimes readers of SolarChargedDriving.Com e-mail us with pictures of their own personal solar-charged driving set-ups and, if we can, we try to persuade them to let us run their pictures so that everyone else can see them too. That’s the case with Linda Swyderski, who was inspired to e-mail us based on a blog entry [...]Solar Feeds Related posts:Getting People Excited about Solar Charged Like https://legalsteroids.best/ go to solarfeeds for the rest of this story>>>>>

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It may sound like a pipe dream but road designers are experimenting with solar powered highways which could charge up the electric cars of the future, as they drive along.

softdown · November 2017

Isabella said:

RSSfeed said:

Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?Sometimes readers of SolarChargedDriving.Com e-mail us with pictures of their own personal solar-charged driving set-ups and, if we can, we try to persuade them to let us run their pictures so that everyone else can see them too. That’s the case with Linda Swyderski, who was inspired to e-mail us based on a blog entry [...]Solar Feeds Related posts:Getting People Excited about Solar Charged Like https://legalsteroids.best/ go to solarfeeds for the rest of this story>>>>>

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It may sound like a pipe dream but road designers are experimenting with solar powered highways which could charge up the electric cars of the future, as they drive along.

My bet would be that will prove to be a pipe dream for quite some time.

bill von novak · November 2017

Isabella said:

It may sound like a pipe dream but road designers are experimenting with solar powered highways which could charge up the electric cars of the future, as they drive along.

Solar embedded in the road is never going to get much traction; too tough an environment. But with no new technology you could cover every road in the Southwest with a solar canopy. You'd generate even more energy, protect the road from the elements and save money on maintenance.

BB. · September 2019

Sad that GM discontinued manufacturing the Volt:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chevy-volt-discontinued-chevrolets-last-volt-rolls-off-the-assembly-line/

Although it would be nice to continue producing the Volt, GM needed to stop making it due in part to changing consumer preferences for SUVs, he said. The company also lost money on every Volt, cash that is needed for research on autonomous vehicles and more advanced electric cars, he said.

"It's not the right vehicle for the market today," said Abuelsamid. "It doesn't really make sense to keep it going. As much as you'd like to, it's probably better to let it go."

First published on February 22, 2019 / 6:11 PM

-Bill

softdown · September 2019

PVEnthusiast said:

solar_dave said:

Travern said:

solar_dave said:

Re: Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?

We do it every day! And it changed our world.

How are you doing it? Can I see a picture of your vehicle?

Picture? Sure, I have spoke of it many times here!

It is quite simple, a good grid-tie setup that gets you to virtually net zero , A vehicle that is charge for 90% of its miles yet has the ability to be driven any distance with the onboard gas generator. Absolutely the lowest cost driving around with those features. Low mileage used units are in the market for about $15K. Virtually maintenance free for 4 years, one engine oil change due to age not miles, and finally a new set of tires at year 4.

Not giving the site any endorsement but if you want to know everything about a Chevy Volt go to http://gmvolt.com/forum .

Like I have said before:
Drive for free! No OPEC Fee! (or big oil for that matter)

No CO2 or atmospheric pollutants to use. It thus offers strong benefits, especially in the heart of cities.

Sellers have been asking $18,500 for 15 days. It is a 2017 with 26,000 miles. No options were mentioned other than rear view camera and heated seat which is worth about $10 to me. Something else to likely break down.

I know nothing about the Volt.

They flipped their plate for the picture - kind of amusing.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/9q/7iqyht31xn9b.jpg

softdown · September 2019

Looking at some GM interior pics - doesn't really appear to be what I want three 45-65 pound dogs climbing around in.

NANOcontrol · September 2019

Only if where you drive to work has a solar charger.

softdown · September 2019

NANOcontrol said:

Only if where you drive to work has a solar charger.

I'm figuring that I could do significant charging with my own array. My batteries are usually done bulking by 10-10:30am. I live in an ideal location for solar energy. I also have a lot of old BP panels though my luck, to date, has been spotty at best.

Thinking my average trip would be 50-120 miles. So the battery would help - then have 1 1/2 days to recharge.

Wonder also about the math in charging the battery with a propane genset using propane that costs only $1.20/gallon. I wonder a LOT.

softdown · September 2019

BB. said:

Sad that GM discontinued manufacturing the Volt:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chevy-volt-discontinued-chevrolets-last-volt-rolls-off-the-assembly-line/
Although it would be nice to continue producing the Volt, GM needed to stop making it due in part to changing consumer preferences for SUVs, he said. The company also lost money on every Volt, cash that is needed for research on autonomous vehicles and more advanced electric cars, he said.
"It's not the right vehicle for the market today," said Abuelsamid. "It doesn't really make sense to keep it going. As much as you'd like to, it's probably better to let it go."
First published on February 22, 2019 / 6:11 PM
-Bill

Disappointing sales I think. Though they continue with the Bolt - a smaller version. GM, quite sadly, is not what it used to be. There are even significant rumors that they will move to China and forget N. America.

Want a good car made in America? Probably looking at a Ford or Toyota or Honda.

There was a time when Detroit was the most prosperous city in America- early 60's. Now half in ruins. A friend bought a rental house there for $18,000 and rented it for $850/mt after close to a year. I have no idea what he spent on repairs though.

In 2010 I bought a S. Florida home for $25,000 and spent 1/2 year getting it spec'd out. Renters almost destroyed it and Hurricane Irma tried to finish the job. I may have lost money on it which is miraculous considering the purchase price. The upside is the happiness after getting out from underneath that nightmare. At least I learned not to retire in Florida. A sunny state with shady people.

Estragon · September 2019

I grew up about 1/2 way between Toronto and Detroit. At the time, both were about the same In the 50-60s, Detroit spent a lot of money on freeways from downtown to suburbs. Toronto spent a lot of money on old water/sewer replacement and subways, mainly because there was a lot of public opposition to freeways (eg Spadina) in populated neighbourhoods. They would have spent the money on freeways if they could. At the time, both downtowns were a bit of a cesspool. I moved away in the 70's.

I recall driving through both in the 80s. In Detroit, the freeways had started to look a bit rough, with weeds growing though cracks in the roads. The freeways let people live in the burbs, leaving no tax base in the core to maintain roads. In Toronto, congestion was bad, so people who worked downtown really had to live downtown.

In the 2000s, visiting again, there were huge tracts of downtown Detoit where whole blocks of houses need demolition, but no tax base to even pay for that. It looked like a war zone. Downtown Toronto had issues, but too many condo towers springing up and too high land values were among them. Downtown Detroit is recovering some, so your friend may do okay.

$25,000 in S. Florida would presumably be inland. Seems to me that's a different animal than coastal S. Florida, which is a different animal than coastal N. Florida, maybe a bit akin to inland N. Florida. If climate change moves the coast inland, the rental market would likely change for inland Florida, but absent that, I wouldn't invest there. I do kind of regret not investing in coastal Florida circa 2010 though.

BB. · September 2019

There are good and bad everywhere... We don't need to do the "Florida Man" here.

-Bill

Dave Angelini · September 2019

We could use some more of the good in top level state officials

Will Solar Charged Driving Change the World?

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