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EV Drivers and the ants

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by daniel, Jun 18, 2007.

  1. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    There is a parable about how the ants cross a river, from a short story by a South African writer whose name I cannot recall. They swarm down the river bank and into the water. The first ones are drowned and washed away, but after a bit the drowned bodies begin to pile up and form a bridge, and eventually the colony is able to cross the river on the bodies of the dead. The parable is told by a wise woman to a young woman who wants to make a difference but is discouraged by the slow pace of progress. The later asks, "And the first ones, those that are washed away. They accomplish nothing?" The wise woman replies: "They create the path to the water's edge. They show the way."

    We Xebra drivers are the ants who get washed away down the river: The Xebra, with its poor quality, and its limited speed and range, and its near-total lack of manufacturer support, is acceptable to so few people that it cannot, in and of itself, even begin to solve the nation's energy problems. Zap is so shady, and so irresponsible, that we are not even helping, by our purchase, to capitalize research and improvement. From a technological standpoint the Xebra is a dead end and Zap will probably go out of business as soon as there is some real competition in the form of a quality EV with decent support. It will be washed away and nobody but a few dusty, bespeckled historians will remember it or us.

    BUT IT SHOWS THE WAY! We are the ants who are creating the path down to the river. Without those first ants, who get washed away, seemingly uselessly, the colony would never get across, because it would have no direction. Without the EV1, and the Rav4EV, and the Xebra, which have disappeared or will disappear, and all those one-of-a-kind conversion cars, and those of us who drive them, who will be forgotten, people would not begin to turn their minds toward the concept of electric cars.

    The attention that my Xebra gets shows me that it is opening people's eyes to the possibility of electric cars. I will be forgotten, but I am showing the way, along with the other EV pioneers.

    And it's the most fun I've ever had driving a vehicle.
     
    #1 daniel, Jun 18, 2007
  2. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    I've been called a lot of things for being an EV driver. I've been likened to several rodents and pests. I am confident in saying that I have NEVER been called an ant. Nor would have thought that I'd take it as a compliment. :)

    And back to being a bit serious...

    How many times have I heard, "I'll buy an EV as soon as they're cheaper than a used Yugo, have 500 miles range and 2 minute recharge time." Just like with computers, DVD players and big-screen TVs... this stuff doesn't advance or come down in price unless there are early adopters who buy them. I don't drive an EV because I think it'll solve the world's energy problems. I drive it in the hope that it is the tip of the ice burg. the beginning of the avalanche that gets us where we need to be.

    OK. Back to collecting grain for the grasshoppers.
     
    #2 darelldd, Jun 18, 2007
  3. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

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    If an EV ever gets made by a mainstream manufacturer I'll be...

    Well, I certainly won't be first in line, I can tell you that right now. But I will be second or third in line after the reviews are in and bugs are out. Yeah, even if it's a Chevy Volt.
     
    #3 Stev0, Jun 19, 2007
  4. Skwyre7

    Skwyre7 What's the catch?

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    I'm not sure, but I don't think I would want to be an EV driver that gets washed into the river. I've always though that water and electricity don't mix.

    Seriously though, I do admire you daniel, darell, tracy, and the other EV drivers out there. I also admire those who have done the PHEV conversions. I hope to get to that point in the future.

    Skwyre7, future EV driver.
     
    #4 Skwyre7, Jun 19, 2007
  5. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    I have to agree... you guys are the ants rushing down stream, showing us the way... But i would say that Prius owners (yes, you guys included :p) are the first ants forming the bridge to cross the river. It's not nearly complete yet, but it's a start - Being the most popular hybrid from a major manufacturer (i recently heard 9th best selling vehicle last month?), it definitely provides the incentive for these major manufacturers to pursue alternatively powered vehicles.

    Along the way, the bridge across the river of crude oil will be supported with several pillars - Hybrids, E85, plug in hybrids, fuel cell vehicles. Each pillar adds to the overall knowledge and capabilities of the auto manufacturers, and gives consumers the chance to help influence which direction the bridge goes.
     
    #5 eagle33199, Jun 19, 2007
  6. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jun 19 2007, 06:15 AM) [snapback]464596[/snapback]</div>
    The Prius is relatively efficient, with a much more reliable drive train, but it is not alternatively powered. It burns gasoline and gets all its energy from gasoline, and when the gas runs out, and the car has gone the mile or two the battery will carry it, the Prius is dead in the water.
     
    #6 daniel, Jun 19, 2007
  7. SSimon

    SSimon Active Member

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    Thanks to all you EV early adopters. I'm hoping that there are enough of you to truly provide enough demand that this technology evolves into a mass produced vehicle that is practical for most people's life circumstances.

    I took note of your discussions about this car in another forum and I called ZAP as I was considering a purchase. Daniel, it sounds like you slight the reasons most people aren't partaking. I didn't buy for the exact same reasons that you mentioned. This car is great for people that live in an area conducive to the limited speed and the limited range. For me, the limited range was the deciding factor. In warmer temps, I would've been just fine driving my 20 mile round trip commute. Winters would have not been as agreeable on my range. And, it's far too cold here to have taken that chance.

    SSimon, another future EV driver.
     
    #7 SSimon, Jun 19, 2007
  8. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 19 2007, 10:42 AM) [snapback]464681[/snapback]</div>
    It's not alternately powered, but it does provide them with the incentive to develop alternately powered vehicles though demonstrating that the market and desire are present for hybrids, which leads to the next step of a plug in hybrid, which is partially alternately powered.
     
    #8 eagle33199, Jun 19, 2007
  9. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

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    #9 morpheusx, Jun 19, 2007
  10. tripp

    tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it?

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jun 19 2007, 10:05 AM) [snapback]464713[/snapback]</div>
    I agree. The Prius is a step in the right direction and has dispelled some myths.Frankly, I think something very similar to the RAV4EV would do pretty well. The problem there is Cobasys and their ridiculous patent restrictions. Why wouldn't they wanna sell large format NiMH batteries and receive royalties from their competitors? You have to think there's malfeasance there. The RAV4 had some size, a reasonable top speed, and a decent range. I'd go for something like that in a flash. I wonder what percentage of the population could be persuaded (through marketing, of course) to go for it.
     
    #10 tripp, Jun 19, 2007
  11. Allannde

    Allannde Just a Senior

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ Jun 19 2007, 08:48 AM) [snapback]464743[/snapback]</div>
    I hope it is successful. It is cool that is American made!

    I am surprised at what a large percent of my driving is done with this EV. Range and speed have never been an issue. The cost of operation is virtually free.

    How will we have a revolution if everyone waits for the other guy to make the first move?

    Remember that the guy next to you is looking at "the other guy".

    Meet Hercules and the trike:
     

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    #11 Allannde, Jun 19, 2007
  12. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jun 19 2007, 08:59 AM) [snapback]464705[/snapback]</div>
    How about including your location in your profile???

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ Jun 19 2007, 09:48 AM) [snapback]464743[/snapback]</div>
    The specs I've read are 20 mile range at freeway speed, or 30 mile range at surface-road speed. What every EV driver knows is that range is highly dependent on how hard or gently you drive it. (True of every car, but few people talk about range in a gas car.) Quoting 30 miles and 74 mph is misleading because those two figures are at opposite extremes of driving style.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Allannde @ Jun 19 2007, 02:26 PM) [snapback]464900[/snapback]</div>
    A trike in a trike. Allan drives his trike to the trail where he can ride his trike. :)
     
    #12 daniel, Jun 19, 2007
  13. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    And i think we finally have an answer to how those ants ended up in the water in the first place:

    [​IMG]
     
    #13 eagle33199, Jun 20, 2007
  14. SSimon

    SSimon Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 19 2007, 09:45 PM) [snapback]465023[/snapback]</div>
    I'm northwest of Chicago. In the winter, they said I'd have to plug it in at work (which I can't) or there would be a possibility I wouldn't make it home on the return trip. Sometimes, it's way too cold for me to walk 10 miles!
     
    #14 SSimon, Jun 20, 2007
  15. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jun 20 2007, 07:17 AM) [snapback]465176[/snapback]</div>
    I love Dogbert. But I don't see what the cartoon above has to do with the parable of the ants.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jun 20 2007, 09:34 AM) [snapback]465264[/snapback]</div>
    20-mile round trip is nothing for Yevette. For the base model, though, it would require an opportunity charge. For me, however, Yevette is not a substitute for the Prius. It simply relegates the Prius to those 3 days a month when I need to go farther than 45 miles. And in winter I may use the Prius when there's ice on the road.

    I hope you won't take it amiss when I say that I doubt the sanity of anybody who lives in a big city. And yes, I'm aware that that includes the majority of the population of the world. And yes again, I think the majority of the world's population is clinically insane.
     
    #15 daniel, Jun 20, 2007
  16. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    It's not an exact match up to your parable, however when added together it (in my mind) paints the picture of all the early adopters and early EV's being pushed into the water by big oil - all of the ones that were released and then killed by their respective companies.

    Besides, if you have a big honking SUV, who needs ants to build you a bridge? just drive right through!
     
    #16 eagle33199, Jun 20, 2007
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