[bgeery]

Originally Posted by ElectriCar

I drive a diesel truck that gets about 12-15 MPG depending on the fuel source and driving conditions. I have it to haul a 15000 lb camper to the beach or equipment for my business.

Now that's what we need. An EV that will haul that camper 500 miles on a charge.

[iti_uk]

Originally Posted by bgeery

You could rent probably 10 ten days a week before the rental charges equaled all the cost of owning a late model car.

Renting a car 10 days per week... sounds like a scam to me...

[/SMARTASSRESPONSE]

In my case, I love both EVs and gassers. Also, I don't have an EV yet. I should get one soon though - I can charge for free at work!

Chris

My Leaf is now my primary commuter and the second vehicle is my 01 VW Beetle TDI. Fully paid and gets 42 to 48 mpg depending on how I drive the beast. I have had to charge the battery twice now since it has been sitting unused mostly. I drive the electric everywhere I can.

It is a wise thing to have a backup and one that can go further if needed but I would not even consider renting because I'd need to drive my electric to the rental place and leave it until I return. The cost of renting is pretty high if you need to do so more than a few times per year. I also don't want to haul around a gas engine in my electric car that rarely gets used so the hybrid it out. Thank you much but I will keep two cars. Insurance for my secondary vehicle is minimal.

[Wild]

I have a serious question...
Why are you running an electric vehicle when your car could be driven by gasification of wood & other biomass?

* Free energy
* Potential negative carbon footprint
* Heat your home, hot water, generate free electricity ( Even charge your
batteries)

[notailpipe]

Originally Posted by Wild

Why are you running an electric vehicle when your car could be driven by gasification of wood & other biomass?

@Wild, It comes down to convenience, usually. I wanted to do a waste veggie-oil conversion before I started my EV, but the thought of needing to get gas meant scrounging through wastebins or asking the chef at work for spare oil was a bit too much. The fact that my commute is 10 miles was the final nail in the coffin. Regardless if you're collecting veggie oil, chopping firewood, or skimming algae... it's the hassle factor.

To the original question, my EV isn't finished yet but when it is it will be my daily driver. I will, however, keep good ol' Tankyota (4WD gas pickup). For the times I need to drive to the mountains for snowboarding, for the times we go to the airport and don't want to park the Lexus at outdoor airport parking (summer hail in Colorado), for the 18th time I help friends move, for the times I get a Christmas tree, for the times I pickup steel rod, for the times I take the dogs to the lake, for the time it's too snowy out... the list goes on and on.

I always laugh at people who think renting is so easy and convenient. I've never gotten through a rental place in less than half an hour. So that's an hour of total time wasted just to go somewhere. Not to mention that renting is NOT cheap, esp. compared to a paid-for cheap truck that literally adds $30 a year for liability insurance.

I'd have a hard time collecting the biomass for use in such a vehicle. Kinda bulky, Klunky but your rig there looks very nicely done. For folks like you your way is just fine. Just like those that use Biodiesel or straight veggie oil for driving their diesels. How much did it cost you to built that gassier? Got some plans for that one? Do you have a build site to look at for information?

Pete

Electric is cleaner. Bio gas is still burning but is better than oil. I like your rig.

[Wild]

Originally Posted by gottdi

I'd have a hard time collecting the biomass for use in such a vehicle. Kinda bulky, Klunky but your rig there looks very nicely done. For folks like you your way is just fine. Just like those that use biodiesel or straight veggie oil for driving their diesels. How much did it cost you to built that gassier? Got some plans for that one? Do you have a build site to look at for information?

Pete

Electric is cleaner. Bio gas is still burning but is better than oil. I like your rig.

Sorry that is not my setup, it was designed and built by Vesa Mikkonen of Finland.

While one may think that electric is cleaner that is not true. If you use trees as fuel you are not adding CO2 to the air you are recycling it as opposed to burning fossil fuels. If you partially gassify wood into char you have the option of adding that char to soil which will sequester that carbon while improving the soil to allow plants to thrive, It's a win win situation. You can research on the benefits of Biochar if you like.

If you would like plans on a mobile or stationary gassifier I believe Vessa still has a book available. http://www.ekomobiili.fi/Tekstit/english_etusivu.htm

PS: you can operate a gassifier on wood chips many tree companies would be happy to deliver a few loads for free

[Wild]

Originally Posted by notailpipe

@Wild, It comes down to convenience

The only inconvenience I can see is the government wanting their share of road taxes. Years ago street lamps were powered by the same gas and of course thousands of vehicles were powered by wood during WW2. Nowadays commercial biomass power plants are being build around the world.

Too bad its not your setup. It is inconvenient because of the cleaning and gathering of the wood or bio mass to use. They do work and if set up correctly they work great but they do require lots of maintaining to keep them in good running condition and you must keep them cleaned out. Then hauling around all that mass. Bio mass does only use renewable carbon and not sequestered OIL carbon. One other issue is that you still have all the ICE junk to keep in good working order too and you must replace the oil, plugs, wires and all that crap.

Electric is simple and clean and real easy. I do not regret buying the Leaf nor do I regret building an electric vehicle either. I am all solar here so for me I am cleaner.

[Wild]

No arguments here Gottdi concerning electric other than the drawbacks at present such as battery cost, range and weight. Yes an ICE on producer gas still needs maintenance although not as much depending on the engine and a modern gasifier does not require lot's of maintenance and they can be automated for minimal loading or cleaning.
Still a gasifier set up to produce biochar is one step over solar in reducing one's carbon footprint. Personally my preferred setup is a stationary generator unit that is capable of off grid charging while also using waste heat for home - shop & garden.
I have a different gasifier design than the one pictured still the function of producing wood gas from chips or pellets is similar.