Everyones favorite superhero, Jamie Hyneman from the Discovery Channel Show, "Mythbusters" takes on the myth that Electric cars suck ina new Popular Mechanics piece.
I'm really big on electric vehicles because the total amount of fuel consumption involved is much less than what gas vehicles consume thanks to the efficiencies involved in a power generating plant. But there's a lot of talk out there that electric vehicles just don't perform as well as their gas counterparts—and, because we want to keep the planet intact, it sounded like a good myth to bust. So we decided to put gas and electric models of compact cars, ATVs, motorcycles and go-karts head-to-head on the track and the road to figure out if electric could hold its own.
.
Then we took the electric Model One ATV and a traditional gas ATV out to a motocross track to see how our electric performed—and it won by a hair, mainly due to the motor’s high bottom-end torque and the easier maneuverability due to the lighter weight. (I suspect the gas one would win in a drag race, but that’s not what ATVs are used for, is it?)
Besides almost zero emissions, electric vehicles also have some very distinct advantages: An electric ATV is quiet, healthier to have around crops, and you don’t need it to go 300 miles on a charge. Barefoot’s prototype is running 2.5 hours of average use on a charge and is back to 80 percent charge over a lunch break, which is more than adequate run time on a farm or vineyard. Our highways and neighborhoods will be quieter and cleaner with electric cars and motorcycles on them.
They are also used by police officers in Major Cities(since the whole Horse "mounted" officer only works in Canada and Dudley Do-Right Cartoons). This could have some signifigant impact, and the cheaper scooters and electric recreational vehicles are, the more of a viable alternative they become.
Building an electric go-kart or ATV is not any more difficult than making a radio-control electric car. Sure, we’re using welders instead of pre-made plastic parts, but you’ve got an electric motor, a bank of batteries and a speed controller. Look at your racing RC toys—it’s the same thing. The home-built electric car we tested had serious limitations, but I think I could build one that doesn’t have those problems. I fully intend to make a full-size electric car; I figure it’d take about $28,000 worth of components for a plus-300-mile range. It should take me about a week or two to build—tops.
The idea of silent cars is just awesome. Look, revving up an engine may make you feel better about your insecurities, but it is essentially slapping mother earth in the face. Finally something that is going to make me feel like I am in the damn future ala buck rogers.
Go Mythbuster Go.
This a totally cool read, and I had no idea that ATV's were such terrible pollutants.