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gfretwell #177541 05/06/08 03:30 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
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Greg:
Here in NJ we are supposed to have the 'lowest' fuel costs, based on what I keep hearing on the doom & gloom news.

I'm kicking around a Prius for my commute car (51 miles 1 way), but...I can't get past the future cost of replacment battery pack. Opinions I read are all over the place. Plus, resale value??

What kind of electrical vehicle are you interested in??




John
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gfretwell #177549 05/06/08 08:55 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,335
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An electric service rig would be one hell of a sales gimmic.


"Live Awesome!" - Kevin Carosa
sparkyinak #177550 05/06/08 11:08 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 141
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One of the things I have always done was to incorporate a contingency fee to all out contracts. I explain to all our customers that because most of our work is scheduled 3 to sometimes 5 months down the calendar road, we cannot control events external to us. We add an extra 12% to our estimates for those contingencies and I've also explained that the 12% may or may not be subtracted from the estimate , depending on the circumstances at the time.

I learned my lesson when copper prices went nuts in very short order and since then the contingencies have saved our margin, - which is not razor thin, but enough to keep us in a reasonably profitable business margin and keep our journeymen around.

I lost about $20,000.00 when the copper prices suddenly went nuts and that taught me a big hurtful business lesson. Since then, I've found that the customers - once it's clearly explained - and just exactly this same way - understand and very infrequently tend to want to shop around to find a cheaper price. We have always prided ourselves on the quality of our work and our references, and I think 99% of folks understand that.

We have had to charge an extra 1% to 2% lately for the added cost of fuel for some of our customer contracts but our new, mostly homeowners, have already been briefed on the ongoing and increasing costs of getting their work done later. I'm expecting an increase in fuel costs alone to be about 6% additional in the next 6 months so we have quoted that as a worst case on top of the 10% contingency fee.

So far we are now booking into the middle of September and I wish I could get a few more guys around here in Alberta that want to do residential reno's for EC work so we didn't have to book so far ahead.

Wifey is going nuts just trying to keep everyone on schedule and handing out bonuses and raises.

There's nobody around Edmonton right now that wants (or needs?) the work? Crazy economy I guess. Sorry - end of wimpering rant.

Anyways, on a more reasonable thought, the only way to combat things like rising fuel costs and/or anything else is to carefully, might I add CAREFULLLY, and patiently, explain to our customers that we cannot control the future and we want to continue to be around in business if they need us to come back for anything later that we either did not satisfy them, or if they need new work done in the future.

Hope that helps.

sparkyinak #177551 05/06/08 11:16 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
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I will make one myself if I do decide to go electric. My first thought was to do my old F150 but 28 batteries would only get me 50-60 miles at 35MPH. Less than that if you went faster.
That would also require replacing the transmission since mine is an auto.
Plan B was my Honda Prelude if the timing belt breaks. That would really make more sense. It has a 5 speed and it is fairly light and aerodynamic. I think there have been more Honda conversions so some of the ground has already been pounded in front of me. It still does not seem to make any economic sense. There are a couple jokes floating around the electric car community that basically say this is a great way to spend your lottery winnings.


Greg Fretwell
gfretwell #177552 05/06/08 11:30 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 141
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Greg,

We have a bit of an issue here in Alberta with energy stuff.

It was made right here about bazillion? (sp) years ago or so from some dead dinosaurs or plants or something, but we still have to pay the same price for the stuff made over in some wierdo country over on the other side of the ocean.

What's up with that?

Sparkinak has the same issue.

Somehow, we need to get a whole lot of our EXCESS resources out to the masses on the North American continent at a reasonable price.

Check Pilot #177556 05/07/08 07:24 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,213
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The good (well, maybe not "good") news is that colorado oil shale became economically viable around about $70-95/barrel, which means if fuel prices stay above $3/gallon, US domestic oil production could increase dramatically. It will take time to build up the technology and industry, though. People have projected it might be as cheap as $20-30/barrel. It has a poor energy return on investment, though- like every other alternate technology that results in a net energy loss (ethanol, I'm looking at you!) we'd need to build a bunch of nuclear power plants to sustain it, or else we'll just end up trading oil for coal.

SteveFehr #177558 05/07/08 11:32 AM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,335
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Soapbox time. IMO, Ethenol is in nothing more then another way for the oil industry to maintain their hold on the public. Yes, it may burn cleaner the gas at the end user's stand point, from cradle to grave, it is more detrimental then gas to us. It generates more polluants from process to consumption then gasoline. The oil companys will control it just like they with the oil now, and the due to all the mis-hype of ethenol, corn prices have skyrocketed just like everything else where it is making it much more difficult for third world countries to be able to feed their people.

The concept of ethenol got big in the 70's and 80's when the the farmers we struggling and the American's demand for oil was out of control then. Funny to think that looking back compared to today. Anyway's these big corn fields and now sub divisions and Walmarts so the supply is no longer there but the demand is. With lack of supply and the demand for fuel is bigger then ever, will be back to square one selling our souls just to put gas in the car to go to work.

Since I am on my soap box. As much I am interseted and support of electric cars, there too we have short coming looming on the horizion. Lithium-Ion batteries are the current wave of the future. The problem here currently here is the demand for litium is out pacing the supply. The prices for raw lithium has more then doubled then in the last few years. Unlike lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries and not 100% recyclable not to say they will not able to do something with the waste later so there is issues of toxic material disposal. I am no tree hugger by any means however I am for the sensible use of our resources and reducing unessasary pollution and waste. These so called "green" sources comes with access baggage that once comes around full circle will nip us in the butt.

Stepping down before I get knocked off my soap box.



"Live Awesome!" - Kevin Carosa
sparkyinak #177561 05/07/08 12:01 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
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Ethanol has always been a farm subsidy program. We are just trading ADM for Exxon.
The only long term answer is nuclear with some wind and solar in places where it makes sense. Solar is efficient when you are just using the heat in a very low tech way. Heating water is a good example. I am in a building project that required me to take down my solar pool panels. I immediately lost 6-7 degrees from an uncovered pool. Fortunately it is warm enough so I can still swim but my wife is waiting for July.
The next generation of my solars will also heat my spa and preheat water going to the domestic water heater. That is a real saving $$$.


Greg Fretwell
gfretwell #177588 05/08/08 06:44 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,213
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Solar is many times more efficient than ethanol. Ethanol, when you think about it, is just a really really inefficient way of putting solar energy into our gas tanks. Better to just skip the middle man.

SteveFehr #177598 05/08/08 10:06 AM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
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Imagine I had a warehouse of Romex, yet I refused to let myself use it. I then also let it be known I would only get my Romex from members of the "Overseas Undesirable Romex Suppliers," or OURS for short. I then decided that every development would need to have the Romex a different color. I also refused to consider any other wiring method .... either proven pipe or the much anticipated - but not yet viable - "wireless electricity."

I also spent my free time ranting about "big wire" as the cause of the problems.

Just what do you think would happen to the price of Romex?

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