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groingo
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# Posted: 16 May 2017 17:35 - Edited by: groingo
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Recharging an electric car from solar is a monumental task for the average income earner as the key ingredient is a storage battery at least 2 times bigger than the car battery you are charging, this is because of the weather variable as not every day will charge the same especially in winter so will need to have significant reserve power to get you over the rough spots which will be very expensive just for the batteries alone.
Charging directly from panels to car is very hard on the car charging system due to uneven charge rates again depending a lot on weather.
Doing it from the grid is far and away the least costly and most efficient if you can stomach your power company which this year alone has already raised their rates 3 times!
Grid tied or Net Metering here in Washington is a convoluted mess involving a corrupt power utility and inept State Government and is set to run out in 2020 so to start now would mean only three years to payback your multi thousand dollar investment....not much time plus PSE (power company) just halved what they pay for your power because the program is running out of money (State side).
Two doable options: 1. Stay off grid but have a temporary drop put in dedicated for the car charging. 2: Do like many do which is to get a Chevy Volt that charges itself with IC engine or you can charge battery from utility.
Option 3:Â Find a nice Geo Metro and have a ton of money left over so you can play and enjoy life.
4. Unfortunately electric for most of us will only be attractive as long electricity will take as far as a gallon of gas and there too is another rub with electric....mileage is much more erratic because of the lack of multi ratio transmissions....when you lug an electric it quickly eats up your power reserve....one long hill can ruin you range and few down hill grades are not enough or steep enough to regenerate much.
It has been a good learning experience but at this point electrics have a long way to go to come close to any parity with their IC counterparts and in the end you are still dependant on someone else to make them go and that is why the Leaf is now for sale.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 17 May 2017 00:15
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For now, charging batteries from batteries is a losing proposition. In most places, charging from grid power is cheaper per mile than gasoline per mile - not counting the purchase cost of the electric versus ICE car.
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ForceFed70
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# Posted: 17 May 2017 00:39
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2 electric cars. 1 charging while the other is driving?
I like the idea of integrating the car battery with the house battery.
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