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Do we need a Tesla "Snuggie"?

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. . . He's a pioneer, just like when we went from horse and buggy to motors . . .

You got me there. I forgot about the "pioneer" factor. That alone is rational for owning a car you can't turn the heat on in order to make it to your destination. How are you going to get this car to mass market status when you have to make compromises such as no cabin heat in order to maximize range in cold temperatures? Unless you figure that out the car will always be a niche player.

BTW, I must have been a pioneer during my college days as I drove my VW bug (also without heat) back and forth to school.

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. . . But this is even more noble since it's the co2 producing, global warming contributing, very warm, gas guzzlers that should be called "horribly absurd" . . .

The electricity that is needed to charge the car, how do you think that is produced? Magic electric elves? It comes from coal and other fossil fuels. About 67% of the U.S. electricity generated in 2013 was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 39% attributed from coal alone. That's a lot of co2 my friend. All you are doing is trading the creation co2 from the tail pipe to the smoke stack. Props though to Canada for generating approximately 59% of their electrical needs through hydro. The U.S. needs to follow suit.
 
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The electricity that is needed to charge the car, how do you think that is produced? Magic electric elves? It comes from coal and other fossil fuels. About 67% of the U.S. electricity generated in 2013 was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 39% attributed from coal alone. That's a lot of co2 my friend. All you are doing is trading the creation co2 from the tail pipe to the smoke stack. Props though to Canada for generating approximately 59% of their electrical needs through hydro. The U.S. needs to follow suit.

All of that being the case, one thing is for sure - 100% of the energy needed to power an ICE vehicle is coming from fossil fuels.
 
Wait a minute. You bought a $100K car and have to drive WITHOUT HEAT in order to make it to your destination??!!?

I find that horribly absurd.
Imagine someone saying they want to drive their ICE car for 375 miles without refueling. The numbers say they should make it - just barely - if they coast a lot, drive slowly, and don't use the A/C. It's 105 degrees outside. So they device clever ways of staying cool that don't affect their gasoline consumption.

There's nothing different here.
 
All of that being the case, one thing is for sure - 100% of the energy needed to power an ICE vehicle is coming from fossil fuels.

No one is arguing that, but to say an electric car is superior to an ICE car in that it doesn't use fossil-based energy is misleading.

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Imagine someone saying they want to drive their ICE car for 375 miles without refueling. The numbers say they should make it - just barely - if they coast a lot, drive slowly, and don't use the A/C. It's 105 degrees outside. So they device clever ways of staying cool that don't affect their gasoline consumption.

There's nothing different here.

@eco5280: Do you wear your rose-colored glasses all the time or only while driving? Who drives an ICE car in the way your describe? Not me. Not anyone I know. Your example is ridiculous and lacks credibility. You get low on fuel, you stop at the nearest station (huge convenience BTW) and fill up. In hindsight maybe Colorado should not have legalized marijuana. It seems to have affected your ability to reason.
 
The problem with the OP's somewhat ridiculous commitment to his EV in the dead of winter and not using the heat is it gives fuel to the anti-tesla and anti-EV crowd. They love stories like this because it's a silly/impractical use of an EV. I love my Model S and use it 95% of the time, but for the trip the OP is planning...come on take an ICE and if you don't have one, rent one.
 
The problem with the OP's somewhat ridiculous commitment to his EV in the dead of winter and not using the heat is it gives fuel to the anti-tesla and anti-EV crowd. They love stories like this because it's a silly/impractical use of an EV. I love my Model S and use it 95% of the time, but for the trip the OP is planning...come on take an ICE and if you don't have one, rent one.

It is not just the anti-Tesla or anti-EV crowd that gets worked up. As an ex-Roadster owner I found the OP's cold weather driving strategy absurd.
 
@eco5280: Do you wear your rose-colored glasses all the time or only while driving? Who drives an ICE car in the way your describe? Not me. Not anyone I know. Your example is ridiculous and lacks credibility.
I'm saying that her example isn't normal for an EV or Tesla driver either. But people do interesting challenges sometimes. She can stop over at a charger if she chooses, she's trying to avoid it for whatever reason she has. Just like an ICE driver in my example. Hypermiling existed long before hybrids.
 
How are you going to get this car to mass market status when you have to make compromises such as no cabin heat in order to maximize range in cold temperatures? Unless you figure that out the car will always be a niche player.

Just watch history unfold and you will see. There's no stopping or going back now, in spite of the many critics like you. I dread every time I have to drive an ICE. I really wish there were forums when we went from horse and buggy to motors because there would have been similar posts like: "There's very few gas stations but lots of feed and water everywhere. My horse doesn't just die on me like a gas car. Unless you figure that out, those gas cars will always be a niche player."


The electricity that is needed to charge the car, how do you think that is produced? Magic electric elves? It comes from coal and other fossil fuels. About 67% of the U.S. electricity generated in 2013 was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 39% attributed from coal alone. That's a lot of co2 my friend. All you are doing is trading the creation co2 from the tail pipe to the smoke stack.

No magic elves are necessary. Of course energy is used but the CO2 emissions are substantially less than gas powered cars...

How do EVs Compare with Gas-Powered Vehicles? Better Every Year…. - The Equation

BTW, I must have been a pioneer during my college days as I drove my VW bug (also without heat) back and forth to school.

You seem to be missing the point. Did they teach you the definition of "Pioneer"? It has nothing to do with driving with no heat:

"Pioneer: verb: develop or be the first to use or apply (a new method, area of knowledge, or activity).
 
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The electricity that is needed to charge the car, how do you think that is produced? Magic electric elves? It comes from coal and other fossil fuels. About 67% of the U.S. electricity generated in 2013 was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 39% attributed from coal alone. That's a lot of co2 my friend. All you are doing is trading the creation co2 from the tail pipe to the smoke stack. Props though to Canada for generating approximately 59% of their electrical needs through hydro. The U.S. needs to follow suit.

Bear in mind that because electric cars mostly charge at night, they're using base load which is mainly nuclear and wind power. Also about 1/3 of Tesla forum members charge from their solar panels. Other opt for the renewable energy option.
 
Also about 1/3 of Tesla forum members charge from their solar panels.
Call me pedantic, but that's not really true, unless they only charge on sunny days or have an off-grid system with local storage.

In my book, "charging from my solar panels" means the electrons flow from my panels into the car (possibly through local batteries).

If you have a grid-tie system without local storage and charge at night, you aren't really charging off your solar panels. You're displacing dirty peaking plants (which is a good thing), and charging off cleaner base power at night, but you aren't charging with electricity you created. You're selling your power to another consumer, then buying other power at night.