CalD wrote: I saw on the South Bend TV news today that Navistar that bought Monaco is starting to make Electric motor driven delivery trucks at the old Monaco plant in Wakarusa In. These trucks will have a 100 mile range before needing a charge. No mention about making RVs. They plan on hiring back about 700 layed off Monaco workers by next year. Good news for that area. CalD
The Wakarusa Indiana Plant has 3 assembly lines under one roof. Also a huge separate paint facility. Currently they are running 2 lines building 3 gas Motorhomes a day and towable orders are out about 6 weeks and some have already been shipped to dealers (most of these early units were built at the old towable plant down in Warsaw In.). In the background of the news report you could see an Alumascape 5th wheel and and Admiral Class A. I assume the third line will be reserved for the delivery trucks. Anyway sounds like a great use of synergies on Navistar's part and good news for Monaco RV,the workers and vendors of Elkhart county.
Electric only vehicles are just made to make us "feel good" about saving the environment. It takes just as much energy (read fossil fuels) to make them as does a gas or diesel vehicle and then it takes fossil fuels (coal or natural gas) to create the electricity to charge them. I don't know about the new tech batteries, but older electric only vehicles that had a promise to "run for 100 miles" usually meant the 1st 33 were at normal speed the next 33 were at reduced speed and you'd have to pull it the last 33.
nodine wrote: Like many others, our investments recently went on a diet.
Bob
I guess it all depends on how you define "recently"
Recently our investments are up over 40%. Let the good times roll.
Ok Les,
We went from 200 lbs down to 100 lbs and now we have gained 50 lbs back. I'm with you. Let the good times roll!
Have you noticed how $2.50 a gallon for diesel seems reasonable now after being faced with $5.00. Last summer when diesel was near $5 a gallon I figured how much it was going to cost to drive the motorhome to Alaska and back. It came to around $6700 just for diesel.
Vegasdan wrote: Electric only vehicles are just made to make us "feel good" about saving the environment. It takes just as much energy (read fossil fuels) to make them as does a gas or diesel vehicle and then it takes fossil fuels (coal or natural gas) to create the electricity to charge them. I don't know about the new tech batteries, but older electric only vehicles that had a promise to "run for 100 miles" usually meant the 1st 33 were at normal speed the next 33 were at reduced speed and you'd have to pull it the last 33.
To me environmental concerns are not the primary reason for increasing the use of electric powered vehicles. There are multiple ways to generate and store electrical energy. Some that are not even conceived yet. There is only one source for petroleum based fuel and that source is limited. Yes there are other ways to produce fuel for internal combustion engines but those methods also require the expenditure of energy for production. Its not about the conservation of energy, its about having energy. Just like with financial investments, we need to diversify our sources of energy so we can ride out the coming energy recession. If we have multiple sources of power for our vehicles, homes, and industry, then if one of those sources goes away or becomes difficult to obtain we will be impacted but not crippled.
The internal combustion engine is going to be around for a long time to come. The amount of energy in one gallon of petroleum is huge compared to other sources. Large trucks and earth moving machines will use diesel or bio-diesel for a long time to come.
ibavamarine wrote: Have to chime in on this one.... does anyone know how much pollution is created to manufacture just one of these vehicles? As a matter of fact...how much to manufacture any electric hybrid? If not, you may want to take a really close look, you will be surprised!!
There is an old saying; "you can promise a change, but it does not mean it is going to smell any better". A Navy manufacture. who told his men they smelt bad and to change their underwear, well they did, with each other.
Do you know? If so, compare it against the pollution that is created by a regular car. I would be interested to know.
I had stated in an earlier post that Monaco was purchased by Navistar in hopes of a government subsidy. I was partially correct except that the monies are to build electric vehicles not RV's. Good "gamble" by Navistar but I am glad that I will not have to help pay back all this borrowed money.
Randy
ibavamarine wrote: Have to chime in on this one.... does anyone know how much pollution is created to manufacture just one of these vehicles? As a matter of fact...how much to manufacture any electric hybrid? If not, you may want to take a really close look, you will be surprised!!
There is an old saying; "you can promise a change, but it does not mean it is going to smell any better". A Navy manufacture. who told his men they smelt bad and to change their underwear, well they did, with each other.
Do you know? If so, compare it against the pollution that is created by a regular car. I would be interested to know.
No I don't know exactly, thus why I asked the question; but I do have a fair idea. It is not worth sharing, just to be cross examined by you or any others. My point was... they have no HUGE advantages at this stage in the technology compared to gas powered vehicles. RV's and tow vehicles will be intergrated in this technology and then my great-great-great grand kids will see this, MAYBE!
ibavamarine
Shenandoah Valley, Va
"They're on our right, they're on our left, they're in front of us, they're behind us; they can't get away from us this time,"
Chesty Puller
Jackha1949 wrote: ... By the way GM has a Hummer hybrid that gets 50 mph, saw that about 6 months ago but do not know what GM is doing with it. The technology is out there. Take a look at the Tulsa car, its a super sports car that does 0- 60 in under 4 secs, goes over 200 miles on a charge, its all electric!
GM is selling Hummer to a Chinese heavy industry company so don't hold your breath for a hybrid version. The sports car is a Tesla, not a Tulsa, and is based on the Lotus Elise. It is very fast but only seats 2 and is very bare-bones. Look for the Tesla Model S in a couple years, a 4 door sedan that is all electric. Also take a look at the new Fisker Karma, a luxury plug-in hybrid in the $80-100K range, coming out around the end of this year. It's a beautiful car.
Joel & Bonnie
3 boys and 4 dogs
No coach right now Rallies Attended: 8;Gatherings Attended: 3
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..here's the story..from the NY Times...Dennis
