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Will Japan’s nuclear woes dampen electric vehicle enthusiasm?

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Electric

2011 Nissan Leaf

2011 Nissan Leaf – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve already seen the panic here in the U.S. as activists and analysts question our nuclear infrastructure, and Congress considers a re-examination of our existing facilities. These new fears about nuclear power have everything to do with the events unfolding at Japan’s Fukushima power plant, and Automotive News wonders if that trepidation could dampen the prospects of electric vehicles as well.

Plans in Europe call for about 1 million EVs on the road by 2020, and a lot that push centers around increasing the number of nuclear power plants to feed these vehicles. Let’s face it, an EV that’s charged via electricity generated at an oil or coal-burning plant doesn’t do much to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, so nuclear makes a lot of sense. And as costly and time-consuming as it is to erect a nuclear facility, it’s likely easier and less expensive than relying on solar, wind or hydro-electric energy sources.

So what does all this have to do with electric vehicles? If the events unfolding in Japan lead governments to question the safety and viability of nuclear power, then new plants will be slow to come online. If car buyers know that their EV is likely burning the same CO2-emitting fossil fuels as their neighbor’s internal combustion engine, what’s the point of paying more for something that’s just as dirty, more expensive and not as easy to fuel up?

Right now the situation at the Fukushima power plant is dire, but if the situation gets worse, the future of nuclear power, and possibly even EVs, could be just as bleak.

[Source: Automotive News sub. req.]

Will Japan’s nuclear woes dampen electric vehicle enthusiasm? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Truck, Work, Chrysler

2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output

2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output – Click above for high-res image gallery

The minds at Chrysler have set out to make sure that buyers who need to tow small planetary bodies on occasion are taken care of with its new high-output 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine. The oil-burning mill churns out 23 percent more torque than the old engine, and the final figure now sits at an astronomical 800 pound-feet. There’s also 390 horsepower on hand, and combined, those numbers are good enough to help the 3500 HD tow up to 22,700 pounds. The big-daddy Ram also packs a ridiculous gross vehicle rating of 30,000 pounds when equipped with the optional Max Tow package.

Those impressive ratings are partially thanks to the truck’s braking system. Chrysler’s engineers folded in the largest brakes of any full-size pickup with 14.17-inch rotors up front and 14.09-inch discs out back, and the 3500 HD wears what Chrysler calls the strongest exhaust brake available on any heavy-duty pickup.

Additionally, that meaty Cummins block is said to be good for over 350,000 miles before requiring a major overhaul, and unlike competitors from Ford and General Motors, this beast requires no diesel exhaust fluid to pass emissions. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output

Gallery: 2011 Ram 3500 High Output

2011 Ram 3500 High Output

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear

Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Hundreds of old nuclear warheads being secretly trucked across US freeways

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Military

It seems that the nation’s stockpile of W76 nuclear warheads is due for a tune up. According to The Kitsap Sun, the Navy is moving 1,600 and 1,800 of the warheads from their home at the Kitsap-Bangor Naval Base in Washington State to the Texas panhandle for updating. The 100-kiloton are between 23 and 32 years old, and as such, require updates to their aiming, firing and fusing systems. In order to get those updates, the warheads will have to travel by road in special, unmarked tractor trailers. For obvious reasons, the Navy isn’t into sharing the travel itinerary for the warheads, but according to The Kitsap Sun, specially-trained federal agents are tasked with transporting the weapons.

The trucks are forbidden from driving in foul weather, and a host of secure shelters along the way will house the big rigs should the skies turn cloudy. Likewise, the drivers aren’t allowed to go for more than 32 hours without sleeping in a real bed, despite the fact that the tractor cabs are sleepers. In addition, the trailers themselves are protected in the event of an accident.

Still, the knowledge that large numbers of nuclear weapons are coursing through the country’s interstate system should give us all pause before cutting off that tractor trailer in traffic.

[Source: The Kitsap Sun]

Report: Hundreds of old nuclear warheads being secretly trucked across US freeways originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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