Greg Jordan: Can electric vehicles really replace the cars of today?
Aug. 25—We're hearing more about electric vehicles in the news. I know there are charging stations in the Beckley area and in Princeton, and there are plans for more stations along Mercer Street in Princeton.
I keep seeing advertisements lauding the virtues of new electric cars and electric pickup trucks. I grew up with battery-powered vehicles, but they were the ones I played with and carried under my arm. I never imagined full-scale versions of these toys.
I know battery technology has come a long way, so electric vehicles are viable. Thanks to the price and the limited number of places where you can plug them up for recharging, I'm not in a hurry to get one. I'd consider a hybrid vehicle if I found one with the right features and the right price.
I haven't heard about plans for electric motorcycles. Everybody's familiar with the rumble of Harley-Davidsons, Indians and Hondas, but what would an electric motorcycle sound like?
Sound was an issue when I saw a story about plans for electric muscle cars. I paused. What? Would these sound like really big versions of the cars I played with as a kid?
Years ago when I was a little kid, my dad took me to a slot car speedway located near what's now the Yeager Airport in Charleston. Hundreds of people brought their slot cars — some of them pretty fancy — there and raced each other. I still remember the smell of hot, electrified metal and that that buzzing of many electric motors. Cars would fly off the track when they took turns too fast. It was pretty exciting for a little kid.
Was I seeing the future all those years ago? I can't help but think of electric muscle cars as really big slot cars.
One thing I always associate with muscle cars and big motorcycles is their rumble and roar. In that recent movie "The Batman," one of the most exciting parts is when Batman reeves up the Batmobile's engine.
That Batmobile is an extremely powerful muscle car that punches its way through guardrails and shrugs off bullets.
I doubt it has any gizmos like a Bat Phone or a Bat Laser. Its engine's roar and its rocket booster howled power, and that's all it needed.
Would an electric Batmobile generate that kind of awe and excitement?
Well, no, I don't think it would. I can't imagine its noise being at all intimidating. Would the Penguin or the Joker get scared if they heard something that sounded like a really big electric shaver?
No. I think the villains and the audience would laugh their heads off.
I can't see motorcycle and muscle car fans being willing to trade the roar of their beloved machines for the whine of electric motors. They want their rides to sound like mighty works of art, not big electric lawnmowers. Try imagining how NASCAR fans would react if the competitors' cars all became electric. I don't think we would see the same level of excitement on the track or up in the stands. I know that the roar of engines is so loud at NASCAR races, pharmacies near race tracks sell huge jars of foam earplugs.
Now, I'm willing to give electric vehicles a chance. I'd be willing to drive one to work and drive one to visit family down in North Carolina, but that will depend on how far a charge will take me and how much recharging will cost. Oh, and how quickly will I be able to recharge? Today, I filled my car's gas tank and the process took about five minute at most. I'll have a problem if I have to sit around until my battery shows enough green bars to let me know its recharged and ready to go.
When the batteries in my childhood toys died, I'd switch the dead batteries for fresh ones. Maybe the designers could work up something like that. A big robot takes the dead battery out of your car, plugs in a fresh one, and lets you go on your way while the dead battery's being recharged.
Oh, and I'd design the robot to have happy conversations with customers while the exchange is underway. I'm sure the kids would love that touch.
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
