From my limited understanding of geology, with the type of fault in the Bay Area the big one will be big e.g. 7.7 but not giant e.g. a 9. Damage might be a 100+ miles long along the fault but less than 50 wide so how much range do you need? The roads will likely be a mess anyway. I'm aiming for the solar plus power wall plan with some stocked food and a water filter for our pool water until comms return.
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Keep my only remaining gas car as backup for earthquakes?
- Thread starter Electrifying
- Start date
CHG-ON
Still in love after all these miles
I lost power for three days this winter. I keep the car charged to 90% in the winter and I was fine. But my commute is short. I also have a generator. I kept my ICE for six months and realized that I simply never used it. It became a hassle to keep it running and I found it unpleasant to drive. Even though it was a top of the line Acura SUV and in perfect condition in and out. So I sold it and used the cash for fun things! I am now just too spoiled.
CHG-ON
Still in love after all these miles
It's what they have in OK due to fracking!What's a Earthquake?Nebraskan here no matter where you could live there is always going to be the chance of a severe natural disaster. EV's should work fine. Like others have said if it's too bad of a earthquake you won't be going anywhere anyways ain any kind of car.
f-stop
Active Member
just came across this recent video from Nissan, they suggest an EV would be useful in an emergency situation
New Nissan Video Highlights How EVs Make The World More Resilient
btw, back in 1989 after the 6.9 quake in the Bay Area, didn't most of San Francisco have its electricity restored later the same day? meanwhile of course there was major damage to several freeways, the Bay Bridge, etc.
to the OP's question, I wouldn't worry about it so much (1EV + 1ICE vs. 2EV). Living in an earthquake zone it might be better to first worry about having a good earthquake kit and emergency food/water rations prepared, if not already done. I find the frunk handy for storing some of that kind of thing (it's an earthquake zone here too).
a related thought: aside from the question of whether after a natural disaster it's easier to find an AC outlet for your EV, or endure lineups at the pump with your ICE ...
- let's say there was some sort of mass evacuation event and you get stuck in an epic freeway traffic jam for hours and hours, or overnight... would It be better to be in an EV or ICE?
New Nissan Video Highlights How EVs Make The World More Resilient
btw, back in 1989 after the 6.9 quake in the Bay Area, didn't most of San Francisco have its electricity restored later the same day? meanwhile of course there was major damage to several freeways, the Bay Bridge, etc.
to the OP's question, I wouldn't worry about it so much (1EV + 1ICE vs. 2EV). Living in an earthquake zone it might be better to first worry about having a good earthquake kit and emergency food/water rations prepared, if not already done. I find the frunk handy for storing some of that kind of thing (it's an earthquake zone here too).
a related thought: aside from the question of whether after a natural disaster it's easier to find an AC outlet for your EV, or endure lineups at the pump with your ICE ...
- let's say there was some sort of mass evacuation event and you get stuck in an epic freeway traffic jam for hours and hours, or overnight... would It be better to be in an EV or ICE?
I'm not pissed off, but then again I'm a Mac guy, not a PC guy.
Seriously...:Safety training, very secure storage, and very good judgement under intense pressure are prerequisites for a firearm being a net asset rather than a tragic liability.
Yinn
Active Member
That depends. Will I need heat? Am I in a 60 or a 100? Is it a crawl or a dead stop?
On the one hand, the electric car could run out of charge. On the other, I could die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the ICE...chances are though if that were to happen. Both hands are being chomped on by a zombie. So does it matter?
How full do you keep your gas tank on the average day?
I start every morning with my battery at 80%, with almost 200 miles of electricity on hand.
When I was driving a gas or diesel car, I'd drive until the tank was almost empty, then fill it full, to minimize the hassle/number of stops.
Thus, my EV is always more prepared for an emergency than my ICE car typically was, and I would be more prepared to weather a long backup.
With heated seats, the EV can potentially drop the HVAC costs to almost nothing for a long wait. The ICE doesn't have that option - even if they have heated seats, they need to run or cycle the engine to use them, since they'll kill the 12V battery in an hour or two.
Of course, the real star of this scenario is an EREV like the Volt. Not only does it potentially have the full tank benefits of the EV and massive energy density of gasoline, but it also enjoys the heated seat/no idle consumption benefit of the EV with the engine off and the ability to run all night and automatically cycle the engine on when needed - and the ability to use all the power the engine generates while "idling".
When Sandy hit a few years back we lost power for a week or so. The gas stations got power back much more quickly, and many were running on generators. There were some lines, but at least you could get gas. If we had only had EVs we would have been stuck for a week, or treking an hour away, waiting hours to charge (The superchargers nearby all would have lost power too). and then treking back home again.
As for the Op, go with solar panels and batteries.
jeffro01
Active Member
There's nothing wrong with being prepared and I can appreciate the concern with regards to an earthquake and the interruption of vital infrastructure delivery capabilities. Keep in mind that gas stations can't pump without electricity and there are a whole hell of a lot of unprepared people with cars that are going to need fuel... I have thought about this in depth and decided that my Model S is more than sufficient for this scenario as I expect to get power back before I completely burn through my usually 90% charged 90D...
Just my two cents...
Jeff
Just my two cents...
Jeff
CliffG
Member
hm. I guess that depends on circumstance - where we are (same state, presumably different part), gas stations did not get power back all that quickly, none had generators (and still don't, despite the grant program), and EV drivers who knew about the L2 chargers fed by a solar farm nearby (9 MW) had no problem getting a charge. Personally, I'd opt for the solar panels and batteries if it weren't for them pesky neighbors who won't cut back their trees (most inconsiderate!)
Chopr147
Active Member
I did not have my Tesla during Sandy but if I did I would have been stuck. Plugging into a generator would give me what, 3 miles an hour of charging? Oh and those damn gas lines! I had no problem getting gas but had to help keep the peace on those lines.
I guess the best I could hope for is the Superchargers in Connecticut or upstate. Assuming of course the zombies have not ICED those as well.
I guess the best I could hope for is the Superchargers in Connecticut or upstate. Assuming of course the zombies have not ICED those as well.
Depends on the generator and the circumstances. Potentially you could have the full rate the car is capable of with the right generator and setup.
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