OT: Electric car batteries

[rbowman]

The only feasible use for an electric car in this state is local commuting. 30 minutes or 3 hours in the driveway and plugged in when I get home from work, what's the difference?

[rbowman]

You're suggesting a monopoly? Sam's Swap Shop isn't going to try to undercut the competition?

[rbowman]

After working on cars for over 50 years, I've never noticed car manufacturers standardizing components even within their own company. Don't get me started on my collection of end cap oil filter wrenches...

[rbowman]

Right. Why do I have a collection of adapters? Why do I have to get out my reading glasses to tell a Micro-B from a Mini-B?

[Molly Brown]

I just make some dummy fake batteries. I trade them for the real ones then go and sell them. Or I use the crap out of my batteries then trade them for newer ones.

[Mike Litterous]

How does the new improved updated Type-C connector make you feel?

Presbyopia?

[James Wilkinson]

Reversible, about time. This should have been done with the first USB. I suggested it and was told it was impossible!

[James Wilkinson]

A standard can have a few different types within it. What would be wrong with 3 battery swapping bays? Say one for large, one for medium, and one for small cars?

[Peter]

OP suggests, "you simply pay, take a full one, and slot in your empty one." However, the battery for a Nissan Leaf weighs about

600 lbs. I don't know about your strength, but I don't know of anyone who can just "take a full one, and slot in your empty one." Not anything similar to the ease of changing the starting battery in a traditional gasoline engine.

[James Wilkinson]

[trader_4]

I never said monopoly, nor is one required.

[trader_4]

Sure, so you only do a swap when you have to.

Exactly. But it's all a moot point because the economics still don't work out so that it's competitive, justify the huge investment in these new swap stations that have huge inventories of huge batteries, etc.

[trader_4]

Aside from the increased cost of having 3 different kinds of huge batteries and the limitation that now each bay can only accommodate a particular class of car, none.

[James Wilkinson]

They manage with diesel, performance diesel, unleaded, super unleaded. There are usually at least 9 places to stop your car in a forecourt.

[mike]

First, you'd never get a standard to stick. As technology changes, batteries change. Start with three, now four, now five...

Look at battery history. For many years, you had a choice of AA, C, D-cells. Then AAA, 9V. Most anything you had would run on one or more of those. Look at cellphones. How many different cellphone batteries? Even the ones exactly the same size moved the connector. Why? Market forces at work...Would you buy a smart phone with a battery from 1980?

You're underthinking it.

[Vic Smith]

They sold Super Purple Martin Ethyl from the same pump that had Martin Regular, Martin Ethyl, Super Martin Regular, and Super Martin Ethyl. I seem to recall something close to that. Then you had Sunoco gas pumps, where you'd dial in the octane rating.

[James Wilkinson]

Are you quoting from a movie? Who are Martin and Ethyl?

[James Wilkinson]

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There has never been a need to keep those the same. But there aren't th= at many different gas cylinders to exchange.

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[James Wilkinson]

In most places, people go on holiday for 500 miles. One or two half hour stops isn't too bad, but I'd certainly prefer just swapping the battery and carrying on. Maybe I'm impatient. But consider how much land is needed for cars to sit for 30 minutes.

[clare]

What change has there been in gas cyl technology? other than the OPD valve?