Who's responsibility will it be when a car dies on the road due to lack of charge, the owner or smart? I would expect, at times, the estimated 70 miles per charge would, in fact, provide only 40 or 30, even, depending on conditions. You KNOW the owners will expect the manufacture to cover the cost of the lower than promised mileage. The manufacture will blame it on the customer. Who is going ot pay to have the car TOWED to a charging station? I'm pretty certain this will be a regular occurance. Batteries today, still suck and are nowhere ready for "primetime". (Consider the prematurely dead batteries we've all encountered with our camcorders, digital cams or mp3 players.) At the very least, there needs to be a built in engine to provide a recharge or to "limp" to a charge station.
I think any manufacturer thinking of introducing a fully battery powered vehicle is asking for financial disaster.
There are gauges in the car showing charge. Just like your gas gauge. If you floor your car you will go through your gas or charge faster than when you drive sensibly. If it was a sudden loss due to a failure, it would depend on whether the component was under warranty. If it is, it's their problem. If not, yours
Who's responsibility will it be when a car dies on the road due to lack of charge, the owner or smart? I would expect, at times, the estimated 70 miles per charge would, in fact, provide only 40 or 30, even, depending on conditions. You KNOW the owners will expect the manufacture to cover the cost of the lower than promised mileage. The manufacture will blame it on the customer. Who is going ot pay to have the car TOWED to a charging station? I'm pretty certain this will be a regular occurance. Batteries today, still suck and are nowhere ready for "primetime". (Consider the prematurely dead batteries we've all encountered with our camcorders, digital cams or mp3 players.) At the very least, there needs to be a built in engine to provide a recharge or to "limp" to a charge station.
I think any manufacturer thinking of introducing a fully battery powered vehicle is asking for financial disaster.
I DISSAGREE WITH YOUR OPINION.
In the future there will be charging station for electric cars. They already had one here in Ga at a Cosco Grocery store was when the GM Ev came out.(Has been taken out a few years back since the GM EV is no longer on the streets)
Eventually I invision there will be a Electric charging station at most major gas stations. They will charge you a fee to charge on a time scale depending on how long you will need to charge your car.
AS FAR AS RESPONSIBILITY.
It will be no different than Electric scooters that are out now. ITS THE OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY TO CHARGE AND TO MONITOR THE REMAINING POWER. Of course there will be an indicator stating when the battery life is low or close to being completly depleted.
Bringing the Smart Electric drive in mass production is not a good idea however if they bring them in very very limited quantities like 100-500 a year for the 1st few years until the trend and society catches on I think it will be great.
AS FAR AS PRICE IN MY OPINION
Anywhere between $20,000 and $45,000 would be fair if its capable of going atleast 100 - 160 miles on a full charge.
The $49k price for an electric smart sounds about right given the current (no pun intended) cost of the technology. Lutz publicly stated on 60 Minutes that the Volt would be over $40k. The Tesla is over $100k, which is ~$50k more than an equivalent Lotus Elise (which the Tesla is based on). And for those unaware, MINI has a 500 unit pilot program going on now in the US for electric versions of the MINI at a lease price of $850/month.
Eventually costs will come down, first with manufacturer and/or government subsidies, then with volume...just as we experienced with hybrids.
There are gauges in the car showing charge. Just like your gas gauge.
I HAD the guages in mind when I wrote that post. I have a camcorder which takes batteries that provide specific time remaining estimates: a nice feature, WHEN it works. However, as they age, the time displayed tends to jump from two hours to two minutes in seconds. The batteries don't even have to be that old either. Batteries are just batteries: not particularly reliable.
I stick by my opinion: manfacturers selling cars relying solely on batteries for propulsion are flirting with financial ruin. Dead electric cars, unlike cars that "run out of gas", are going to incur towiing charges and owners will insist the fault is NOT OF THEIR OWN doing. The car companies will claim otherwise. Not a happy situation to be in regardless of position.
Now..if someone came up with way to deliver a "gallon's equivelent of charge", THEN, we'd be talking and I'd be in line to buy one!!
The first practical battery stack was invented by Volta in 1800. Since then very little progress has been made in making it a practical power source for a man carrying motor vehicle.
We long ago hit the wall on power/weight/bulk and cost no mater what material we use for construction.
Until we get a breakthrough in low temp super-conductivity or archive a miracle in quantum mechanics, Battery powered cars will never have the range/speed/cost to be an all around practical automobile.
If Aviation and Electronics had developed at the pace of the battery, we would still be flying Wright Flyers, and talking through tin cans with string.
The GM "Volt" is a political car only and it has already archived it's goal. As for the Smart EV, IMO, It will be just a be another "roadable" golf cart. A2Jack.
Who's responsibility will it be when a car dies on the road due to lack of charge, the owner or smart? I would expect, at times, the estimated 70 miles per charge would, in fact, provide only 40 or 30, even, depending on conditions. You KNOW the owners will expect the manufacture to cover the cost of the lower than promised mileage. The manufacture will blame it on the customer. Who is going ot pay to have the car TOWED to a charging station? I'm pretty certain this will be a regular occurance. Batteries today, still suck and are nowhere ready for "primetime". (Consider the prematurely dead batteries we've all encountered with our camcorders, digital cams or mp3 players.) At the very least, there needs to be a built in engine to provide a recharge or to "limp" to a charge station.
I think any manufacturer thinking of introducing a fully battery powered vehicle is asking for financial disaster.
There's this little thing called personal responsibility. If your car runs out of gas, it's YOUR fault. Ditto for battery power. Duh.
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The Beast
The Chick Magnet
) I'm sure many would be all over an EV smart.
2008 Smart Passion
Today
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