Any Tesla owners?

[mad dog]

Some farms still use them. My uncle has a mechanical pump for his diesel tank. Simple, and never breaks.

We used a mechanical pump to refuel the transport carts at the VA where I volunteered circa 2018 - 2021. That mechanical pump was pretty awesome.

 

[HSMPBR]

Perhaps avgas is not taxed like cargas and the airfield is worried about the state fining them? Just put red dye in it like they do farm gas.

 

[Brett327]

Don't be dense. I never said you would use the original gas pump. You would, if you could find one? They are for sale everyday. I was clear enough. But mechanical hand pumps like I envisioned are all over the internet, in any large city and probably some small rural towns. Suffice it to say, gasoline would not stay in gas station tanks for long if people really needed it. My point being. It is easier to retrieve gas from storage to fill a vehicle than it is to manually generate electricity to charge a car. Temporary solution to be sure, but doable. Charging you Tesla with a bicycle powered generator is not.
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Right, but I think you're missing my larger point... It's not that non-electric pumps aren't a thing. It's that those kinds of things won't be generally available to the public to get gas from a gas station, nor do people stockpile fuel at home in case of a natural disaster... thus in any scenario where there are widespread electrical outages, gasoline won't be available to almost everyone in those places.

 

[TF7325]

Right, but I think you're missing my larger point... It's not that non-electric pumps aren't a thing. It's that those kinds of things won't be generally available to the public to get gas from a gas station, nor do people stockpile fuel at home in case of a natural disaster... thus in any scenario where there are widespread electrical outages, gasoline won't be available to almost everyone in those places.

We had this issue in Pensacola after hurricane Sally. Lot of students/ IPs couldn’t get fuel due to electrical outages due to the hurricane. Not to mention the other fuel shortages that occurred that year too.

 

[Random8145]

As you point out, there is not a likely scenario that any of this is needed but I would hazard to say that charging an electrical vehicle by solar panels or even a bicycle-powered generator is probably more viable than trying to scrounge for gas in a longer term survival scenario. Plus a bike helps you keep up your fitness, and who can forget the first rule of surviving the zombie apocalypse?!

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What about a nationwide or global EMP from say a Coronal Mass Ejection from the Sun? The Earth missed one in 2012. Hypothetically speaking, such an event could knock out electrical infrastructure, electronics, and any autos that rely on computers and electronics. Absolute worst case scenario would be instantly converting the nation or world into a 19th century society.

 

[Brett327]

What about a nationwide or global EMP from say a Coronal Mass Ejection from the Sun?

What’s your plan in case the sun explodes?

 

[Random8145]

What’s your plan in case the sun explodes?

I would rate a Coronal Mass Ejection as a legitimate concern, not comparable to the Sun exploding (which is of course impossible).

 

[Gatordev]

Right, but I think you're missing my larger point... It's not that non-electric pumps aren't a thing. It's that those kinds of things won't be generally available to the public to get gas from a gas station, nor do people stockpile fuel at home in case of a natural disaster... thus in any scenario where there are widespread electrical outages, gasoline won't be available to almost everyone in those places.

Where I've seen the gas/charge time factor come into play is for those evacuating hurricanes from south Florida. The pumps are working fine, so those with gas can move north much quicker than those that have to stop in Daytona and find a charging station, then wait the <x amount of time> for the car to charge. That may not seem like a big deal, but often times, the longer it takes to get North, the worse the traffic gets.

Big picture, the Tesla has seemed like a great idea for someone that lives in SOCAL and those that live south of I-10, but the realities of cold weather and the laws of physics (and sometimes just sheer distance between towns) make them less than ideal in a lot of the country. The Prius/Volt concept seems to be a more viable option.

I like Ewan McGreggor, and I enjoyed watching Long Way Up, but it was both amusing and embarrassing to watch the show and see how everyone was BAFFLED that batteries weren't the answer when the weather is something different than what it is in LA.

 

[Griz882]

What’s your plan in case the sun explodes?

I’m going to join the Air Force and shoot the sun in the face!

(Sorry @HuggyU2 I can’t help myself)

 

[Griz882]

Really? NOVA! Go figure. Last time I put 5 gal of 100LL in a plastic jerry can from the self serve the fuel truck driver walked by and said "boat or tuner ?" When I told him it was for metering in fuel to my plane to make a dip stick, he shrugged. Hauling away fuel in a can for terrestrial use or fueling a plane inside a hangar made no difference to him.

I am sure you have a ignorant local airport rule gone viral. How come you can roll into Chevron, put gasoline in a can or even a 50 gallon transfer tank in the bed of your truck, but drive onto the airport across the street and you can't do the same with AVGAS? I bet you would not find the same rules on an airport down Roanoke or even Richmond way.

Ultimately the goal is to get the helicopter on about 5 acres that I own! But, to answer your question, I was told it was an “insurance issue.”

 

[GroundPounder]

This! I have researched options for moving the Griz-O-Copter off airfield and the only real challenge is fuel! I can’t get anything less than 1000 gallons delivered and most airfields refuse to sell from the pump into anything but an aircraft.

Ultimately the goal is to get the helicopter on about 5 acres that I own! But, to answer your question, I was told it was an “insurance issue.”

My bet is that they are worried about a few things, but the main one being how it stored in the mean time before you go flying. If it gets put in a car, and then something happens there is not much exposure. If it makes it way into a flying machine, then even if the person in question would not want it, someone in the family would sue.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Where I've seen the gas/charge time factor come into play is for those evacuating hurricanes from south Florida. The pumps are working fine, so those with gas can move north much quicker than those that have to stop in Daytona and find a charging station, then wait the <x amount of time> for the car to charge. That may not seem like a big deal, but often times, the longer it takes to get North, the worse the traffic gets.

Big picture, the Tesla has seemed like a great idea for someone that lives in SOCAL and those that live south of I-10, but the realities of cold weather and the laws of physics (and sometimes just sheer distance between towns) make them less than ideal in a lot of the country. The Prius/Volt concept seems to be a more viable option.

I like Ewan McGreggor, and I enjoyed watching Long Way Up, but it was both amusing and embarrassing to watch the show and see how everyone was BAFFLED that batteries weren't the answer when the weather is something different than what it is in LA.

When I had my 6 month vacation in Oklahoma learning the tanker, I recall seeing a total of three Teslas, and they all had out of state tags. It was noticeable as I had just spent a decade in San Diego where Teslas are everywhere.

It was interesting as it made me wonder if it was a regional/cultural thing or a location/lack of EV infrastructure. I assume it was a bit both.

 

[Brett327]

I would rate a Coronal Mass Ejection as a legitimate concern, not comparable to the Sun exploding (which is of course impossible).

That’s what the people of Krypton thought too, and look what happened to all of them.

 

[Flash]

What's the cost-per-mile when you factor in the average life of the battery bank? Until it's equal to or less than the equivalent diesel or gasoline engine (to say nothing of reduced range and required charging time), I won't be sold. Yeah, the acceleration is fun, but for a vehicle that needs to be ready at all times to haul heavy items and/or go long distances, EV doesn't really meet my needs. I'm also skeptical about the relative environmental impact being less.

Big picture, the Tesla has seemed like a great idea for someone that lives in SOCAL and those that live south of I-10, but the realities of cold weather and the laws of physics (and sometimes just sheer distance between towns) make them less than ideal in a lot of the country. The Prius/Volt concept seems to be a more viable option.

From what I've seen the cold isn't anywhere near the factor that some folks seem to think it is for EV's. I've got several coworkers that drive EV's here in DC and even when it gets really cold they aren't affected too badly at all, none of them have had an issue getting around on their average drives in the winter. Our weather isn't too much different than much of Ohio and there are plenty in Canada too, where I am told it can get a little chilly in the winter. Several of the folks I know have had them for several years now with a good amount of mileage and not one has had to change out a battery yet. Battery technology is also improving at a rapid rate, making them more efficient and with longer total life.

Like any tool EV's are good for some things and not others. Practical EV's are still a pretty new thing, having been around as viable transportation for the average person for less time than smart phones have been around. Early versions are certainly going to have some bugs to work out but I have been very impressed with how far and how fast EV's have come in the last few years, not to mention the plethora of options on the horizon in the next 2-5 years. Are they for everyone? No, but they are certainly a pretty good option for a significant number of the folks who drive in this country.

 

[nittany03]

What’s your plan in case the sun explodes?

Desmond Miles and the Assassins stopped that from happening in 2012; no need to worry.