| Chronology | Current Month | Current Thread | Current Date |
| [Year List] [Month List (current year)] | [Date Index] [Thread Index] | [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] | [Date Prev] [Date Next] |
What we really need regarding this question is a search of the historical
archives at Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, etc., to find the meeting notes where
the decision was made. Does anybody on this list have the right connections
to get that done? I suspect that the people who actually made the decision
are no longer around. Are there archivists/historians at the car companies
that would look this up for us?
I suspect there is not a 100% overlap between our speculation and the
business decision that was made. I also suspect that the engineers were the
main driving force and probably co-opted a "we can save money by having
thinner wire (but don't mention the more expensive battery)" explanation to
satisfy the bean counters when that was far from their original motivation.
By golly, we've GOT to search those records! This is important ... (just
having fun). Seriously, the answer is written down somewhere. Who can find
it?
-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:
phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of brian whatcott
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 6:51 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] cars and physics
On 2/23/2011 1:07 PM, Edmiston, Mike wrote:
/snip/ It seems to me the 12-volt battery would cost more than the6-volt battery even if it didn't use much more material /snip/
Michael D. Edmiston, PhD.This looked like a straight forward technical or commercial question
that might be answered readily by interrogating the price of comparable
batteries in the market.
I was surprised and disappointed to find that comparing a 6 and 12 volt
battery of equal stored energy and construction type, was not to be
established by my headlong search among suppliers. For the average
car battery, people want $70 to $90. And that's not saying much.
I think that a reasonable figure of merit would comprise these factors:
volts X amp.hours X weight / cost.
That's something that could be evaluated at a supplier's shop with a
bathroom scales, I suppose. A sample value would be 350 watt.hour.lbs
per dollar in that fine American customary unit mix. :-)
Brian W
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l