Hubby brought up a good thought: why is there a law that says electric cars can only go 30 miles per hour?
We were seriously looking at hybrids or electric cars -- something to help reduce our carbon footprint. Besides the fact that they are ridiculously overpriced, one of the manufacturers told us in confidence that they couldn't design them to go above 30 miles per hour. That if they did, they would be subject to fines and possible imprisonment.
Is there anything we can do to change this?
4 comments:
In our ever changing climate electric cars are a pain..
If you need affordable transport we prefer an older solid vehicle that my disabled wife can get into and out of fairly easily. I drive a 1985 Jeep Cherokee LAredo 4 cylinder engine for trips.
You shouldn't give a shit about your carbon footprint - I am all about hybrid vehicles for times when gas is scarce (or expensive). Empirical evidence suggests global warming and greenhouse gases raises the Earth's temperature are bullshit ideas. We need to prep for a variety of disaster scenarios, but not for friggin "climate change". Sorry to rant - I like your blog, but it is very irritating to see a survival community wasting its mental energy on such a fruitless pursuit as reducing their 'carbon footprint'. I don't really believe in Gaia or hugging trees or being a hippie for that matter.
Glad to hear you guys might be getting some of your water rights back (rain catches).
The speed limit for electric cars is a half-truth. Quite a few electric car makers keep their maximum speed down below 30mph, because then they are considered equivalent to golf carts and do not have to have car safety features, get tested, etc. Electric cars pose challenges in collision design. Light weight is a must to conserve the limited power available, the heavy batteries need reinforced mounting or they can break loose and become a hazard, acid/alkaline electrolyte is difficult to contain, etc. It's much cheaper and easier to go with a glorified golf cart.
I spent 30 years selling cars including electric cars. All vehicles that can go faster than 32 mph must pass all Federal Safety standards including air bags. They must pass crash tests and have mandated bumper heights and headlamp heights.
I am a fan of Escorts from 1991 to 1998 with the 1.9 engine. These engines have roller tappets (a "wheel" on the end of the valve stem), multiport fuel injection, few electrical problems and get 30+mpg. The major maintenance items are belts and belt tensioners but the engines are NOT zero clearance so a broken timing belt won't ruin the engine.
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