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Vic Smith

On Fri, 01 May 2009 15:49:28 -0400, wrote:

If golf cart batteries cost $2800 a set, how much do you figure high
tech batteries cost? If you could really get 100 miles out of a charge
(go slow and you can) and they will take 600-800 charge cycles that
works out to 60,000-80,000 miles a set.
That is where I got my numbers.

Yeah, I did a bit more googling. The Prius plug-in isn't out yet, and
has a 6-mile range as EV only. NiMh. 220 pounds of battery.
Didn't see how many recharge cycles it's good for.
Think I once saw the current hybrid battery is about $3k, and this one
probably costs more.

I have really looked at this. I have a cam belt that they say will go
some day. It is $1000 at the dealer to get it replaced and I am really
thinking about just running it till it blows and going electric
($4,000-5000). The problem is the thing will never pay for itself in
savings unless gas goes to $10 a gallon and I keep the car for 60,000
more miles only driving in a 30-40 mile radius. (never going over
about 45-50 mph)
It just seems unlikely that could happen.
Maybe if I win the lotto

$1000 sounds high for a cam belt change. Is that a 4-wheel steering
'lude? If the engine is decent, I'd get the belt.
Put the golf cart batteries in a golf cart.
You're in a good place for solar cells. Doing any of that?
With a small home-made EV you can do all your local driving on Sol's
dime.

--Vic