I'm trying to understand these STLE numbers-are they saying my 6.0 Express, which tries to hit 12 MPG on a good day, is equivalent to my Corolla, which has hit 42 MPG?? Maybe if we all bought lots of Chinese solar panels, made by those massive mine based coal burning smelters that use as much power as a 3rd World country, to charge our EVs, everything would be just wonderful! I'm going to hit the 3rd rail here and say there's more going on than just "trying to save the world"...
Inefficiency of Automotive Transportation
- Thread starter Al
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5,932
What I have always found amazing is our resiliency when resisting car pooling. Even beyond $5/gal, we wouldn’t nor did we do it. The individual thrives in our culture
That’s an interesting point.
End to end efficiency and cost, for all the alternatives, would make for a more informed discussion.
Getting ready for shift turnover so this will be quick and not remotely complete.
In power systems, here are some of the more common efficiencies:
-Gen 2 nuclear: 32-34%
-2400psi, cross-compound steam turbine: 32-34%
-3600psi supercritical steam turbine: 36%
-Old Frame series simple cycle gas turbine: 35%
-Early 00's era combined cycle: 48-55%
-Newest (post 2017) combined cycle: Up to 63-64%
-Transformer losses: 1% per transformer
-Line losses, this will vary greatly depending on overhead, underground cable, operating at, above or below SIL (surge impedance loading), reactive needs of the local system, power factor of load, ambient temperature, etc..... Possible loss up to 15% with low losses near 1-3%.
This isn't including charges for interchange transactions, wheeling power, spot or node pricing, TAC charges, market operation fees, startup costs, ancillary service charges, regulation (AGC) charges, etc......
Can likely go into a bit more depth this evening.
We had some excellent posts here about this. A 44% TE diesel genset (40.5% system eff) can move a Model S down the highway at 80mph, for 26MPG (miles for each gallon of generator fuel consumed).
On average, the fuel BTU consumed at the power plant to do the same task (pushing an EV down the highway) is strangely similar at about 5000+ BTU per highway mile.
EDIT: We must remember that regen braking massively improves/skews EV efficiency numbers. Hence the highway example.
Just air up your tires...
Not saying that what we are doing is bad or un-necessary. Just an analysis of the waste of the present process.
Our cities grew mostly after the advent of cars, so there car centric. Our little city has pretty decent public transportation - but if you want to go anywhere other than downtown, you have to go downtown, transfer, and travel back outwards. There is no direct connect.
All of our cities are coastal as well, limiting direction to 180 degrees.
Planned cities in places like South Korea and China / everyone living in tiny condo's has let to birth rates close to 1 than the required 2.1 in order to maintain at least a flat population. Transportation efficiency will be the least of there worries soon.
Car-pooling and robo taxis will not solve it either. Someone will always be waiting for someone, and time > efficiency.
I really don't think the current system is so bad.
All of our cities are coastal as well, limiting direction to 180 degrees.
Planned cities in places like South Korea and China / everyone living in tiny condo's has let to birth rates close to 1 than the required 2.1 in order to maintain at least a flat population. Transportation efficiency will be the least of there worries soon.
Car-pooling and robo taxis will not solve it either. Someone will always be waiting for someone, and time > efficiency.
I really don't think the current system is so bad.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5,932
Whatever the sticker on the door jamb says, add 10-15 psi.
Actually there are folks who look at the sidewall and air up to what it shows as a max. This is often 44-50 psi. Not really a good thing to do.
For those who don’t read this as a joke, air up to the sticker that is on the vehicle.
I used to love to ride. Now, I don't ride anymore. Too old, and I just don't trust that drivers are paying attention or are sober. I have known too many serious riders who have been really banged up (or killed) by said drivers. I put thousands of miles on back in the day... way before anyone used helmets. Now, a full body suit would be more appropriate.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5,932
Johnny Hockey and his younger brother were just killed yesterday by a drunk driver while bicycling. It’s beyond tragic. He was in town for his sister’s wedding.
If only 12%,I would like to be to see what 15 or 20% looks like. Even back then with lesser quality fuel and no TT fuel and mediocre lubricants the Geo Metro, Honda Crx HF and others were hitting 40-50mpg. Take a 0w30 and a synthetic transmission fluid to all these and whatever else us tuners like to add such as high flow induction and exhaust and it's higher than that. While it might not seem sustainable, I have a feeling it's still the best race in town. It's easily portable, safe to touch(sorta lol), makes a great solvent for cleaning up alkyd paint(again sorta).
Diesel shares many of the same benefits, yet the mpg is even higher with its main fault being extremely cold weather and exhaust smell for some. Think the Honda Accord diesel needs to come stateside so I can finally get torque and Honda in the same sentence LOL, and hang out with the Cummins and Powerstrokers
. CNG has peaked my interest, but unless you live in Texas or other CNG friendly areas, can be hard to find, and different beast to maintain and parts probably scarce.
All these new cars and their electricity have got loads of issues. I drive by the Tesla shop here in Lenexa Kansas and it's always packed with cars. So either the are needing a service or haven't sold. They go through tires faster, weigh more, the municipal tyrants can't figure out how to tax them per mile since they don't pay fuel tax, and they don't have the utopia enthusiasm that they thought they would.
He was the best thing to happen to the Calgary Flames since Jerome Iginla
Cars are like capitalism, they're the worst transportation system except for all the others.
How efficient would it be to walk, run or bicycle everywhere?
"Tree Huggers" would be ecstatic!!!
It does happen. I know there are those who don't get out much. Copenhagen- I have been there.
https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/cop...penhagen-worlds-most-bicycle-friendly-capital
For you and I, the 25% of the planer that consumes 90+% of earth's resources of course your statement is accurate (for us.)
Mine neither. Just saying