"By contrast, a modern Tesla Model S supercar has a battery pack which powers a single water-melon sized motor linked directly to its wheels. Engineering wise, its brilliant. Mechanical Engineering wise, its a huge loss of accumulated knowledge and craftsmanship."
Electric cars are not just a motor and wheels. Other than the engine and drive train, they have all of the same mechanical systems a conventional car has: suspension, steering, brakes, air conditioning, air bags, crumple zones, aerodynamically designed exteriors, etc.
I was largely referring to the process of converting fuel into motion. Basically the engine and the drive train- which are some of our most precisely manufactured systems
As a mechanical engineer, I've always clung to the notion that I need to be multi-disciplinary. The days of being able to get by in Mech without knowing how to write code or work with some basic circuitry ended in the 90s, if not earlier.
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[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 18.4 ms ] threadElectric cars are not just a motor and wheels. Other than the engine and drive train, they have all of the same mechanical systems a conventional car has: suspension, steering, brakes, air conditioning, air bags, crumple zones, aerodynamically designed exteriors, etc.