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This 192-wheel vehicle is carrying nuclear waste to Utah right now

George Kennedy — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, Videos, Work, Specialty

In light of Japan's Fukushima disaster, the future of nuclear power is a topic of debate whenever alternative power sources are discussed. Whether you are for nuclear power or against it, one legacy of this technology will be the great lengths that governments and power companies must go to dispose of the spent fuel and other byproducts.

The San Onofre nuclear power station replaced its steam generator several years ago, but only now is it able to move the old generator to a secure disposal facility. The generator must be moved in four parts. Each section is roughly 50-feet long and 15 feet in diameter and requires a transportation method of epic proportions. The trailer specifically constructed for this move is 400-feet long, nearly 17-feet high and it will take three weeks to make the 830-mile trip from San Onofre to its Utah disposal site.

For safety and security reasons, the route for the trips are undisclosed, though the first leg snakes its way through San Bernadino and Riverside counties. The generator parts will travel at night for minimal traffic, accompanied by California Highway Patrol.

The whole rig weighs in at 700,000 pounds and can only travel at a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour. Though the generator is irradiated, standing next to the rig for an hour will only expose you to the same amount of radiation as a dentist's x-ray.

An official from Southern California Edison says this special package could be the largest load ever to be moved such a distance distance. As our nation's nuclear powerplants age, motorists may see more impressive sights like this in the coming year. In case you don't find one on your nightly commute, check out the video below.

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This 192-wheel vehicle is carrying nuclear waste to Utah right now originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reputation of electric cars takes a hit in Japan due to tsunami aftermath?

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Japan

Electric vehicle owners like to think of themselves as green, but that color may be taking on a more glowing, radioactive hue in Japan.

The ecologically friendly reputation of electric cars in Japan is taking a hit since last year's meltdowns of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant have made more people concerned about a primary source of electricity throughout the country, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

The meltdown - caused my last March's earthquake and ensuing tsunami - created a 12-mile radius around Fukushima where people are barred because of radiation issues. Before last year's disaster, the Japanese government planned on having nuclear power eventually supply half of the country's electricity, up from a third, but those plans have been put on hold.

Nissan, which has said it expects to sell 1.5 million electric vehicles around the world by 2015, has sold just 12,000 battery-electric Leafs in Japan since launching the model in 2010, according to the report. There have been positive associations drawn between the EV and its role in the earthquake relief efforts (between the Mitsubishi i and the aftermath, too) and Nissan even touted the way some battery packs that were damaged in the quake survived intact.

Rising gas prices make charging an EV in Japan about 90 percent less expensive than filling a tank. That said, electricity prices may spike expenses stemming from fixing the Fukushima plant increase. The higher cost might be the way EVs could get lumped together with nuclear energy in some consumers' minds.

Reputation of electric cars takes a hit in Japan due to tsunami aftermath? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Japan's nuclear woes dampen electric vehicle enthusiasm?

Chris Shunk — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:04:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Electric

2011 Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery

We've already seen the panic here in the U.S. as activists and analysts question our nuclear infrastructure, and Congress considers a re-examination of our existing facilities. These new fears about nuclear power have everything to do with the events unfolding at Japan's Fukushima power plant, and Automotive News wonders if that trepidation could dampen the prospects of electric vehicles as well.

Plans in Europe call for about 1 million EVs on the road by 2020, and a lot that push centers around increasing the number of nuclear power plants to feed these vehicles. Let's face it, an EV that's charged via electricity generated at an oil or coal-burning plant doesn't do much to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, so nuclear makes a lot of sense. And as costly and time-consuming as it is to erect a nuclear facility, it's likely easier and less expensive than relying on solar, wind or hydro-electric energy sources.

So what does all this have to do with electric vehicles? If the events unfolding in Japan lead governments to question the safety and viability of nuclear power, then new plants will be slow to come online. If car buyers know that their EV is likely burning the same CO2-emitting fossil fuels as their neighbor's internal combustion engine, what's the point of paying more for something that's just as dirty, more expensive and not as easy to fuel up?

Right now the situation at the Fukushima power plant is dire, but if the situation gets worse, the future of nuclear power, and possibly even EVs, could be just as bleak.

[Source: Automotive News sub. req.]

Will Japan's nuclear woes dampen electric vehicle enthusiasm? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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