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Electric Motors, Internal Combustion and Rotational Motion

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These are some really old kitchen mixers. People buy them and restore them. Usually this means paint, maybe replacing a frayed cord. Vast majority of the time, the motor still works. You don't need to touch that part. The job is mostly cosmetic. Do you know why? Because they are electric. It won't have rusted rings, or worn out valve seats, dried out gaskets or a clogged carburetor. Electric motors have two parts, one of which moves. The stator and the rotor. You apply current, a magnetic field is created, and the shaft spins. They make instant power, lots of it, reach incredible RPM, and can operate for decades without any maintenance. Literally perfect for turning something, unlike reciprocating motion of pistons, powered by flammable liquids catching on fire.  As such, there's no carbon building up, no filters to clog and replace. No oil to get dirty and break down by being in contact with a 3,600F flame front, and no metal-on-metal contact, prevented only by a thin film...

Should You Sell Your Tesla, If You Don't Like Elon?

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     If Elon insulted me directly, and said you're the worst human being on earth, and every planet in our solar system, I would still not sell my Tesla. The company already got paid, what exactly would it accomplish? Someone else would get a great deal on a really well maintained car, that I really enjoy.       I'm not a celebrity who cares more about attention or image than anything under $100k. They spend more on a publicist every year, who writes their posts and arranges various photo opportunities, like "selling" their Tesla, that the lease was probably ending soon on. People like that rarely drive anything older than a few years anyway.       Here's the difference. They will actually get some attention for it. You won't. Cheryl Crowe made headlines when she sold hers. Nobody will care the least bit if I sell mine. My friends may be curious, and forget about it a week later. Nobody will cheer. I'll just take a bath for the depr...

EVs vs Water

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By now you've probably seen videos of Teslas blasting through some serious water. Doesn't that sound bad, given that they are EVs?  The battery is considered a "sealed" unit, but water can still get inside. Tesla batteries have vents to account for pressure changes from heat and atmospheric changes or altitude. A quick blast through a deep puddle is usually okay, but prolonged or deep submersion can get some water inside. Cybertruck has "wade mode" which pressurizes the battery case for up to 30 minutes. Per Tesla, it can safely wade up to 32 inches of water.  Water ingress is often accompanied by physical damage to the housing from an earlier incident - perhaps hitting a brick on the road. Moisture inside can result in corrosion and failure of affected packs after several months. In fact, water damage is one of the main reasons for premature total battery failure in EVs.  Since batteries heat up during charging, this actually helps dry them out when moistur...

Mustang Mach-E - Ford's first all Electric SUV - why the name?

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In case anyone is confused why Ford called their new electric SUV a "Mustang" - it's for attention. Escape doesn't come with up to 600 hp. Resurrecting an old nameplate like Bronco could make sense, but would take them into a different direction. Those were a bit more rugged than a road oriented crossover. Mustangs are popular, it implies performance, and they know 100% of everyone will complain and talk about it - while news spreads like wildfire. It's free publicity.  https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29810295/2021-ford-mustang-mach-e-photos-info/

This list of EVs already on the market is surprisingly large - and is growing rapidly.

Just look at them all. As of June 2019, there's already more than you can count on all your fingers and toes. This is what's already available, in alphabetical order. Of course only some models are selling in significant numbers (Teslas, Leaf, Bolt, i3), but the point is that large scale adoption is basically around the corner. Fiat 500e Ford Focus Electric Ford C-Max Energi Ford Fusion Energi Honda Accord PHEV Honda Clarity PHEV Honda Clarity Electric Honda Fit EV Hyundai Ioniq EV Hyundai Ioniq PHEV Hyundai Sonata EV Hyundai Sonata PHEV Hyundai Kona EV Jaguar I-PACE Karma Revero Kia K5 PHEV Kia Niro EV Kia Niro PHEV Kia Optima PHEV Kia Soul EV Mercedes-Benz B250e Mercedes-Benz C350e Mercedes-Benz E350e Mercedes-Benz GLC350e Mercedes-Benz GLE500e Mercedes-Benz S500e Mercedes-Benz GLE550e Mini Countryman PHEV Mitsubishi i-MiEV Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Nissan LEAF Opel Ampera-e Opel Ampera (PHEV) Peugeot iOn ...