Rising Oil Prices, Malaysia (part 3): Is electric car viable? Chapter 2..

Sori Eddie, why I talked more about renewables is bcos you will only really go greener if you change from from fossil fuel to renewables. Grid energy using fossil fuel is just the same as burning petrols elsewhere. But if your grid taps into renewables (hydroelectric most common in Malaysia), it's practically Zero Emission. Don't you worry about climate change?? Hurricane Gustav and Ike and the flooding that we currently experience in Malaysia is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't we want to leave the earth without our grandchildren suffering the results of our misdeeds? But this should belong to a totally different topics..

Ok let's talk numbers. I believe it's really is 100,000 miles = 160,000km
How long is that? 160,000km / 20,00km per year = 8 years
Spread the EV (Electric Vehicle) battery premium; RM20,000 / 8 yrs = RM2500 yearly

I pay petrol around; RM360 monthly x 12 = RM4320 yearly
Assume I can save 7 times worth petrol if I go electric.. (1)
If I drive EV, I only pay; RM4320 / 7 = RM617
So I save on petrol; RM4320 - 617 = RM3702 yearly

Yearly I actualy net saving going EV; RM3702 - 2500 = RM1202 yearly.
By the time I need to replace battery, I have; RM1202 x 8 = RM9622

That's already half the cost of the battery premium. That is assuming that you really need to replace it. They might last longer though, but degraded quality. Kinda like you cellphone battery (I believe it's the same technology). Let's say with R&D they can reduce the battery cost to only RM12k, well you just need to top up RM2500.

Also, maintenance of electric motors should be less than combustion. With everything else equal, you don't need to change the engine oil, air filter (is it?), gearbox oil that often. Plus, regenerative braking, DC air-con. Cool~ Think big scale Tamiya engine..

So bottom line, is it worth going greener for RM2500 premium in 8 years time in the future? You betcha =)

P/S: (1) I got the source from Wiki, from US market condition. Might not be the same scenario here, but I believe it should be close in terms of relativity.

Rising Oil Prices, Malaysia (part 2): Is electric car viable?

Referring to my friends blogs on Proton's project on Electric Cars, I have to strongly disagree with him. Electric cars are the future! It's like education; you have to spend on fees (rolling out initial investment), you have to study hard to get the good results and you won't reap the benefit instantly.

But government have to support the project by giving the proper infrastructure. They can extend recharge points to all petrol station like they are doing with NGV, or at least Petronas. The idea is to get as many petrol alternatives as possible so that overall we have a lot more petrol alternative of fuel (Diesel, NGV, now Electric).

On the going greener, I agree with we have to go nuclear/renewables to reap most benefit from electric car development. Like Iran! Yeah, if only US will back off than harassing Iran on use of nuclear technology. I haven't talk renewables here like Solar or Wind technology or Wave technology. Yes they are still expensive compared to fossil fuel, but with rising cost of fossil fuel and decreasing cost of renewables via govt incentives (tax exempt on component import & mass productions) they might prove viable someday. Personally, I did my final year project on wind turbines and their cost will be able to compete fossil fuel in 10 years or so (mind you, it was 2 years back). Hell, they might be able to challenge the price as of this moment. Problems is, with rising oil price, material cost also increases. (Most lightweight materials is made out of petroleum products).

2004 article on Wind Energy cost comparison

Battery technology is still weak, but I'm sure they will improve over time. In time, with proper R&D they would be able to make it lighter and last long (like Energizer or Duracell comercial.. Hehe).

But do you know that my biggest fantasy would be to tap into lightning electricity. Finally we can use up all the thunderstorm we have locally for good use. =)

Guys if you are concerned citizen regarding this issue please read more on the websites that I linked as below:

Better Place: regarding electric car project
US wind power market research