General / Off-Topic Solar on cars?

[Kitfox]

That's a printable LSEV.
57 parts, and you just buy the kit and stick it together. That, (you might agree) is as much a "car" as a Honda from today is a horse-and-buggy.
It's a different technology. It's made in a vastly different non-mass-market way. It's hugely cheaper, safer, and restores some independence to the user- bounce it and just print over the bodypart yourself. No more bodyshop, supply chain, etc. We could even edit the 3-D files, and make a new body design, or download whatever modders make.

I have my doubts about that. The average person can't screw together an IKEA wardrobe, let alone a whole car.
I could see regulations getting pushed through that parts must come from an approved source with an accountability paper-trail, in the interests of 'safety' of course - can't risk high stress components being made from substandard materials or an uncalibrated printing process.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Guys like you and me- we are relics who talk about 45 speed records, and remember the days when every telephone was black, or when miniskirts were a craze.
Pretty soon, the "cars" - if we can even call them that - will be made without any steering apparatus, and will simply come and go where we vocally tell them to. On highways, individual ones will get remotely chained into train-like convoys under controlled speed like Tesla Trucks do now, to save energy.

Driving itself as a skill will go the way of sailboat control, or horseback riding, or listening to vinyl. Something odd hobbyists/retro folks do.

The future is no fun, ( at least not the way we thought it was going to be) and I'm glad my time is not unlimited.
First we lost records, then books, now- it's cars.

on one hand i agree in some instances i would miss the enjoyment of the experience of driving.

on the other hand, cars driving themselves would be safer, the journey faster due to less congestion, and i get to knock off work an hr earlier as i will be able to actually do some work whilst my car drives me to and from work.

not to mention being able to have a beer after work, or go for a sleep when i go to my parents, or even just play some videogames or watch TV on the journey.

finally the idea of not having to pay huge insurance costs for when my (currently 3 year old) lad gets to driving age.

over all i think the future looks bright - on that single thing at any rate.

 

[Patrick_68000]

on one hand i agree in some instances i would miss the enjoyment of the experience of driving.

on the other hand, cars driving themselves would be safer, the journey faster due to less congestion, and i get to knock off work an hr earlier as i will be able to actually do some work whilst my car drives me to and from work.

not to mention being able to have a beer after work, or go for a sleep when i go to my parents, or even just play some videogames or watch TV on the journey.

finally the idea of not having to pay huge insurance costs for when my (currently 3 year old) lad gets to driving age.

over all i think the future looks bright - on that single thing at any rate.

You mix everything.

Use the car travel time to drink a beer, or sleep, or play video games or watch TV while your car will drive you to work.

Do not think that you will be able to stop working an hour earlier if you work during the journey, it's an illusion.

For a boss, never work outside the company unless you are paid 2 times more (minimum) per hour

 

[knowles2]

But it brilliant if the apocalypse ever hits, the Lightyear one car is what you need, not some diesel and petrol goes off after 3 years, an the electrical grid is down. An Light year 1 looks practical enough to me. Apart from the price.

In anything resembling an apocalypse, I'll want some rugged off-road diesel that can be modified to run on vegetable oils (or the tallow rendered from the carcasses of my fallen foes, as the situation may be), not something dependent on irreplaceable lithium batteries and being left in the sun for protracted periods of time to have enough charge to be able to move at a moment's notice. I can clean a fuel system. I probably won't be able to manufacture new lithium battery cells of any quality in such a situation.

So you are counting on being able to stay still for long periods of time, to manage a farm, have enough time to not only to grow food to feed yourself but also produce a constant supply of vegetable oil for your vehicle.

 

[Morbad]

So you are counting on being able to stay still for long periods of time, to manage a farm, have enough time to not only to grow food to feed yourself but also produce a constant supply of vegetable oil for your vehicle.

I am counting on flammable liquids being easier to obtain in the long term than replacement lithium battery packs, providing more energy on demand than four square meters of photovoltaics, and a generally more rugged vehicle being more useful than something designed for well maintained roads.

 

[Robin of Spiritwood]

I am counting on flammable liquids being easier to obtain in the long term than replacement lithium battery packs, providing more energy on demand than four square meters of photovoltaics, and a generally more rugged vehicle being more useful than something designed for well maintained roads.

Perhaps you are correct.

Lithium battery technology isn't sustainable in the long term. It has to be replaced by something else; possibly the new aluminium ones. And lightweight vehicles built for energy economy cannot be as durable as older designs.

 

[knowles2]

I am counting on flammable liquids being easier to obtain in the long term than replacement lithium battery packs, providing more energy on demand than four square meters of photovoltaics, and a generally more rugged vehicle being more useful than something designed for well maintained roads.

I'm not claiming the Lightyear 1 is perfect. Ideally you would want a more rugged solar power car with off road capability. I'm sure one will come along at some point. An Telsa next gen batteries will have apparently do a million miles before they go bad. Which should last me in a apocalypse a reasonably long time, hopefully until society get to the stage of rebuilding.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I'm not claiming the Lightyear 1 is perfect. Ideally you would want a more rugged solar power car with off road capability. I'm sure one will come along at some point. An Telsa next gen batteries will have apparently do a million miles before they go bad. Which should last me in a apocalypse a reasonably long time, hopefully until society get to the stage of rebuilding.

in the apocalypse I am not sure we will need to travel much anyway.

Lets imagine 95% of the worlds population gets wiped out by some superbug.

I am pretty sure for the vast majority who are left there will be enough natural resources within close distance to us to survive. Due to the huge population drop I dont suppose our carbon footprint will be too much of a problem either

once the apocalypse happens the environment will no longer be a problem, the point in trying to minimise our damage to it now is to delay the apocalypse not to make actually surviving it any easier.

 

[Morbad]

I am pretty sure for the vast majority who are left there will be enough natural resources within close distance to us to survive.

Doesn't mean the ease of survival in all places will be the same. During a major and protracted infrastructure collapse, I'm going to want to be in as mild a climate as possible, with immediate access to potable water. Winters are too cold in my area (survivable certainly, but far more work than would be required elsewhere) and the water won't be clean enough to drink unprocessed, even if 95% of the population vanished, for quite some time.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Doesn't mean the ease of survival in all places will be the same. During a major and protracted infrastructure collapse, I'm going to want to be in as mild a climate as possible, with immediate access to potable water. Winters are too cold in my area (survivable certainly, but far more work than would be required elsewhere) and the water won't be clean enough to drink unprocessed, even if 95% of the population vanished, for quite some time.

true,... The trick will be to use the current tech before it fails to get somewhere decent. I am fortunate (unless something specifically bad happens to the uk). The uk is about as "dull" as it gets weather wise, of course that could change but as it stands if we lost 95% of the uk population i am pretty sure i will be ok.

(this is makign the assumption i will be 1 of the 5% which if i am honest is unlikely. .... I am too soft i will definately die off quickly because like a mug i will likely try and help someone at the start of the disaster who will likely repay me by stabbing me in the face )

If walking dead has taught me 1 thing it is those who try to do the right thing dont last very long.

 

[Robin of Spiritwood]

Solar power charged batteries can be used for cars ?

Electric cars, sure.

But putting little solar cells on the cars themselves is dubiously useful.

 

[Morbad]

(this is makign the assumption i will be 1 of the 5% which if i am honest is unlikely. .... I am too soft i will definately die off quickly because like a mug i will likely try and help someone at the start of the disaster who will likely repay me by stabbing me in the face )

If walking dead has taught me 1 thing it is those who try to do the right thing dont last very long.

I think goodwill and reciprocity would go a long way in a societal collapse...it should just be backed up with strength. By all means, help whomever you can, but try not to go into any situation blind, and always have some friends near enough to intervene if anyone tries to take advantage.