Why we're ALL about to go out and buy PHEVs

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

It's not that silly. I want to know what would happen to a household solar array in this situation, as I have one. I suspect giant frying pan effect. Further, I'd almost guarantee all electric cars, smartphones, much of our communication - gone.

Going further still, I'd almost guarantee an HJ60 would continue to work - fully mechanical diesel. (manual crank, too!). Studies I have reviewed suggested most pre-computer cars would continue to work. Tyres would form a bit of a faraday cage.

We are rushing to create a future that is extremely vulnerable to exactly the disturbances that a decreasing protective magnetic field of Earth (happening) could allow more of. Ie, it wouldn't have to be the size of the Carrington Event to do widespread damage: look at the damage done in recent years by much smaller solar storms (documented & out there).

Almost all microprocessors would be affected. So you'll have a diesel or carburetor petrol, to take you where? Everything will be shut down. Supply would be stuffed, etc. Like I said, much bigger problems at that point.

Now, if you can protect your inverters (lead casing for example) and do similar to your EV, you're more likely to be back on the road sooner. That said, the same issue of the entire globe coming to a halt might be the bigger issue at that point.

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[Sprintey]

Well my carby car can take me to a few good beaches nearby, might as well surf the apocalypse. Actually I reckon it wouldn't be too bad - country town, can grow own food. Things would slow down like in the first covid lockdown: do you love where you live?

I like the idea of hardening the electric infrastructure - have we built in anything like that to our grid/EVs?

Edit: in this situation, a push-bike becomes a Rolls Royce

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Well my carby car can take me to a few good beaches nearby, might as well surf the apocalypse. Actually I reckon it wouldn't be too bad - country town, can grow own food. Things would slow down like in the first covid lockdown: do you love where you live?



I like the idea of hardening the electric infrastructure - have we built in anything like that to our grid/EVs?

Lucky you! Us city folk would be stuffed as many people were with empty shelves at the start of COVID.

I doubt we have built protection into our systems. Maybe the US and Russia did out of fears of a nuclear weapon during the cold war and associated EMP from the gamma radiation.

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[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I'd charge during the day. I work in the coal industry, so I can charge my car during the day when I'm at home since I'm almost certainly going to be at home during the day at least 2 times a week.

Certainly would work for some, Ironic you work in the coal industry though

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Vesper Martini

Certainly would work for some, Ironic you work in the coal industry though

Yeah but most of our coal is exported, a small percentage is used for local power generation.
Steaming coal as well as coking/ metaliferous coal grades to those countries that make things…

If it came down to it, I’d prefer to have a car that runs in electric that charges from coal mined here than giving my dollars to OPEC that gives little or nothing in return. If all that achieves is keeping my dollars in Australia then so be it.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Vesper Martini

Certainly would work for some, Ironic you work in the coal industry though

I reckon at least 50% of people I work with have solar at home. Yes we supply coal for NSW coal power plants, but we try to avoid using it. Pretty weird in a way.

Even if I bought an electric car and charged it partly on coal, at least I am contributing to that supply rather than some foreign oil.
However V8's are cool though and I want one of them.

Originally Posted by Sprintey

It's not that silly. I want to know what would happen to a household solar array in this situation, as I have one. I suspect giant frying pan effect. Further, I'd almost guarantee all electric cars, smartphones, much of our communication - gone.

Going further still, I'd almost guarantee an HJ60 would continue to work - fully mechanical diesel. (manual crank, too!). Studies I have reviewed suggested most pre-computer cars would continue to work. Tyres would form a bit of a faraday cage.

We are rushing to create a future that is extremely vulnerable to exactly the disturbances that a decreasing protective magnetic field of Earth (happening) could allow more of. Ie, it wouldn't have to be the size of the Carrington Event to do widespread damage: look at the damage done in recent years by much smaller solar storms (documented & out there).

Some things would work, but society will basically crumble because most things have some form on computer in them. Supply chains will break down because the computer systems which run them will fail. Most vehicles in the supply chain will not work since most transportation companies like to keep a mostly modern fleet.

I know that the vast majority of coal trains in NSW are ECP. No chance of them running after a solar flare. That's assuming coal mining and coal plants can run. I assume they wouldn't be able to.
Every time I think of solar flares it reminds me to get me fruit and veggie garden in better shape.