Last two weeks with the MINI E.

For More Information about the BMW ACTIVE E:

See:

BMW Active E on Facebook

Compare the amount of Electricity it takes to refine one gallon of Gasoline with the Electricity consumption of an Electric Car.

Written by my friend Peter Norby, so well, I am merely repeating it here:

Quick-draw critics of the electric car often criticize EVs because, in their words, “Electric cars simply replace a tailpipe with a smokestack.”

The gist of their argument is that emissions still occur, not at the tailpipe but at the electric power plant. That observation is usually followed by the statement that 45% of our grid electricity is powered by coal and coal is dirty. Thus, the EV supposedly provides no net gain.

The critics may want to look in the mirror — or in their garage.

In California, oil refineries are the second largest users of electricity. Moving water around the state via water authorities is the single largest contributor to state electricity use. And, you guessed it, refining crude also takes a tremendous amount of water!

6 kWh to refine gallon of gasIt is a simple fact that the refining of gasoline requires approximately 6 kWh of electricity per gallon of gasoline.

In fact, electricity and natural gas cost are estimated to comprise 43% of the U.S. oil refineries’ total expenses. If you tack on the energy required to extract and transport the oil to the refinery and then to the gas stations as well as the energy cost of the gas station, I’m sure that number jumps a few more kWh per gallon.

So, let’s be conservative and cut the oil guys a break and say it takes 8 kWh to extract, ship, refine and transport each gallon of gas.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Drum roll: It takes more electricity to drive the average gasoline car 100 miles than it does to drive an electric car 100 miles.

Gas cars & electricity useA gas car that runs at the U.S. fleet average of 21 mpg will consume approximately five gallons of gasoline to travel 100 miles. Using our 8 kWh of electricity per gallon figure, this means that gasoline car uses approximately 40 kWh of electricity to drive 100 miles. An electric car will use approximately 30 kWh of electricity (3.3 miles per kWh) to drive the same 100 miles.

In sum, gas cars use more electricity than EVs, thus polluting at the smokestack. And they burn refined gasoline in a very inefficient engine, thus polluting at the tailpipe. In our large urban cities in the U.S., the emissions caused by our transportation fleet account for 70% or more of our man-made emissions and visible particulate matter (smog) and related health care costs. Think of that as smoking two packs of cigarettes.

Electric cars run on electricity created by a mixture of energy sources. Many electric car drivers such as myself quickly discover that making your own electricity via solar PV is the best and cheapest way to fuel (about $0.40 per gallon of gas equivalent). Think of that as cleaning up the air in our major cities, saving money and as not smoking.

Reasons why I don't want to buy another Gasoline powered car.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/12/60-freeway-closes.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/09/phoenix-diesel-tanker-fire_n_1084210.html

and hundreds more, everyday,

After all 

the 

whole 

point 

of 

Gasoline 

is 

that 

it 

is 

Supposed 

to 

EXPLODE!

http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2011-10-10-72726.113116-Plugging-in-is-better.html

Peder Norby's fine Post!

Wow, all I can say is I wish I had written this!

Succinctly put, Peder has done some fine research to answer the Questions most often asked, "What about the Energy to produce the electricity you use to charge your Electric Car? ....and.... Smokestack versus Tailpipe emissions"

click on the link to see the research:

http://electricmini.blogspot.com/2011/10/it-takes-lot-of-coal-to-make-gasoline.html


Thank you Peder, see you at the next meet up!

November will be here soon.

November, the END of my Mini E Lease and the beginning of the next stage of this ALL ELECTRIC driving experience.

Nearly two and a half years ago I was privileged to be selected to be a part of the BMW Experimental Electric Car Research program and allowed to participate by daily driving their MINI E. I will always be thankful to BMW for stepping out and initiating this program, they were the 'Pioneers', they stepped up to the plate and took the Mini and converted it with then 'state of the art' tech and actually put more than 500 of them on the road for real world, every day testing.

Now with more than 25000 miles of wonderful, trouble  free, All Electric driving on mine, I am coming to the realization that the end is near, November almost here and I will have to decide to continue with the BMW Active E lease (next phase) or purchase one of the many new choices that didn't exist when I started driving the Mini E more than two years ago.

I'm in the process of analyzing what is available, the numbers, what makes sense, what doesn't - and why.

It's not easy.

I love the Mini so much, I hate to see it go.
It has proven perfect for my daily use, I could be happy just keeping it.

But I understand, I knew, that it was temporary, there would be an end, it's OK I'm really excited to see and experience what's next.

Not really wanting to be a Guinea Pig at my own expense, I think the lease is probably the way to go to continue to avoid the minor problems any new technology will naturally experience, also smooth out the learning curve of  technological advancement and avoid the pits that are going to naturally occur.

Think I'll let the Tech mature a little before committing my hard earned dollars, and keep leasing, happily doing this to reduce trips to gasoline stations,
really don't want to return to consuming that toxic fuel.

So bring on the Electrics, give me proven reliability, give me choices, I'm ready for ownership.