We are a net oil exporter. I have no idea where everyone around here thinks all this electricity to charge cars is going to come from.

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tialaramex 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

If you've been assuming you need to replace all the oil with the same amount of electrical power then you're seriously wrong.

Electric motors are extremely efficient over a wide speed range, whereas combustion engines aren't very efficient even in their relatively narrow optimal range and the arrangement needed to translate that power into motion further reduces overall efficiency.

While replacing the energy 1:1 would entail roughly doubling US electrical generation you actually want to replace the function and that's maybe 20-25% increase. It's not a trifle but it's very do-able. Especially if you time-shift car charging so that it's happening when humans are asleep and there's slack in the network.

You charge your phone while you sleep right? If you're used to filling up a car at a gas station it can feel weird but you can charge a car while you sleep too.

	▲	boringg 13 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Its not a 1:1 replacement but its also quite a significant amount of energy and infrastructure that is needed. You still have losses in electrical production from Gas/Solar/Wind/Nuclear to your charging round trip efficiency. Its a massive change in how things operate in the US - significant amount of money reinvested into the grid and not solvable only through behavioral change. Thats one of a quiver of things that need to be done.

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defrost 14 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> We are a net oil exporter.

That's a problem and behaviour with poor long term consequences.

Bit like Columbia being a net cocaine exporter.

> I have no idea

There are annual IEA reports on global energy demand and supply by means and country.

Those looking ahead to sustainable energy are improving technology and infrastructure to better utilize the great fusion reactor in the sky.

Certainly the US could use a plan for charging infrastructure and grid improvements- it's currently lagging both the EU and China there.

eg: Electric vehicle charging - https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/electric-...

( Just the current trends in public charging stations, not trends in supply )

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MiiMe19 13 hours ago | parent [-]

>Producing things that other people use is bad and literally cocaine!!!

>Stop wanting to actually make things and have a well rounded economy!!!

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defrost 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It's poor HN practice to badly strawman others comments.

Dragging up sequestered carbon in the billions upon billions of tonnes and changing the insulation factor of the atmosphere _is_ bad and will lead to no good if not unchecked and somewhat reversed - that's just physics.

Ergo - that should _stop_ and other things should be made that sidestep the issue.

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wileydragonfly 13 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I’m really at a loss with these “we should stop using the abundant natural resource bubbling out of the ground and completely overhaul our entire infrastructure” arguments. We also produce more wind power than anyone else. Change will come incrementally.

	▲	defrost 12 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> Change will come incrementally. You and I are in agreement then - and that change will ideally be away from harmful sequestered carbon. > I have no idea > I’m really at a loss Seriously, starte with IEA reports, the IPCC reports, etc. they really do go into excruciating detail about these things you have no idea about and are at a loss to understand.