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Comment by cs702 | Hacker News Reader

True, the grid isn't ready for 300M EVs by 2030... but it will have to be.

Alas, consumers have a long history of ignoring exhortations to change their habits. They always do what they want, not what some authority tells them they ought to do. If they want giant-ass long-range electric trucks and SUVs, they will buy giant-ass long-range electric trucks/SUVs.

The only viable solution is a massive wave of investment to improve energy generation, storage, delivery, and efficiency worldwide.

I believe we can do it :-)

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Consumers are going to be told that they want giant-ass electric trucks and SUVs.

sigh yeah - GM's replacing the Bolt with the 2-ft larger Equinox for instance.

I'd rather have a revised Spark EV with rear wheel drive and 200mi range myself.

I guess I’m much more cynical about who changes consumers habits. Auto companies have spent enormous sums ensuring political behavior is such that cities aren’t as walkable as they could be and that people need cars in their life.

Auto companies didn't change consumer habits. They changed physical infrastructure to make vehicles a necessity. And they did so surreptitiously through back-room political influence, without ever telling consumers what they ought to do. That's... different.

Did they do it in every developed country? The US doesn't have massively higher number of cars than other countries, esp. considering its relatively rural character.

Eh, I don't feel like walking today, or tomorrow.

Got anything to back up that claim, besides the old and dubious claim of gm buying trolleys?

You don't need 300M EV if you make cars less mandatory for living.

That’s a non-answer. 2030 is less than 7 years away. You’re not going to essentially rebuild entire cities in that time.

It's unrealistic to live the lifestyle we have right now, and expecting more of the same, except with EV.

Microgrids are the future.

What’s that?

A microgrid generally means having wind/solar/batteries near your neighborhood, with a natural gas or diesel generator that kicks in when the batteries die.

That’s neat

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