Chevy Volt..

[Badbird2000]

Anyone here know how many volts the Volt will draw while it's recharging? Got into a little.. discussion with a friend the other day. She is claiming once we all start driving electric cars, the US power grid will fall apart with everyone charging their cars at the same time. um.. Lets think about this. It's going to be awhile before "everyone" converts to an electric car or whatever we replace the gas-fired car with. When the Volt goes on sale, very few will be made compared to the total amount of cars on the road. I just don't see them having that much of an impact on the power grid for the forseable future.

Anyone have any thoughts? Comments?

[Daryl LBZ]

My comment is I will NEVER buy and electric car lol

[ryan_hermanutz]

Chevy is claiming that it will require about eight kilowatt-hours to fully charge an empty battery, and using the 240V it is roughly the same as an electric clothes dryer. So figure out how much that is and you have your answer.

[Stevens03]

My comment is I will NEVER buy and electric car lol

 

Never say never... Never is a very long time..

[Daryl LBZ]

My comment is I will NEVER buy and electric car lol

 

Never say never... Never is a very long time..

 

 

 

 

 

I will def. say never on that one. I like the good old gasoline engine. Sounds good with exaust lol

[C. Charles Hahn]

I will def. say never on that one. I like the good old gasoline engine. Sounds good with exaust lol

 

It may not be within our lifetimes, but I guarantee you there will be a day when the "good old gasoline engine" is no longer available.

 

More likely to come within our lifetimes is the day when daily driving a purely gasoline powered vehicle may become too cost prohibitive to be sensible.

[kawtoy_77]

I will def. say never on that one. I like the good old gasoline engine. Sounds good with exaust lol

 

It may not be within our lifetimes, but I guarantee you there will be a day when the "good old gasoline engine" is no longer available.

 

More likely to come within our lifetimes is the day when daily driving a purely gasoline powered vehicle may become too cost prohibitive to be sensible.

 

Just run them on alcohol like they did runnin 'shine BITD. Then you just set up a still, and drive. (I am sure modifications would be required)

[herm0016]

you draw current (amps) not voltage (volts). Your outlet will always have nearly the same voltage (pressure) but the current (flow rate) will depend on the device it is powering. The Volt will be charged using either 110v or 220v power and will draw current. probably around 10 to 12 amps when using 110 volt outlets because of the standard rating of 15 amps for an Edison type plug. When using a 220v connection like a clothes dryer it will probably draw around 20 amps or a bit more because of the ratings on these types of plugs. I imagine this will have very little effect on the grid because most charging of electric cars will happen during off peak times (at night) when most of our grid capacity is going to wast anyway.

 

my current draw numbers are all speculation based upon what i have heard and the standard current ratings of residential installations.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Edison type plug.

 

Ha! Haven't heard one called that in a while. I usually hear them referred to as a NEMA 5-15 plug.

[herm0016]

still a very common reference when in my previous job, as the master carpenter/rigger in a theater. The electricians all used this nomenclature for the nema5-15.

[Badbird2000]

you draw current (amps) not voltage (volts). Your outlet will always have nearly the same voltage (pressure) but the current (flow rate) will depend on the device it is powering. The Volt will be charged using either 110v or 220v power and will draw current. probably around 10 to 12 amps when using 110 volt outlets because of the standard rating of 15 amps for an Edison type plug. When using a 220v connection like a clothes dryer it will probably draw around 20 amps or a bit more because of the ratings on these types of plugs. I imagine this will have very little effect on the grid because most charging of electric cars will happen during off peak times (at night) when most of our grid capacity is going to wast anyway.

 

my current draw numbers are all speculation based upon what i have heard and the standard current ratings of residential installations.

Excellent information sir! What i was looking for... i am just trying to be informed. If gas goes back up to $4+ a gallon, i would welcome an electric car with open arms. Obe problem i forsee is currently i live in an apartment. Where would i charge my car at? Not very convient to run 300' of extension cord down the balcony out to the parking lot. BUt, these are things that will be corrected in time...

[C. Charles Hahn]

still a very common reference when in my previous job, as the master carpenter/rigger in a theater. The electricians all used this nomenclature for the nema5-15.

 

That kinda explains it.... they do say odd things like that in the theater world

 

I come from the IT world myself; in big datacenters we always use the NEMA terms because there are a variety of types we have to deal with regularly. Monstrous PDUs, generators, UPSes, HVAC units, many of which run on crazy high voltages.

[jrod332]

My friend has added a kit to his truck where he can run his truck on propane. He has the capability of switching over on the fly and burning straight propane. The only downside is it wont start off of propane if its to cold out. Maybe we will be there some day.

[chakis24]

remember the volt isnt a pure electric, huge difference. my fiancee wants one (which i dont object to). running on electric for my commute, not having to take the truck? awesome. and when i do run out of "juice" theres a gas/diesel/ethanol/hydrogen/whatever engine gm decides to insert here backup that will power the car the rest of the way.

 

future driveway: my truck, camaro, volt. sweeeeeeet.

 

 

 

and for the original topic, most charging will be taking place at night when our grid is the least taxed. you have nothing to worry about. and not to mention gm doesnt have the capacity to make more than a few thousand of these things the first few year or two (i believe its in the 10-20k range).

[mkelly]

you draw current (amps) not voltage (volts). Your outlet will always have nearly the same voltage (pressure) but the current (flow rate) will depend on the device it is powering. The Volt will be charged using either 110v or 220v power and will draw current. probably around 10 to 12 amps when using 110 volt outlets because of the standard rating of 15 amps for an Edison type plug. When using a 220v connection like a clothes dryer it will probably draw around 20 amps or a bit more because of the ratings on these types of plugs. I imagine this will have very little effect on the grid because most charging of electric cars will happen during off peak times (at night) when most of our grid capacity is going to wast anyway.

 

my current draw numbers are all speculation based upon what i have heard and the standard current ratings of residential installations.

Excellent information sir! What i was looking for... i am just trying to be informed. If gas goes back up to $4+ a gallon, i would welcome an electric car with open arms. Obe problem i forsee is currently i live in an apartment. Where would i charge my car at? Not very convient to run 300' of extension cord down the balcony out to the parking lot. BUt, these are things that will be corrected in time...

 

 

 

Hybrids are cars for people who are bad at math.............

 

How many gallons of gas at $4+ a gallon would you have to buy to pay for the $35k+ volt?