How Low Would Gas Have To Go For You To Turn Back?

[adric22]

I will never go back to gasoline as long as there are electrics available. I love the convenience of charging at home. I love the smooth, quiet ride. I love the high-tech feeling of driving the car.

I had to drive a friends gas car the other day and I immediately noticed how noisy and smelly the car was. I think it is sort of like when people who smoke finally kick the habit, then they get around somebody who smokes they realize how bad it smells for the first time. Well, it is sort of like that when kicking the habit of gasoline. Suddenly you realize how noisy and stinky gasoline cars are.

 

[TomT]

I must say that I do have to wonder what kind of cars some people are driving... The ICE cars that we have don't ever smoke (water vapor doesn't count) and never emit any detectible odors... Modern engines that do not have mechanical problems rarely do. Perhaps we are talking about older, less modern vehicles?...

I had to drive a friends gas car the other day and I immediately noticed how noisy and smelly the car was. I think it is sort of like when people who smoke finally kick the habit, then they get around somebody who smokes they realize how bad it smells for the first time. Well, it is sort of like that when kicking the habit of gasoline. Suddenly you realize how noisy and stinky gasoline cars are.

 

[garygid]

There are still some very powerful money-hungry forces at work in our own country, trying to keep the EV-Revolution from becoming anything beyond just a very low-percentage, expanded-range "neighborhood" vehicle.

The delays and obstructions in supporting, standardizing, and developing a convenient, effective re-charging infrastructure (QC "gas stations" for EVs) is just one example.

History warning: For over 100 years, gasoline/oil competitors (early EV, Steamer, local electric trolly, railroad, Tucker, Aptera, etc.) have been driven under, especially when they appeared that they were about to become "real" alternatives.

I believe that we can expect similar attacks here and now!

 

[rickbecker]

It is not about the cost of gasoline for me. IMHO, protecting the environment for my grandchildren and the decreased need to fight wars to support our foreign oil habit are the important factors :!:

I also LOVE the smooth, quiet ride.

 

[tps]

I must say that I do have to wonder what kind of cars some people are driving...

My 20 year old Camry was somewhat noisy in comparison, however my 2007 Chevy Malibu is reasonably quiet, but not as quiet as the LEAF. I've noticed the the LEAF's accelerator response is much more immediate and precise than the Malibu's, making the Malibu feel clumsy in comparison. I don't notice the Malibu's exhaust, but I sometimes notice the exhaust of the vehicle in front of me. I guess the LEAF will be good for the people in the car behind it.

 

[mwalsh]

I drove a 2008 Honda Civic on Thursday morning and the vibrations from the engine made me queasy. I thought it might just be for not having breakfast that morning, or maybe too much wine for dinner the night before, but the same thing happened when I went to return it on Thursday afternoon, and that was after I ate.

 

[TomT]

Time for a nice inline 6, V6 or V8! :lol:

I drove a 2008 Honda Civic on Thursday morning and the vibrations from the engine made me queasy.

 

[davewill]

The ICE cars that we have don't ever smoke (water vapor doesn't count) and never emit any detectible odors...

Smoker perhaps? I can certainly smell exhaust fumes even from the newest cars. Sure, they aren't as bad, but they still emit exhaust.

 

[TomT]

Modern 3 way catalyst cars emit primarily H2O and CO2 and very little of anything else.

I can certainly smell exhaust fumes even from the newest cars. Sure, they aren't as bad, but they still emit exhaust.

 

[adric22]

I must say that I do have to wonder what kind of cars some people are driving... The ICE cars that we have don't ever smoke (water vapor doesn't count) and never emit any detectible odors... Modern engines that do not have mechanical problems rarely do. Perhaps we are talking about older, less modern vehicles?...

Nope.. Brand new ones. It is especially noticeable if you start one up in a garage (and yes, with the garage door open) because the cold engine doesn't burn all of the fuel.

 

[LEAFfan]

Modern 3 way catalyst cars emit primarily H2O and CO2 and very little of anything else.

I can certainly smell exhaust fumes even from the newest cars. Sure, they aren't as bad, but they still emit exhaust.

Mogur, you may not be able to smell the awful sulphur that comes from the catalytic converters, but I smell it often.

 

[TomT]

Interesting since sulfur has not been a by-product from catalytic converts in nearly two decades since gasoline was reformulated, lead removed, and palladium converters were introduced. But yes, the early generation converters would definitely produce a sulfur smell at times...

Modern 3 way catalyst cars emit primarily H2O and CO2 and very little of anything else.

I can certainly smell exhaust fumes even from the newest cars. Sure, they aren't as bad, but they still emit exhaust.

Mogur, you may not be able to smell the awful sulphur that comes from the catalytic converters, but I smell it often.

 

[DaveEV]

Modern 3 way catalyst cars emit primarily H2O and CO2 and very little of anything else.

I can certainly smell exhaust fumes even from the newest cars. Sure, they aren't as bad, but they still emit exhaust.

Mogur, you may not be able to smell the awful sulphur that comes from the catalytic converters, but I smell it often.

Not just you 2 guys, but me too. There's two times I often smell the exhaust of modern gas cars.

1. Cold starts - even the Prius is a bit stinky on a cold start before all the cats warm up.
2. Hard acceleration - most typical up hills - this is usually when you can smell the sulphur smell.

Diesels are the worst, IMO. Not hard to smell the exhaust even from new TDI Jettas and similar. Anything more than 2-years old and you can smell them from quite a ways behind. Trucks are typically far worse.

 

[chuck58]

Of course i would like to shove a gas nozzle down the throat of the Saudis. Great friends they are of ours. "With friends like these who needs enemies?" as the saying goes.
All our spending on gas goes into the pockets of these SOB's that support terrorism and radical Islam. They still have public whippings in Saudi Arabia. Talk about human rights violations, they are one of the worst.
Going electric is a small victory, but a victory nevertheless. The world's thirst for gas is not going away anytime soon unfortunately. Lots of SUVs on the road still.
I want a Calvin window sticker that has him pissing on OPEC. Has anyone made these up?

 

[TurboFroggy]

Of course i would like to shove a gas nozzle down the throat of the Saudis. Great friends they are of ours. "With friends like these who needs enemies?" as the saying goes.
All our spending on gas goes into the pockets of these SOB's that support terrorism and radical Islam. They still have public whippings in Saudi Arabia. Talk about human rights violations, they are one of the worst.
Going electric is a small victory, but a victory nevertheless. The world's thirst for gas is not going away anytime soon unfortunately. Lots of SUVs on the road still.
I want a Calvin window sticker that has him pissing on OPEC. Has anyone made these up?

I 100% agree. I drove my EV to work today and ate a pork burrito for lunch on this first day of Ramadan, like the good infidel I am... :mrgreen:

 

[youngr3]

Additional reason to go electric....and thus local energy sources instead of purchasing oil/gasoline which increases trade deficit which increase federal budget deficit (less taxes for domesticaly produced items; less $ to spend on domestically produced items; fewer people with jobs playing income taxes); etc. If we do not get these under control we will be in really deep you know what sooner than we think.

 

[JPWhite]

To answer your question precisely. $2.86 / Gal is the beak even point IMHO.

Here's how I came to that conclusion.

http://jpwhitenissanleaf.com/2011/03/28/nissan-leaf-scrunching-the-numbers/

I will publish actual costs later once I have enough miles on my LEAF. Early indications are that the numbers I calculated are very conservative. I should see bigger savings than I anticipated.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

explain to this Prince that if it was about the money, "we" (unlike someone who has billions in free cash to spend how he pleases) do not start with a $30,000 purchase over the price of gas.

PAY me a buck a gallon to burn the stuff, plus a $20 "trip" fee for gas refills (or sign me up for free home delivery) then i will think about it

 

[TomT]

The new urea injected clean diesels are remarkably smoke and odor free, and very clean running. I wonder how much one would be able to smell behind one of them... A friend has one of the MB Blutech diesels and I can't see or smell anything from it...

Diesels are the worst, IMO. Not hard to smell the exhaust even from new TDI Jettas and similar. Anything more than 2-years old and you can smell them from quite a ways behind.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

urea itself has no odor at all