Electric vehicles during a disaster

[Eagle1]

Wood gas generator

 

[Grumpycat]

Wood gas generator

Skips details on modifying the ICE.

As I said, you are not going to produce a gasoline or diesel substitute. But electricity is trivially flexible for many applications.

 

[Eagle1]

Have an old carb and distributor motor and it only requires a timing change to make it run. I've been through month long power outages in multiple states and will never put my faith in just electricity. Nothing against EV or other electric or battery appliances but it won't be my entire plan. Just like the grocery store is not my only source of food.
I'm not knocking tech but stuff happens and being completely reliant on others it not in my DNA

 

[bdhsfz6]

Just a reminder that gas station pumps, refineries, fuel depots, pipeline pumps, etc., run on electricity, too.

This is true but during Katrina and other natural disasters, FEMA brought in fleets of generator trucks & tankers of diesel to power the petroleum supply chain.

Electricity is difficult to import without a grid.

 

[MossRoad]

Skips details on modifying the ICE.

As I said, you are not going to produce a gasoline or diesel substitute. But electricity is trivially flexible for many applications.

Pretty sure I could distill alcohol, put it in our flexfuel Impala and drive it.

There's numerous examples of this on the internet.

 

[Eagle1]

Power may available just a few miles away and you can bring fuel back your house. After Hugo our neighborhood was out of power for 6 weeks but in town things were working.
After heavy flooding in MO we did not have power for weeks but the local town (5 miles away) had power and gas because they are on different provider, other times it has been reversed. A lot of variables in how the grid is routed and where damage occurs.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Well, if that is what you believe then you should convert to EV right now!

If "The Grid" goes down, and/or the delicate supply chain of petroleum energy, the only alternative is off-grid PV solar. Can burn trees for heat but can not produce a gasoline or diesel substitute. A solar PV system equal in cost to an EV can power home and vehicle.

In many areas with abundant sunshine, solar PV is indeed a viable solution. Where I live, due to limited sun, I'd need an acre or more of solar panels to power my home and and EV's.

During the last week long outage here, a few local gas stations powered their pumps with generators and the fuel supply chain was not impacted significantly. I was able to fill up my ICE vehicles and generators with no problem.

If fuel weren't available, I could rely on my 1000 gal fuel oil tank to power my PTO generator for a month if necessary. If push came to shove, I could risk a fine and use it in my diesel pickup as well.

With the technology available today, there is no way I can store or generate the equivalent amount of electrical energy on site. This will surely change in the future but I'm going to wait awhile before going solar or other alternative energy source.

 

[/pine]

Don't know about other states but I'll assume it had something to do with FEMA $ etc...But in FL grocery stores and gas stations (major ones) have back up generators...

 

[cqaigy2]

Don't know about other states but I'll assume it had something to do with FEMA $ etc...But in FL grocery stores and gas stations (major ones) have back up generators...

Very few have backup generators around here. When there is a wide spread outage, they truck them in. I'm thinking Moss has a good idea, fermenting alcohol. Multi use, burn it for heat, in a generator, drink it etc.

 

[MossRoad]

Very few have backup generators around here. When there is a wide spread outage, they truck them in. I'm thinking Moss has a good idea, fermenting alcohol. Multi use, burn it for heat, in a generator, drink it etc.

It's so tasty, too.