Charging with a gas generator?

[enzo]

Agree neither the grid nor gasoline distribution can be relied upon, however,
- you can keep 10 gallons of gas in your shed
- the grid is susceptible to doomsday scenarios--months-long outages due to solar flare or cascading failure--while with fuel, shortages would not last so long

The self-reliant American consumer is just looking for assurances that fit into their idea of disaster preparedness. So practically speaking, I predict that generator compatibility will be a common question for Cybertruck, and solving it will be very impressive to potential buyers. However, the first 500,000 or so buyers will be EV fans who won't care.

 

[Rocky_H]

The self-reliant American consumer is just looking for assurances that fit into their idea of disaster preparedness.

This seems incorrect. You're saying this as if it's "all" or "most". This is something extremist doomsday preppers do. That is a small percentage of people and far from average. For most people, that never enters their minds when choosing what vehicle to buy.

So practically speaking, I predict that generator compatibility will be a common question for Cybertruck, and solving it will be very impressive to potential buyers. However, the first 500,000 or so buyers will be EV fans who won't care.

OK, the first 500,000 will be EV fans. And then the next many MANY million will be regular normal people who choose vehicles on normal things like how comfortable the seats are, how the driving visibility is, how the entertainment system is, how the turning and handling feels, how spacious the back sets are, etc. etc. etc.. And then eventually, it can get down to that 0.5 % of people who are the doomsday preppers, who are such a small portion of the market that it's not really a priority for Tesla to design vehicles for.

 

[alstoralset]

OP, thank you. I have a 5KW generator with 240V/20A plug, and with the extended power failures we have here in the winter (unrest in the forest/trouble with the trees), it's good to know this option is potentially available.

 

[Kevy Baby]

- the grid is susceptible to doomsday scenarios--months-long outages due to solar flare or cascading failure--while with fuel, shortages would not last so long

I'm just curious how you pump the gas when the grid is down due to your doomsday scenario?

 

[enzo]

This seems incorrect. You're saying this as if it's "all" or "most". This is something extremist doomsday preppers do. That is a small percentage of people and far from average. For most people, that never enters their minds when choosing what vehicle to buy.

OK, the first 500,000 will be EV fans. And then the next many MANY million will be regular normal people who choose vehicles on normal things like how comfortable the seats are, how the driving visibility is, how the entertainment system is, how the turning and handling feels, how spacious the back sets are, etc. etc. etc.. And then eventually, it can get down to that 0.5 % of people who are the doomsday preppers, who are such a small portion of the market that it's not really a priority for Tesla to design vehicles for.

It seems incorrect to you, likely due to your social network giving you false heuristics about the broader demographic, which includes a wide spectrum of disaster preparedness. There are tens of millions of people/families across massive geographic areas who have at least one pickup (ie. for personal or mixed personal-biz use). This spans all socioeconomic classes. And there is a strong correlation between those very pickup buyers, and a certain seriousness about being prepared. Characterizing it with pejoratives like "extremist doomsday" is limiting your ability to understand that the average person (or, median person, if you like) in these areas owns a generator and will balk at transitioning to BEV unless they can charge it in an emergency. Many deal with hurricanes, floods, and the like regularly; they are not thinking about Chinese invasions or other things that people like to laugh at.

Tesla's mission to hasten the transition will be much aided by winning over such individuals.

I'm just curious how you pump the gas when the grid is down due to your doomsday scenario?

You don't need a doomsday to answer this question - many have dealt with hurricanes, etc. causing 1-2 weeks of outage. Some gas stations run backup power, some do not. You might have to drive 10-20 miles to find one. If there is advance warning, many will fill up in the days prior. As the duration of outage lengthens, more stations will get themselves up and running.

 

[Rocky_H]

There are tens of millions of people/families across massive geographic areas who have at least one pickup (ie. for personal or mixed personal-biz use). This spans all socioeconomic classes.

Yeah--I live in Idaho. Pickups and SUVs are like more than half of the vehicles here.

And there is a strong correlation between those very pickup buyers, and a certain seriousness about being prepared.

And that's quite an assumed correlation you're making about why people buy pickup trucks.

likely due to your social network giving you false heuristics about the broader demographic,

Uh huh. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Many deal with hurricanes, floods, and the like regularly;

Oh yes, certainly true, and that applies to many kinds of home preparation for people who live in areas affected by things like that. I just question why you think that is a straight line 1 to 1 correlation to the pickup truck form factor of vehicle across the whole country.

 

[Kevy Baby]

You don't need a doomsday to answer this question - many have dealt with hurricanes, etc. causing 1-2 weeks of outage. Some gas stations run backup power, some do not. You might have to drive 10-20 miles to find one. If there is advance warning, many will fill up in the days prior. As the duration of outage lengthens, more stations will get themselves up and running.

That may be fine for 1-2 weeks (if the single supply lasts that long), but your scenario I quoted was much longer (see below). Even if the stations have backup pumps, the refineries will be shut down (remember: our strategic reserves are of crude oil, not refined gasoline and diesel).

- the grid is susceptible to doomsday scenarios--months-long outages due to solar flare or cascading failure--while with fuel, shortages would not last so long

 

[ShanFei81]

Now I know.