stuart_75 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 28 minutes ago, magnkarl said: Which is why regulation in many countries is that at low speeds the cars should make "noise". I believe Renault Zoe already does this. My leaf beeps when I go backwards as it's so silent. Fake engine noise was an optional extra on my i3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 7 hours ago, sidcow said: We're going way off topic but we're talking about the political claims about fossil fuels v renewables in Texas. Apparently once batteries cost less than $100 per kwh they are actually CHEAPER to make than petrol cars. 10 years ago they were $1,000 per kwh, they are currently $150 per. Kwh. It's predicted 2024 is when that mark will be passed, so 3 years from now electric cars will actually be cheaper. As said they may well be now with cheaper running costs and maintenance but people can't get the purchase price out of their heads. Agreed the plan is for old car batteries to be recycled for mass electrical storage. Tesla built a massive battery for Australia last year with hundreds of power walls. Texas could have tons of solar panels soaking up all that sun and stored in massive power banks for downtime, it's almost perfect really. What volume of space needs to be occupied with batteries in this scenario. This all sounds great in principle, but the implementation challenges are massive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 8 hours ago, LondonLax said: Only until the economies of scale make them the cheaper option over ICE cars. The main constraint is the battery cost but that is coming down in price dramatically whilst also improving their output (not to dissimilar to computers). The running costs on the car are orders of magnitude cheaper as well. One of the biggest problems for governments is how to make up the shortfall in fuel excise duties. You have much more faith in the world of for profit business than I do. The Chinese and Indian companies are our only hope for a truly cheap e-car. The western/entrenched companies will do no more than get to parity, but we're a few years from there as the true pent up demand is in the wealthier types. The lease model may be a real driver of take-up if the companies make e-cars available, but given the dominance of trucks and SUVs over here, who knows. Ford have an e-F150 launching in a few years, that will be a really interesting test of the market. The world will definitely be a more e-place in 2030, but the largest societal benefit will be in getting rid of noxious exhaust fumes. The broader environmental impact is more dubious. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 In further energy market fun in Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 16 hours ago, HanoiVillan said: I only learned about those races a few years ago. You sent me down a bit of a YouTube rabbit hole; think this video is my favourite: Contains the amusing sight of marshalls trying to crane away a car with the driver still in it, and the race just parked behind them! Top stuff. Anyhoo, back to American politics. Some words removed still drive that fast down Belgrave Middleway! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 4 minutes ago, Xela said: Some words removed still drive that fast down Belgrave Middleway! Too true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 23, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted February 23, 2021 1 hour ago, Xela said: Some words removed still drive that fast down Belgrave Middleway! I remember coming home in a black cab really pisses one night round the back of the wholesale markets that was a big sweeping corner of the Super Prix. 2 boy racers came round behind us pulled up next to us at the lights fully revving their engines up for the start. I was manically urging the taxi driver to try and beat them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Been a little while since we checked in with January 6th insurrectionists, so a little light comedic relief courtesy of Richard Michetti: 'On approximately January 7, 2021, a witness (“W1”) reported to law enforcement that Richard MICHETTI (“MICHETTI”), with whom W1 had a prior romantic relationship, sent several text messages and two videos to W1 on January 6, 2021, using his mobile phone. Portions of the videos show MICHETTI on the grounds of the Capitol during the January 6, 2021, riot, while others appear to have been filmed inside the Capitol Building. [...] At approximately 4:26 p.m., MICHETTI texted W1, “If you can’t see the election was stolen you’re a moron" [...] W1 provided the FBI with copies of W1’s text message exchanges with MICHETTI, as well as the photographs and videos sent by MICHETTI to W1.' from: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.227640/gov.uscourts.dcd.227640.1.1.pdf Probably on balance a good idea not to send a text message to your ex-girlfriend calling her a moron at the same time as you send her video evidence of you commiting crimes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted February 24, 2021 Moderator Share Posted February 24, 2021 14 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: Been a little while since we checked in with January 6th insurrectionists, so a little light comedic relief courtesy of Richard Michetti: 'On approximately January 7, 2021, a witness (“W1”) reported to law enforcement that Richard MICHETTI (“MICHETTI”), with whom W1 had a prior romantic relationship, sent several text messages and two videos to W1 on January 6, 2021, using his mobile phone. Portions of the videos show MICHETTI on the grounds of the Capitol during the January 6, 2021, riot, while others appear to have been filmed inside the Capitol Building. [...] At approximately 4:26 p.m., MICHETTI texted W1, “If you can’t see the election was stolen you’re a moron" [...] W1 provided the FBI with copies of W1’s text message exchanges with MICHETTI, as well as the photographs and videos sent by MICHETTI to W1.' from: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.227640/gov.uscourts.dcd.227640.1.1.pdf Probably on balance a good idea not to send a text message to your ex-girlfriend calling her a moron at the same time as you send her video evidence of you commiting crimes. That isn't the only one, there's a fair few dobbed in by Ex girlfriends/partners/wives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 31 minutes ago, bickster said: That isn't the only one, there's a fair few dobbed in by Ex girlfriends/partners/wives Oh yeah, think I quoted another one earlier in the thread as well. Just not a very smart bunch of people in general I guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
il_serpente Posted February 25, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted February 25, 2021 56 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: Oh yeah, think I quoted another one earlier in the thread as well. Just not a very smart bunch of people in general I guess! No, you're the moron for not being able to see that the election was stolen!!! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuthority Posted February 25, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted February 25, 2021 2 hours ago, il_serpente said: No, you're the moron for not being able to see that the election was stolen!!! Actually you're all morons for not seeing that Trump is secretly still President and Biden being President is just a clever hoax to fool the lame stream media. It's all part of THE PLAN. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Biden admin off to a strong start. Bombing the sovereign nation state of Syria to show Iran what's what. Of course, they are still illegally occupying Syria, but that's just an inconvenient detail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 26, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted February 26, 2021 Just now, villakram said: Biden admin off to a strong start. Bombing the sovereign nation state of Syria to show Iran what's what. Of course, they are still illegally occupying Syria, but that's just an inconvenient detail. I saw this story last night and my very first thought was "I wonder how long it will take @villakram to come on here and post about it?" 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 27 minutes ago, villakram said: Biden admin off to a strong start. Bombing the sovereign nation state of Syria to show Iran what's what. Of course, they are still illegally occupying Syria, but that's just an inconvenient detail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 It was retaliation for recent attacks on, and deaths of, American contractors. I don’t know what contractors means. I presume it means builders. They were probably rebuilding a local school. That would be my guess as to what U.S. contractors were doing in the area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 This is probably the perfect American politics story: I mean, the tweet sums it up, but yeah - the very right wing attorney general of South Dakota was too busy scrolling through conspiracy theory articles on his phone while he was driving to notice he was about to hit someone, did hit him, and then ineptly lied about it afterwards. Not sure if it's a 'microcosm' or a 'synecdoche' or something else, but whatever it is it's pretty **** rich. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 maybe one for the "Things you Wonder" thread... or one of the Middle East threads... What would happen if the West (mainly the USA i guess) just completely ignored the Middle East, didn't take sides, didn't bomb anyone, didn't sell arms to anyone in that region and just left them to get on with whatever they decided to do. Would there end up being more wars and more people dying or less? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 5 minutes ago, ender4 said: maybe one for the "Things you Wonder" thread... or one of the Middle East threads... What would happen if the West (mainly the USA i guess) just completely ignored the Middle East, didn't take sides, didn't bomb anyone, didn't sell arms to anyone in that region and just left them to get on with whatever they decided to do. Would there end up being more wars and more people dying or less? I love to imagine living long enough to find out, but sadly I won't. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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