Interesting discussion and thnsk for the ultra capacitor mention Running Bear. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/4252623.html http://www.zenncars.com/media/documents/nytimes.pdf http://www.worldandi.com/subscribers/feature_detail.asp?num=23938 http://earth2tech.com/2008/02/04/the-rise-of-the-ultracapacitor/ http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/ultracapacitor-nanotechnology-breakthrough-power-storage.php http://www.ultracapacitors.org/ultr...issued-new-patent-on-the-eesu.html#jreactions http://www.marketwatch.com/news/sto...FF915-9960-4840-A265-38541AD40FF6}&dist=msr_2 http://uk.reuters.com/article/g...5020081219?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0 http://74.125.45.132/search?q=cache...attery+j+miller+2004&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us Author of 1st article above literally wrote the book on the subject: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en...8oV&sig=8G4RYteMILmxcAjRP7N8WVWgf8s#PPA414,M1
he has a point though, the electric car is a great output but the input needs work too ie more efficient sources of clean energy like this http://www.nanosolar.com/
Absolutely he has a point. And hopefully, at some point, folks will run the numbers and realize that running electric cars west of the Mississippi means (roughly) turning all of Oregon into a hydroelectric reservoir. The problem is not and has never been that transportation is gas-fueled. The problem is and will always be that an enormous number of people and a huge amount of "stuff" is being moved huge distances. There is no free lunch - the energy has to come from somewhere - and the simple fact is gasoline is a wonderful store of energy. Which is exactly why we use it.
Good point and a good argument for massive improvement in the rail system in particular, the most efficient means of moving people and stuff large distances over land, and public transport in general. We should also take a page out of Pollen's book Omnivoreâs dilemma and produce/consume locally as much as possible. Electric cars and more efficient inputs in to the grid, and we are on our way to being closer to better utilizing our resources. Perhaps this is what the next century is all about, extending the gains made in human productivity to optimum utilization of resources. As the global population grows and gets richer, countries that learn to get the most use out of their non human resources will do best. As long as private enterprise is harnessed to the task the US should do well, if it is all centrally planned without leveraging/incentivizing our private enterprise I am doubtful that we will be as successful.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I see people in the Northeast or in Canada buying "organic" bananas from Chile or "organic" lettuce from California. It makes an absolute mockery of what "organic" was supposed to mean. It seems like we could get the open market to work on this issue quite quickly by simply adopting a rational trade policy that does not allow the country to run a trade deficit (without explicit limits on any class of goods). Since oil is such a huge percentage of the trade deficit, it will have to compete against all the other imports and there would be an enormous financial incentive to improve efficiency. And without exclusions for any particular goods, you greatly lessen the risk of centrally-planned "distortions".
All very good points.... Of course one does not have to use just one technology....as has already been pointed out....Resources are most efficient ....where they are most efficient.... The larger cities ....higher populations....thus a higher concentration of electric cars....versus more spatial areas.... Where pollution, insurance costs etc are highest....electric makes sense.... This is a slow directional process......some projects are more than 30 years....more.... For example what is the manufacturing retooling changeover time..... How many years for fleet conversion ..... Finance requirements..... The list goes on.... The furthest the discussion can go.....would concern long term projects.... However....companies such as Israel´s Better Place could commence city by city.....but this happens when the price is right.... Conversion is going to be price led.... Also when innovation unfolds ....so do the risks ....ie battery innovations or other technologies rendering previous technologies obsolete....ie innovation risk....