On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:13:27 -1000, dsi1 wrote:

> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
>>
>> IMO, the hybrid and electric cars are not quite proven technology. That
>> clean electric fuel often comes from dirty generating plants. The expensive
>> batteries will have to be recycled to avoid contamination from the
>> chemicals. Moving the greenhouse gasses from the car to a powerplant does
>> not solve the problems, at least not yet.
>
> The hybrid is an interim technology on the road to electric cars which
> seems to be the future of personal transportation. The main importance
> of hybrids is that it's preparing us for fully electric cars. It's
> something that we have to go through. My guess is that it will take
> about 25 years until the last gas pump in the US is taken down.
>
> Of course, all the problems with the batteries and power generation and
> conduits able to handle the loads will be solved. They don't really seem
> that difficult compared the ones we faced building an infrastructure to
> support gasoline powered vehicles so 80 years ago.
>

well, inertia is one of the problems. we took a fork in the road (so to
speak) favoring the gasoline-powered automobile some years ago, and now
there *is* that huge investment in that infrastructure, and consequently
big money to be disbursed in political contributions and the like to make
sure that infrastructure (and the profits therefrom) remains in place.

the change will come when it is forced upon us when the oil runs out (which
will be pretty soon) at a greater expense and with greater dislocations
than might have been strictly necessary had we had some foresight and
planned better for that event.

your pal,
blake