Thread: Electric ferries - good idea?

Originally Posted by Tentman

All you naysayers are doing is demonstrating your lack of knowledge. Heaps of electric prime movers in underground mining (and have been for a century at least), many yachts have electric main engines and have done for at least 30 years . . . Electric is the way "back to the future" - we just have to learn hiw to do it. Must put fhe Stihl electric saw battery on charge, hell of a productivity tool, I estimate it saves me at least two hours a week, reduces and simplifies my tool bin and is safer to boot.

Here we go, comparing apples with effluent. Electric prime movers in a mine site are powered by what? Yep diesel. Electric motors powering ships - yep diesel. We had electric powered ships in WWII, yep they cocked up and blew up with relentless monotony. There are advantages to electric, namely for ships the shorter driveline allows for flatter shaft angles which is more hydraulically efficient. But, they fail more often due to the magic smoke getting toey and deciding to piss off...

I have electric and battery tools too. And while I do use them a lot, if I'm doing real work I get out a real tool and it's got enough balls to do the job - I couldn't lift the equivalent tool with a battery inbulit into it!