New super capacitor tech on the way

[Gman]

I have yet to see a Tesla with out of state plates. On my last trip to the Olympic Peninsula of WA, I only saw 1 Tesla on the highway and it was on I-90 as it crosses the Columbia River/Wanapum Lake. The US is a damn big place, and if I spend a lot on a vehicle, I want to be able to enjoy it on long trips. There was a Tesla Supercharger station in Sequim, WA, but I didn't see a single vehicle using it.

One also has to remember that the Li-Ion batteries in an electric car like a Tesla have a very narrow temperature band at which they have their full rated capacity, around 70 degrees. Electric vehicles have a tough time in winter as the cold temps reduce battery capacity at a time when the occupants in the vehicle and glass surfaces need heat.

If you're going somewhere where there is a charging station, it likely isn't located at your intended destination. You have to go out of your way to get to the charger and either have to wait for a quick charge or find transportation between your vehicle and your intended destination.

Gasoline has about 100 times the energy per volume as a Li-Ion battery. It's also abundantly available and your on-board storage (fuel tank) will typically last the life of the vehicle. In the winter, heat is scavenged from the combustion process and doesn't create extra load on the system.