I don't get...

[Elok]

No! Trick question; there's no such thing as a timing belt on an electric car; timing belts are used to keep the valves and pistons in sync in an internal combustion engine. When they break--which can happen at most any time, even with regular maintenance--they get all wrapped up in the engine, and you can't get them out without disassembling the whole damn thing and putting it back together. Which costs so much that you're generally better off just getting a new car. My parents just lost a car this past year to an abrupt timing belt snap, even though it had been replaced at the proper interval.

You know what else electric cars don't have? Transmissions, differentials, transfer cases, crankshafts, camshafts, drive shafts, intake and exhaust manifolds, mufflers, fuel injectors, catalytic converters, cylinder heads, valve covers, and probably lots of other obscure car crap I don't know about because I haven't been working at the car-parts company long enough. An electric car is basically four motors, some gears connecting them to their respective wheels, batteries, wiring, and a little computer to get it all working together. And oil, I assume, but probably less of that because there are far, far fewer moving parts. And therefore much less to break. And when it does break, you don't have to disassemble so much, so maintenance will be simpler.

Electric cars are a weaker option now because batteries are expensive and limited. But battery technology is improving quite rapidly. There's intriguing work being done with supercapacitors now, as well. If they can solve the power problem, there's really no particular reason why electric cars should not roll right over internal combustion the same way internal combustion smashed the horse and buggy.

In conclusion: BK is wrong. Thank you.

[AAAAAAAAH!]

Ben Kenobi is like someone in the 1890s extolling the superiority of the stagecoach over the automobile.

[Elok]

Note that he also hates capitalism. Elon Musk is the sort of fellow we used to celebrate; he built himself a fortune on the back of a clever idea, but instead of resting on his laurels, he's taking all that money he made and using it to build something far more revolutionary. In essence, he's trying to transform the American transportation system. And it seems he's got reasonably good odds of succeeding at this point.

But BK would rather cheer for folks like GM or Chrysler, who needed to be rescued with taxpayer cash after decades of screwups. What were they doing when Toyota was developing the Prius? Well, let's see: they expanded the Hummer line of bloated quasimilitary turds, they did the PT Cruiser, and somewhere along the line they found time to create a convertible pickup truck. Because, you know, that's the way of the future. Otherwise, standard American carmaker tactics: package the same basic technology in ten kinds of trim and give it different names.

[molly bloom]

In conclusion: BK is wrong. Thank you.

That was sneaky. I like that.


And you with new loinfruit too. Well done.

But BK would rather cheer for folks like GM or Chrysler, who needed to be rescued with taxpayer cash after decades of screwups.

Good point. The Ford Pinto was Ford's hurried response to the popularity of foreign cars that weren't the size of ocean going yachts. And we all know how successful that car was, don't we ?

[N35t0r]

No! Trick question; there's no such thing as a timing belt on an electric car; timing belts are used to keep the valves and pistons in sync in an internal combustion engine. When they break--which can happen at most any time, even with regular maintenance--they get all wrapped up in the engine, and you can't get them out without disassembling the whole damn thing and putting it back together. Which costs so much that you're generally better off just getting a new car. My parents just lost a car this past year to an abrupt timing belt snap, even though it had been replaced at the proper interval.

lolwut? You must have really cheap cars if repairing a timing belt snap is more expensive than getting a new car.

Protip: If your timing belt snaps, there's a possibility that a couple of your pistons rammed straight into an open valve (either intake or exhaust), and bent or broke them. Much fun! This is more likely to happen with some makers (I'm looking at you Renault)

[Lorizael]

Note that he also hates capitalism. Elon Musk is the sort of fellow we used to celebrate; he built himself a fortune on the back of a clever idea, but instead of resting on his laurels, he's taking all that money he made and using it to build something far more revolutionary. In essence, he's trying to transform the American transportation system. And it seems he's got reasonably good odds of succeeding at this point.

But BK would rather cheer for folks like GM or Chrysler, who needed to be rescued with taxpayer cash after decades of screwups. What were they doing when Toyota was developing the Prius? Well, let's see: they expanded the Hummer line of bloated quasimilitary turds, they did the PT Cruiser, and somewhere along the line they found time to create a convertible pickup truck. Because, you know, that's the way of the future. Otherwise, standard American carmaker tactics: package the same basic technology in ten kinds of trim and give it different names.

[BK] But Solyndra! [/BK]

[Elok]

lolwut? You must have really cheap cars if repairing a timing belt snap is more expensive than getting a new car.

Protip: If your timing belt snaps, there's a possibility that a couple of your pistons rammed straight into an open valve (either intake or exhaust), and bent or broke them. Much fun! This is more likely to happen with some makers (I'm looking at you Renault)

If your car is more than a few years old, the cost to repair the damn thing after a timing belt snap is higher than the value of the car. At least up here it is. Perhaps you have cheaper mechanics in Argentina, or more expensive cars?

[The Mad Monk]

Here in KC we have these things called "crate motors". They are completely refurbished engine blocks with all the internals installed, just bolt the externals back on and you're done. When a timing belt / chain goes, it's usually cheaper to go the crate motor route than to pay the mechanic to tear it down. The crate motor for my 98 Dodge Dakota (a 318 V8) would be about $2,000.