….So it’s not an all-electric car, but rather a pricey $41,000 hybrid that requires a taxpayer-funded $7,500 subsidy to get car shoppers to look at it. But gee, even despite the false advertising about the powertrain, isn’t a car that gets 230 miles per gallon of gas worth it?
We heard GM’s then-CEO Fritz Henderson claim the Volt would get 230 miles per gallon in city conditions. Popular Mechanics found the Volt to get about 37.5 mpg in city driving, and Motor Trend reports: “Without any plugging in, (a weeklong trip to Grandma’s house) should return fuel economy in the high 30s to low 40s.”
Car and Driver reported that “getting on the nearest highway and commuting with the 80-mph flow of traffic — basically the worst-case scenario — yielded 26 miles; a fairly spirited backroad loop netted 31; and a carefully modulated cruise below 60 mph pushed the figure into the upper 30s.”
This is what happens when government picks winners and losers in the marketplace and tries to run a business. We are not told that we will be dependent on foreign sources like Bolivia for the lithium to be used in these batteries. Nor are we told about the possible dangers to rescuers and occupants in an accident scenario.
The photo at the top is the battery in the Volt. Battery acid burns will become very common in the future… not to mention the harm it will do to the environment.
….The greatest environmental impact comes from the pollution caused by the elaborate battery system that powers the electric engine. The battery pollution is substantial because the creation of the batteries requires destructive mining to produce the batteries and the caustic substances that power the batteries must later be disposed of. The caustic substances that power the batteries are very poisonous and when released into the environment leech into the waterways and poison groundwater.
UPDATED 10-24-2010 at 11:50am: Lithium Ion Battery & Battery Dangers!
Chemical Reaction:
At the core of the lithium battery is its chemical composition that induces high current charges. If for any reason the casing is breached, a chemical burn is highly likely.”
Read more: What Are the Dangers of Lithium Batteries? | eHow.com
Another Site:
- If the hybrid vehicle is in an accident, it may be difficult for police and fire department to determine if the vehicle is safe to approach to save accident victims. Using the jaws of life in the wrong place could be deadly.
- Since hybrid vehicles utilize a lot of electrical power, a malfunction could cause electric jolts of more than 500 volts, which can be fatal.
- The battery pack of a hybrid since it is located in the back of the vehicle can be potential shock hazard as well as a hazardous material problem.
Lithium Ion and enviroment:
If a lithium ion battery in a landfill ruptures and comes into contact with water, however, it can create a dangerous mixture that will sink down into the groundwater.
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The concern that animals who prowl landfills will mistake batteries for food applies to lithium ion batteries.
Also see:
Check with the EPA online, and see for yourself.
Did you know when an electric car gets in a wreck and the batteries are ruptured they have to call out a hazmat team. Did you know nickel metal hydride batteries are a severe environmental problem because they contain heavy metal? Did you know even if your regular car gets in a wreck, and the battery starts leaking that is a serious issue; this is because there is sulfuric acid inside the batteries, no, it’s not a huge deal but to authorities it is. Ion-lithium batteries are also quite bad for the environment.
So what happens if someone buys one of these $110,000 Tesla sports cars and cannot handle the 3.5 seconds to 60 mph acceleration, and duly crashes their car into something like an immovable object? I guess they’ll have to call up a hazmat team, so much for helping the environment. But if you happen to live in the State of Colorado, they are giving a $42,000 tax credit if you buy a Tesla electric car.
Thus, we can expect to see lots electric cars in Colorado, and when the roads get into icy conditions they are sure going to keep the hazmat teams busy aren’t they? Please consider all this.