EVs - New Hampshire gets it right

[BenedictGomez]

Not true at all. Our ECO mows 1.66 acres on a single charge no problem at all

1.66 acres is really not a big area. Where I grew up (as well as where I just moved from) that would have been my warm-up. But sure, if you have a tiny lawn or just a few patches of sidewalk grass a battery-powered lawnmower will work great. That's why I mentioned, "duration".

 

[BenedictGomez]

If environmentalists were very serious about cutting carbon , many many years ago we discovered natural gas has HALF the emissions of oil.

Its not about clean ( plenty of true environmentalists of course, passionate about a clean earth) but t he controlling interests are about just that, control.

Even the founder of Green Peace eventually realized this and left.

In general, I find environmentalists are not serious people, it's rather about self-righteousness & praying in the synagogues & on street corners so others may see them doing so. If they were serious they'd support nuclear energy. I do sympathize for the learned environmentalists who've actually studied these issues and generally care, as opposed to the hoards who call for bans on fracking, bans of gas stoves, and other idiocies which they know not what they're opining on.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I look at it as being a lot like low-flush toilets—when they first came out, no one wanted them because they weren't particularly effective at flushing. After they were government-mandated (maybe just in California, not sure about the details), it took a few years, but we ended up with low-flush toilets that actually worked.

Low-flush toilets work great now? That good to hear, because the house I'm renting was built in 2014 and I think all the toilets suck. The issue I find isn't the flushing power, but rather the low amount of water residing in the bowl. Maybe the contractor in this development just didnt use high-quality toilets (these are PROFLO).

 

[djd66]

Low-flush toilets work great now? That good to hear, because the house I'm renting was built in 2014 and I think all the toilets suck. The issue I find isn't the flushing power, but rather the low amount of water residing in the bowl. Maybe the contractor in this development just didnt use high-quality toilets (these are PROFLO).

That’s when you need to do a courtesy flush mid dump

 

[BenedictGomez]

Electric motorcycles and e-bikes have a role to play as well, an an e-bike set up for cargo may actually be a better tool in a lot of places that lack not only fueling infrastructure but highway infrastructure.

Aren't e-bikes somewhat of a net negative environmentally?

They're exploding in popularity, they use a ton of Lion batteries which are in scarce supply for EVs, and they are largely replacing Fred Flintstone power.

 

[skiur]

Not true at all. Our ECO mows 1.66 acres on a single charge, no problem at all

Even if the grass is long? I have zoysia grass, even gas mowers struggle to cut that carpet if it gets a little long, which happens a lot. I do have a Ryobi string trimmer. Not the best at edging but does get the job done.

 

[skiur]

Aren't e-bikes somewhat of a net negative environmentally?

They're exploding in popularity, they use a ton of Lion batteries which are in scarce supply for EVs, and they are largely replacing Fred Flintstone power.

The exploding in popularity, and exploding while charging. NYC has had hundreds of fires this year from lithium batteries, hundreds of injuries and around 20 people have died.

 

[kbroderick]

Aren't e-bikes somewhat of a net negative environmentally?

They're exploding in popularity, they use a ton of Lion batteries which are in scarce supply for EVs, and they are largely replacing Fred Flintstone power.

If they're replacing foot traffic, probably a net negative environmentally but a net positive for the individual.

If they're used in place of a passenger car or light truck, they're a huge net benefit, the more so if they actually displace the car rather than supplementing it. But even if they supplement, I'm fairly sure that—assuming a decently built e-bike that wasn't made without QA and a tendency to burst into flames—the fact that you're moving 70 pounds of bike and 200(ish) pounds of human and cargo rather than 3-6,000 pounds of vehicle and 200(ish) pounds of human and cargo would be a net gain on a decent bike lifespan, even before considering reduced wear and tear on roadways.

Exploding batteries is mostly a problem with cheap batteries built by fly-by-night companies without concerns about long-term liability. I wouldn't trust the cheapest "DeWalt-compatible" batteries for power tools, nor would I trust similarly no-name batteries in other contexts (like a no-name eBike). We know how to manage the risks in normal usage, it just takes some engineering.

 

[kbroderick]

Low-flush toilets work great now? That good to hear, because the house I'm renting was built in 2014 and I think all the toilets suck. The issue I find isn't the flushing power, but rather the low amount of water residing in the bowl. Maybe the contractor in this development just didnt use high-quality toilets (these are PROFLO).

I didn't note the brand, but I've seen some in newer construction that manage to provide enough flushing power to remove the evidence that the deposit didn't land in the water to begin with. Some of them are definitely at least a decade old, so I'm going to go with yes, the contractor chose poorly (quite possibly for cost reasons).

I also remember the original ones that had less flushing power than an octogenarian with a dime-store water pistol. Those were friggin' ridiculous.

Now, if you're just worried about the smell until you flush, meh, it's a bathroom. Just don't sit there and try to get to the end of the Internet in one sitting.

 

[cdskier]

If they're replacing foot traffic, probably a net negative environmentally but a net positive for the individual.

Net positive for the individual? Wouldn't walking be more beneficial from a health standpoint (i.e. exercise)? I'm assuming you mean perhaps a net benefit from a time-saver perspective or something like that?

 

[Harvey]

Aren't e-bikes somewhat of a net negative environmentally?

Not if they are replacing a single occupant car.

All of this "here is one instance where XYZ technology doesn't work" is not a valid argument for not adopting it.

If you are going to drive 72 mph highway exclusively, and the EV range is an issue, buy a very small turbo charged ICE engine.

If you drive 10 miles to work every day and are a two car family buy a pluggin hybrid or EV.

 

[kbroderick]

Net positive for the individual? Wouldn't walking be more beneficial from a health standpoint (i.e. exercise)? I'm assuming you mean perhaps a net benefit from a time-saver perspective or something like that?

Yes, net personal efficiency. You can either go farther in the same time or spend less time traveling.

If it happens to be a pedal-assist e-bike, you'd still be getting some health benefit, but I don't know how much.

 

[Newpylong]

I've found that all the low flush toilets do is turn a standard single flush visit into a three flush incident and thus waste more water. Fill the bowl up!

 

[IceEidolon]

I installed heat pumps because they cost considerably less than propane (which I still retain as backup for the negative digits) to heat and cost less than window units to cool. I felt no pressure to do so and could care less where the power comes from lol.

Heat pumps, particularly new designs, can beat a baseboard strip heater at temperatures of fifteen below (F) or lower. There's a lot of people putting in objectively more expensive to operate systems because earlier heat pumps got a bad reputation in past decades.

It's just AC that has reverse. Not surprised Newpylong didn't fall for the myth, though!

 

[IceEidolon]

Point of order in heat pumps - the South's been ideal for heat pumps for decades, but new ones run over 100% COP (stealing more heat from outside than you spend to run it) even as low as 15 or 20 degrees below zero F. That's suitable for some locations as far north as, say, Milwaukee, and it's great for areas with wild temperature swings where you can go from shorts one day to snow the next.

It doesn't make sense to say that because my specific application requires ICE power there is no place for electric.

If we used electric where it made sense (hybrid taxi cabs in NYC, heat pumps in the southern US, whatever) it would matter.

Electric power tools are a no brainer for me. Hedge trimmer, leaf blower, weed whacker, etc.

 

[IceEidolon]

It's still bigger than what most mowers have to handle - usually the average yard is less than half an acre. https://todayshomeowner.com/lawn-garden/guides/average-yard-size/

1.66 acres is really not a big area. Where I grew up (as well as where I just moved from) that would have been my warm-up. But sure, if you have a tiny lawn or just a few patches of sidewalk grass a battery-powered lawnmower will work great. That's why I mentioned, "duration".

 

[IceEidolon]

Electric motorcycles and city mobility aren't in the same category as e-bikes, first off. If you're driving an E-Vespa with a throttle instead of buying a car, even an EV car, that's a net win environmentally and in terms of urban space.

E-bikes are naturally less eco friendly on the face of things than a conventional bike, but if an e-bike makes trips viable that you wouldn't have taken otherwise - since you aren't showing up at the restaurant sweaty, you don't worry about Hell Hill, you can go further, whatever - and it replaces car trips, even EV trips, that's also an environmental win. Usually, anyway.

Using up EV batteries isn't really a concern since E-bikes use so many fewer batteries per vehicle.

Aren't e-bikes somewhat of a net negative environmentally?

They're exploding in popularity, they use a ton of Lion batteries which are in scarce supply for EVs, and they are largely replacing Fred Flintstone power.

 

[IceEidolon]

There's a nifty two lever system with low and high flow modes. Obviously that costs more to install but easier on the water bill.

I've found that all the low flush toilets do is turn a standard single flush visit into a three flush incident and thus waste more water. Fill the bowl up!

 

[drjeff]

1.66 acres is really not a big area. Where I grew up (as well as where I just moved from) that would have been my warm-up. But sure, if you have a tiny lawn or just a few patches of sidewalk grass a battery-powered lawnmower will work great. That's why I mentioned, "duration".

Plus, is it 1.66 acres of actual maintained lawn that 2Planker is cutting with the electric or a 1.66 acre lot, that has some lawn around the house, driveway, ? non maintained areas, etc to maintain?

I know my home is on a 1.25 acre lot, but by the time you take away some the footprint of our house, the driveway, our pool, my wife's garden beds, a utility shed, and playground area, and some non maintained wooded areas around some of the periphery of our lot, the actual amount of maintained grass in our lot is somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 acre tops

 

[Hawk]

I don't know what shitty ass low flush toilets you guys bought or have but I have installed literelay 100's on my projects. Toto, kohler and American standard all make models that work just as well as older regular toilets. Fact not opinion.

If you have to flush 2 or 3 times then:
- it is installed incorrectly or is malfunctioning
- it is a really bad model
- or....you are a wilderbeast and crap 6 lbs of shit in the bowl and then use half a roll of toilet paper.

I know that the latter is probably the issue with some of you on here. You are the ones that go into the office restroom and expode making the room uninhabitable for an hour. What is it with you people who have unusually smelly shit?????