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In Reply to: RE: CNNtech: Why gas-powered cars aren't going away posted by AbeCollins on July 09, 2017 at 07:11:31
Electric motors in cars makes no sense whatsoever if you live in a region where electricity is generated using fossil fuels. With electric power from fossil fuel being 60-70% efficient, you have to wonder if gas engines in the car itself isn't more efficient.
Follow Ups:
With a lot of start and stop driving electric cars make a lot of sense, as kinetic energy stored in the vehicle can at least be partially returned to the battery. For long steady state driving it is less clear.
There is no theoretical maximum efficiency for electric motors.
If 60% efficiency can be achieved in a power plant (which would surprise me) I would be surprised if that could be beat with a gasoline engine. Diesel maybe.
Also keep in mind electricity can be generated by renewable resources.
Phil
...There most certainly is a "maximum efficiency" for electric motors: you're not going to exceed 100%. A motor does bypass one of the "laws" of thermodynamics that all heat engines must obey if one chooses to ignore the source of a lot of electricity: heat engines.
I'm way out of my league technically here, but I am told that emissions are much easier to control in a central electric generating plant than in a gaggle of individual cars, which is where the environmental and efficiency gains are supposed to come from.
Happy listening,
Jim
"The passage of my life is measured out in shirts."
- Brian Eno
Great point. I was thinking about making it but you beat me to it. Seems to me that one central source on pollutants would be much easier to deal with, likely less expensive also.
"The Borg is the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your Federation has ever faced."
- Q, 2365
...to the generally more rural locations of most power plants. A good thing if you're an urban dweller. Maybe not such a good thing if you live in a rural area. I wonder if urban dwellers wield more influence over siting of power plants than do rural dwellers.
. . . I found one site where it was stated that in a typical 4-stroke IC engine:So, if you subtract all these power losses, you'll end up with only 20% of your original total. You can increase this percentage a bit through the use of certain synthetic oils or ceramic coatings on the pistons and combustion chamber.
- 38% of power is lost through exhaust heat
- 36% of power is lost through water heating
- 8% of power is lost through motor friction
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