Is RVing in danger of going extinct?

[Massparanoia]

Originally Posted by PDR John

Everything evolves, RVing will be one of them.

I foresee a heavy-duty hybrid happening in the next 10 years, something more along the lines of locomotive power plants. Small diesel engines powering only a generator charging a capacitor bank that feeds the drive wheels.

Imagine 80,000 lbs being moved down the road by an Onan 15K genny.

It won’t happen. Not unless they raise the allowable gcwr of the trucks.

[Kid Gloves]

Originally Posted by Massparanoia

It won’t happen. Not unless they raise the allowable gcwr of the trucks.

It won’t happen because 15kW equals 20hp.

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

It won’t happen because 15kW equals 20hp.

People tend to forget that a watt/hp is a watt/hp no matter where it comes from or how it's generated. If it takes 500HP to do something with a diesel or gas engine it will take 500HP to do the same thing with some other power source.

Various inefficiencies can be eliminated but it still takes x amount of energy to move y amount of weight down the road.

[Shutterbug57]

Originally Posted by garmp

I heard that CA is asking people to not charge their electric cars because it's to much of a drain on the already over used electric grid. And with the fires, drought and all the reservoirs are dangerously low so electric production is down.
So now what?

Another stay at home order?

[sibe]

I did not read responses other than the OP and a fst skim. no disrespct but I do the same with the news... sorry..

AS far as the Electric puch, it will come and things will adapt,,, slow process.. It is like LED bulbs they have been around for 20 years,,but the balance in market was maintained with a short stint of CFL bulbs that were not enviro friendly but allowed the power companies to not drop their pants too far..
It is ALL about ROI return on investment,, argue , kneel, raise the flag do as you please, it is all about a bottom line and profit.. that goes for enviornment as is health care etc in the country and world we have made.. WE ARE ALL PROFIT DRIVEN IN OUR OWN WAYS.. that is why we got RV's right.. LOL

We sort of have the cart before the horse,, normally a market is made and then a product is in the "wait" to thrive... create the need right..
NO Debate that our countries power and even water distribution systems are out dated and not ready for expansion.. Old power plants with a 30 year life span going on their 4th refurb and 60-80 years later,... blah blah..
NO ONE wants to \CHANGE, ADAPT apply new Tech to the grid or what we seem to say it still works and it has worked for 80 years... so does the Model A in my garage, but it is useless other then to talk about..it doesnt run on the dang gas we have in pumps,,i need to but $15/ga spec race fuelm, and it fires everytime.. LOL

Electric tech in vehicles is here, we aldready see and enjoy the gadgets and buttons amd to talk to the car etc.. they are also safer, I have a collision shop.. repairs are 150% change from 20 years ago. Technology is here in many ways.... I bitch and moan, but then step back and ay, wow it does work, odd but....

The market is being made,, the structure will follow,, BUT it will be slow,, The old Detroit 2 stroke diesel died a slow death, a powerful , dirty, noisey powerhouse that moved our goods for years in the 70's.. 3-4MPG and slow compared today.. rigs that have power to spare, cleaner, 3-4 times the MPG last 5 times longer between rebuilds..
It took time...

RV's are fine my 460 powered RV will out live me probably.. that DP down the streat from 2007 with that cat in it, will be here...
Petroleum fuels will be here, planes and jets and trains will suck it up till my kids are old and grey...

Would i get an electric grocery getter or maybe RV, sure as long as I have a good place to plug it in without needs a route planner ,

[radar]

Originally Posted by K_n_L

I know no one likes word problems but here is one for ya... There are 16 house on my cul-de-sac and each house has 2 electric cars, The typically car requires 80 Amps for 2 hours to charge full. What happens to when everyone comes home at 6pm and attempt to recharge?



Electrification will take a lot of time...

You may have confused some numbers. A typical EVSE that comes with any EV is usually capable of up to 32 amps at 240 volts and works right down to 12 amps at 120 volts. And in dual EV households (like ours) it’s not uncommon to install smart EVSE’s which share a single 60 amp service. As well, cars can be dialed back to lower currents. In our town house development all the houses have 100 amp panels. The dual EV households have just gone low tech with two 16 amp 240 volt receptacles. Plenty fast enough for an overnight charge. We have a 32 amp 240 in the garage and a 12 amp 240 in the driveway. Either way the car is charged in the morning.

Back in the early days of EV’s (2010 to 2015 ish) you could still buy an EV with a 72 amp charger. With the advent of Superchargers and DC fast chargers those big chargers went away. Now the majority of manufacturers have 32 amp on board chargers and a few have 48 amp chargers. More than likely Ford and Tesla trucks will have 80 amp on board chargers. But the EVSE’s that come with the vehicles are still typically 32 amp and the vast majority of people still just use those.

In reality, about half the people charging their cars at home only use a 120 volt 15 amp standard receptacle to charge their car overnight. As long as your commute is 80 kilometres or less that’s really all you need. We did that for a couple years until our needs changed.

Cheers.

[radar]

Originally Posted by garmp

I heard that CA is asking people to not charge their electric cars because it's to much of a drain on the already over used electric grid. And with the fires, drought and all the reservoirs are dangerously low so electric production is down.
So now what?

You heard wrong.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.usat...amp/5320286001

[frizfreleng]

Originally Posted by Boogie_

Nope

I love your moving icon. How appropriate!

[Kid Gloves]

Originally Posted by radar

You heard wrong.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.usat...amp/5320286001

While not specifically mentioned, do you believe that a “reasonable” person might consider charging an EV to be an “activity that draws a large amount of power”?

People were asked to not partake in such activities.

“Well honey, they only said to turn of the air conditioner, so I’m headed to the garage to plug in the Tesla.”

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by radar

You heard wrong.



https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.usat...amp/5320286001

Reads to me like they did ask EV owners to not charge their vehicles during certain hours. The fact that they said please does not negate the fact that the power grid is inadequate and officials were (are) concerned.

[radar]

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

While not specifically mentioned, do you believe that a “reasonable” person might consider charging an EV to be an “activity that draws a large amount of power”?

People were asked to not partake in such activities.

“Well honey, they only said to turn of the air conditioner, so I’m headed to the garage to plug in the Tesla.”

Yes. I would say that the majority of people would figure out that charging a car is a higher current item. Roughly half of EV owners use a standard 15 amp 120 volt receptacle to charge at home. I would say the majority are smart enough to know that the car will draw about the same as a coffee kettle or microwave.

The other half using higher current 240 volt receptacles or even permanent wall mount units will be even more in tune with the current needs as they probably had the receptacle installed.

[radar]

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

Reads to me like they did ask EV owners to not charge their vehicles during certain hours. The fact that they said please does not negate the fact that the power grid is inadequate and officials were (are) concerned.

Sure. But it was implied on many newsfeeds that EV owners were not able to charge their vehicles...which never happened. Made for a good story though.

[PDR John]

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

It won’t happen because 15kW equals 20hp.

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

People tend to forget that a watt/hp is a watt/hp no matter where it comes from or how it's generated. If it takes 500HP to do something with a diesel or gas engine it will take 500HP to do the same thing with some other power source.

Various inefficiencies can be eliminated but it still takes x amount of energy to move y amount of weight down the road.

Anybody know what a capacitor does?

[Raider47]

Originally Posted by RetiredbutWorking

I've often wondered why the electrification of automobiles has not followed in the footsteps of the rail industry. It seems like a small liquid fuel powered electric genset could power a set of electric motors that not only provided traction but braking.

That would be a series hybrid opposed to the parallel hybrid system used in cars now. Meaning the motors, (electric and internal combustion) are in series with the diesel turning the generator and electric turning the wheels, where as parallel the gasoline engine turns the generator and wheels with an electric motor helping out or substituting at the wheels. Series hybrid cars are impractical so far because of the inefficiencies of variable speeds and drag compared to trains. Basically you would struggle to charge the batteries fast enough to power the motor. Also some, (perhaps most?) hybrids already use regenerative braking.

I believe population growth and available space to drive/park RVs are a more realistic threat than fuel costs. The price of RV parks and private campgrounds is already getting close to what you would pay at a Hotel and scalpers are selling site reservations at national parks.