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by sprash 2431 days ago
Energy efficiency doesn't matter, there is enough sun available in remote areas. The problem is energy storage. Storing electricity is really expensive, and cumbersome. It can not be easily transported without a vast expensive infrastructure effort especially concerning remote areas.

We have loads of fluctuating energy generation from renewable sources and hugely fluctuating energy consumption. This means we need loads of storage. Nobody ever talks about the storage.

Also staying 20 min at a charger just to fill up my battery is absolutely impractical. Fast charging is already at its technical limits. Compare that with the 45 seconds I need to fill my gas tank and have enough energy to drive thousands of miles.

2 comments

You use your car for how many hours a day 4-6 hours max. The rest of the time it is parked at work or home just put it on the charger when it is parked. We are used to ice cars so think about filling up once the tank is almost empty and can't get fuel everywhere it is not so with electric cars. You should not be visiting a charger unless going on a long trip so in actual fact 5 min spent at the gas station filling up is more time than you will spend filling up an electric car.
Efficiency is everything. Transporting fuels is even more cumbersome than transporting electricity. At only 10% or even 20% efficiency, you'll have a tough time to recoup the energy it took to built the plant creating the synthetic fuels .... Sorry, but Math and Physics is not on your side.

Millions of EVs integrated in the grid will serve as an amazing type of Energy Storage. We'll have to go to a decentralised energy grid, utilising demand management to a maximum.