Electric Trucks

[Runningdog]

After our coffee discussion today, here's one that some were not aware of:

https://rivian.com/

[kaw74]

Here is what quick dic has to say about electric and the power grids in Saskatchewan

Go to the 10 min mark for electric farm equipment.


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6c-qDK8zZk

[hardrockminer]

I love Quick Dick!

I have some contacts in the Sask government.  I was talking to one of them a couple of days ago.  They are currently building two large natural gas fired power plants to replace the coal fired generation at Boundary Dam.  This is an interim solution that will be eventually replaced with small module nuclear reactors, expected to come online by the mid 2030's.  Sask has signed on with Alta, NB and Ontario to build small nukes.  There was an article in CBC news about it a few days ago.

There is a lot of farm equipment that can be electric...grain augers, grain haulage trucks, personal vehicles, etc.  Tractors and combines are probably not practical.....unless they have a really long trailing cable!

[Steve G.]

  People have been hoodwinked by climate activists, politicians, and mainstream media, that this switch to electric will happen by,,,,,,,2035.

  Electric vehicle batteries use rare earth minerals, and other base minerals. To meet current carbon reduction goals of climate groups, by 2040, we MUST increase our current mining extraction values of:

 Nickel  19 times
 Cobalt  21 times
 Graphite 25 times
 Lithium 42 times

  Mine development take an average of 10 years to start extraction, BEFORE  government climate action study, 1st nation study and nod of approval, climate activist terrorism and sabotage, blockages, etc, .    . China currently occupies full dominance of all of these minerals. I'm not sure what everyone is drinking right now, but we are about to hit a wall of truth. We can talk about the pretty truck, and the all inclusiveness of full rainbow interaction, renewed recovered seawater plastics, and a feel good all over pat on the back for mother earth, with that super easy starting price of $65K US.
 But who are we kidding? Really?

[Runningdog]

  People have been hoodwinked by climate activists, politicians, and mainstream media, that this switch to electric will happen by,,,,,,,2035.

  Electric vehicle batteries use rare earth minerals, and other base minerals. To meet current carbon reduction goals of climate groups, by 2040, we MUST increase our current mining extraction values of:

 Nickel  19 times
 Cobalt  21 times
 Graphite 25 times
 Lithium 42 times

  Mine development take an average of 10 years to start extraction, BEFORE  government climate action study, 1st nation study and nod of approval, climate activist terrorism and sabotage, blockages, etc, .    . China currently occupies full dominance of all of these minerals. I'm not sure what everyone is drinking right now, but we are about to hit a wall of truth. We can talk about the pretty truck, and the all inclusiveness of full rainbow interaction, renewed recovered seawater plastics, and a feel good all over pat on the back for mother earth, with that super easy starting price of $65K US.
 But who are we kidding? Really?

Plus, totally inadequate electrical infrastructure and capacity to charge all these must-have electric vehicles.    I recently heard that another power source is being investigated as more efficient and cost effective.....I think they referred to it as "internal combustion".   

[hardrockminer]

I don't think the iC engine will disappear soon, and will likely be in use well beyond 2050 but I DO see EV's becoming more popular as time goes on.  I read that last year EV new car sales were 10% of total in BC.  They are well suited for businesses and commuters in large urban areas.  Better battery technology improvements will result in higher charge density, making EV's a good choice even for longer distance commuting.  For those vehicles where battery propulsion isn't feasable (motorcycles?) we will probably see hydrogen power.

So far no one is speaking loudly about energy efficiency.  I can't visualize an entire planet using the same amount of energy that we use in western countries.  Some areas where I think we will see regulatory focus is in stronger building standards and building heat pump mandates.  I can also see huge investments in high speed electrical powered mass ground transit to reduce air traffic.  Most people have heard of the Tokyo Bullet train.  I've travelled on it and it's quite amazing to whiz along at 200 mph. 

The main point that pessimistic viewpoints overlook is the amazing benefits of innovation and technology.  I remember listening to John Kennedy saying in 1960 that the USA was going to land men on the moon by the. end of that decade.  No one thought it was possible, but in 1969 it actually happened.  The other point usually overlooked by the pessimists is that this isn't something that's only good to do.  This is something we MUST do.  What occurred in BC last year is a small sample of what will happen worldwide if we don't stop emitting so much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

[Steve G.]

  I don’t consider reality to be pessimistic.

[hardrockminer]

  I don’t consider reality to be pessimistic.

I'm glad you don't.  It means you are aware that....Reality is 1.2 degree rise in global temperature overall and triple that rise in arctic latitudes.  Reality is most of that rise is due to human activity, primarily burning fossil fuels but also methane emissions from gas wells.  Reality is record forest fires, hot summers and extreme winter rains due to changing weather patterns.  Reality is failed crops on the prairies when rains no longer fall. Being a man of action I'm sure you want to do something to change our reality.

I watched the Quick Dick Youtube and enjoyed his take on things.  He's right that we face economic uncertainty, and the job for governments is to ride the knife edge because the other side of the knife from economic uncertainty is even worse economic uncertainty.  If we continue to pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere we will see that side.  Poor Quick Dick won't have a farm because the prairies will be a temperature boiling grasshopper infested dust bowl.  But don't believe what I'm telling you.  Go to the IPCC website and read some of the reports from the tens of thousands of scientists who have been studying climate for the last 150 years.

[Steve G.]

   You are welcome to believe human activity is responsible for global warming. I trust you shall be relieving yourself of carbon emitting leisure devices forthwith, and all other practices contributing to whatever it is you think is actually causing whatever. 

[hardrockminer]

   You are welcome to believe human activity is responsible for global warming. I trust you shall be relieving yourself of carbon emitting leisure devices forthwith, and all other practices contributing to whatever it is you think is actually causing whatever. 

While the overall goal is to eliminate carbon emissions we cannot do it overnight.  It will take time, most likely more time than governments would like.  But that won't stop me from reducing in areas where I can.  I installed new windows last winter (Didn't need to) ...triple glaze to retain heat and reduce solar radiation.  I'm considering a heat pump, although I don't have natural gas heat or water heater.  My next vehicle will definitely be an EV or a PHEV.  I use my bicycle more and my truck less.  I plan to switch to an electric lawnmower with my next purchase.  I've begun purchasing more things made here in Canada rather than Chinese made junk that needs to be replaced in a year or two.  This eliminates not only the dual purchase but also the carbon emitted in shipping to our shores.

I don't plan to restrict my purchase of items made with or from oil.  It's up to manufacturers to find their own ways to reduce emissions, but as a consumer I will look for products produced by companies committed to reduce their emissions.  An interesting note for you...25% of oil is not used for fossil fuels, so we will have oil with us for many many decades, if not centuries.  This means I feel no guilt in using plastics etc.

How a gas in such small amounts in the atmosphere (0.04%) can be the cause of such incredible heating is not easy to understand unless one has a background in several sciences.  So I get that you're not a believer.  That's fine.  You don't need to be as long as you are open to the possibility and take some time to learn.