To crap with the Chevy Volt

[Kai]

Oh, wait, Cram, did you mean direct electrical power from photosynthesis?

I've never heard of that working and/or being worked on. Always thought it was science fiction.

[Vene]

Oh, wait, Cram, did you mean direct electrical power from photosynthesis?

I've never heard of that working and/or being worked on. Always thought it was science fiction.

Doing a bit of digging I did find a group that is (was?) working on it.  But the most recent thing I can find is from 2005.  As such, I'm not very optimistic about it (but would love to be proven wrong).
http://www.fotomol.uu.se/Forskning/Biomimetics/fotosyntes/index.shtm
http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/biowissenschaften_chemie/bericht-40757.html
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/317

[Jasper]

http://www.greenfuelonline.com/deployments.html

They've gotten their technology out there too.

And green energy isn't "trendy"; it's inevitable and forward thinking investors know it.  The technology exists, in fact, they've even developed an algal ethanol that can power jets.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004442245_berlinairshow28.html

So please to not be telling me these things would be nice if they existed, and please do not be dissing my lack of solid science education because I'm an undergrad.  These technologies exist, work, and are profitable.

OK then....where are they?

Name something I've mentioned. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Does it take you six hours to fill your scooter's gas tank when you stop at the gas station?

My point was that it seems like they made a big tradeoff in battery life for speed, when the speed is much, much less relevant for most scooter users than battery life.

The SUMO isn't a scooter.  The scooter they're selling is at the end of the video.  90MPH is low-end average for a motorbike these days.

I'll admit that it's not going to end gasoline use.  Far from it.  But if people are using something like this for in-city short hops (which get you lower MPG), then it's a legitimate way to curb fuel consumption.

Like I said before, an electric vehicle can't solve the problem entirely, but the problem can't be solved without non-fossil burning options. 

There is just no way one technology can stop fossil fuel reliance, much less reverse any of the damage.

Legally, anything over 50 CCs or the equivalent is a motorcycle, but I'm not here to argue irrelevant semantics. I'll call it a fucking scooter if I want to, because it looks like a goddamn scooter and if I can't drive it to Port Townsend in one day it's a fucking scooter as far as I'm concerned.

I'm just pointing out that there's really just no reason a vehicle that can't go beyond a 75-mile range from home (60 if you're playing it safe... wouldn't it suck to be stranded?) needs to be able to go 95 mph for, as you say, in-city short hops, and that if I were purchasing a vehicle I would rather have one that went slower but further on one charge. I have a particular peeve about the trend that's so popular lately, of needlessly overpowered, inefficient, wasteful vehicles.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

http://www.greenfuelonline.com/deployments.html

They've gotten their technology out there too.

And green energy isn't "trendy"; it's inevitable and forward thinking investors know it.  The technology exists, in fact, they've even developed an algal ethanol that can power jets.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004442245_berlinairshow28.html

So please to not be telling me these things would be nice if they existed, and please do not be dissing my lack of solid science education because I'm an undergrad.  These technologies exist, work, and are profitable.

OK then....where are they?

Name something I've mentioned. 

Uh, it doesn't work that way.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I frankly think the only reason it goes 95mph is for selling it to monkeys who'll go "ZOMG COOL A MOTORCYCLE!" when it's just a scooter and will be used as a damn scooter.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I thought I'd go for our posts just to make myself as irritating as possible...

... actually I just thought I'd post this from the EIA website:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

I'm kind of wondering why it makes sense to anyone to base an argument on "Well but probably someday in the future things will be different!"

I mean, in the future we might have teleportation and efficient batteries and homemade hydrogen generators.

Basing arguments on current reality makes a lot more sense to me.

[East Coast Hustle]

STOP IT.

YOU ARE RUINING FELIX'S TECHNO-UTOPIAN DREAMS.

[Jasper]

Ah, forgive me for reposting this same link from the last page, but

YOU MATTRESSFUCKERS DIDN'T BOTHER READING IT.

LINK.

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/23/2919/8613

Don't feel like reading a lot?

Coal costs more than solar now.

Bitches.

[Jasper]

So let's stop talking about things not existing, and start wondering why they're not being USED.

Oh, there's a massive coal lobby isn't there?  Funny that.

[Jasper]

I frankly think the only reason it goes 95mph is for selling it to monkeys who'll go "ZOMG COOL A MOTORCYCLE!" when it's just a scooter and will be used as a damn scooter.

Because you totally don't need to go fast.  That would almost be FUN, and everyone knows electrics are boring to drive.

[Jasper]

Legally, anything over 50 CCs or the equivalent is a motorcycle, but I'm not here to argue irrelevant semantics. I'll call it a fucking scooter if I want to, because it looks like a goddamn scooter and if I can't drive it to Port Townsend in one day it's a fucking scooter as far as I'm concerned.

I'm just pointing out that there's really just no reason a vehicle that can't go beyond a 75-mile range from home (60 if you're playing it safe... wouldn't it suck to be stranded?) needs to be able to go 95 mph for, as you say, in-city short hops, and that if I were purchasing a vehicle I would rather have one that went slower but further on one charge. I have a particular peeve about the trend that's so popular lately, of needlessly overpowered, inefficient, wasteful vehicles.

407.5.  (a) A "motorized scooter" is any two-wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by an electric motor. This device may also have a driver seat that does not interfere with the ability of the rider to stand and ride and may also be designed to be powered by human propulsion. For purposes of this section, an electric personal assistive mobility device, as defined in Section 313, a motorcycle, as defined in Section 400, a motor-driven cycle, as defined in Section 405, or a motorized bicycle or moped, as defined in Section 406, is not a motorized scooter.

If you're going to argue the fucking point about what to call a thing, try not to use Some To All arguments.

[Vene]

Ah, forgive me for reposting this same link from the last page, but

YOU MATTRESSFUCKERS DIDN'T BOTHER READING IT.

LINK.

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/23/2919/8613

Don't feel like reading a lot?

Coal costs more than solar now.

Bitches.

But is the infrastructure in place?  That is a sizable investment to change from one power source to another.  (Not saying it shouldn't be done, just curious)

[Jasper]

Look into nanosolar.  They can literally print off solar panels cheaply.  Solar panels that are much more powerful than the old ones. 

www.nanosolar.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClLKVs9oSxE

Look into it.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Legally, anything over 50 CCs or the equivalent is a motorcycle, but I'm not here to argue irrelevant semantics. I'll call it a fucking scooter if I want to, because it looks like a goddamn scooter and if I can't drive it to Port Townsend in one day it's a fucking scooter as far as I'm concerned.

I'm just pointing out that there's really just no reason a vehicle that can't go beyond a 75-mile range from home (60 if you're playing it safe... wouldn't it suck to be stranded?) needs to be able to go 95 mph for, as you say, in-city short hops, and that if I were purchasing a vehicle I would rather have one that went slower but further on one charge. I have a particular peeve about the trend that's so popular lately, of needlessly overpowered, inefficient, wasteful vehicles.

407.5.  (a) A "motorized scooter" is any two-wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by an electric motor. This device may also have a driver seat that does not interfere with the ability of the rider to stand and ride and may also be designed to be powered by human propulsion. For purposes of this section, an electric personal assistive mobility device, as defined in Section 313, a motorcycle, as defined in Section 400, a motor-driven cycle, as defined in Section 405, or a motorized bicycle or moped, as defined in Section 406, is not a motorized scooter.

If you're going to argue the fucking point about what to call a thing, try not to use Some To All arguments.

You are the one who started arguing with me for calling it a "scooter", dippy mcdippington. If it's SO FUCKING IMPORTANT to you that it's NOT A SCOOTER, maybe it means YOU HAVE A TINY PENIS.