Gerald Brooks: Using renewable energy for vehicles is cost prohibitive

To The Daily Sun,

Iberdrola has grown considerably in two decades operating in the United States. Its subsidiary Avangrid, which was listed on the NYSE six years ago, is present in 25 states and manages more than 9,000 megawatts of generating capacity (8,000 megawatts renewable energy) and more than 170,000 kilometers of power lines through eight public utilities in New England. Other companies are allowed to operate in such capacities while ours aren’t. Additionally all profits go overseas.

Speaking of profits, GM (the new GM, not the old bankrupted GM) in 2019 offered a Chevy Volt capable of driving 40 miles on a charge with a gasoline engine/generator powering it for an additional 300 miles. They have profited well enough since then. And will continue to as long as the batteries are good for only 100,000 miles. Yes 100,000 miles. I have a '07 Ford Ranger, 270,000 miles with the same old engine. Battery replaces for $100. On a Chevy Volt, $10,000 or more, much more and having gone only 100,000 miles. (Googled) The average cost for a Chevrolet Volt hybrid high voltage battery replacement is between $9,210 and $9,335. Labor costs are estimated between $475 and $599 while parts are priced at $8,735. How good is that for the environment, and what do they do with the old ones?

Not too far down the road they hope for a lithium battery which may last 50 years. The lithium coming from the Salton Sea in California, cnbc.com/2022/05/04/the-salton-sea-could-produce-the-worlds-greenest-lithium.html, so perhaps Volts will park next to Model Ts in museums. Come the glory days ahead with green energy delivering 3.9 trillion kilowatt hours for the vehicles, et-al.

Gerald Brooks

Meredith