Even with gas at the cheapest price in a decade I still read every day about how manufactures are coming up with this new electric car and that new hybrid. Now I would understand more if gas was $5/gal it would be from the market push. But the market wants power and size when gas is cheap. So the reason manufacturers are going this direction is government regulations. The big man wants higher mileage and lower pollution (green house gas)sic. Now don't get me wrong I like clean air but it has gone too far. Every new car has over $5k of government mandated stuff on it. That doesn't include the R&D costs. So safer & cleaner cars are heavier cars that need electric power. Now they are even heavier and now cost a lot more too. The latest article now says that the electrics aren't selling because of cheap gas. There's a shocker! When all the choices are electric we might as well have self driving cars because anything affordable won't be worth driving. Rant over... for now
I understand where you're coming from but the burning of fossil fuels is going to end whether you like it or not. There's quite a few alternatives out there. I don't think petrol burning cars will be made illegal, but I do think that in our lifetime that the use of them will be limited further down the road. Also, with as many folks out there who lack common sense behind the wheel, a self driving car will greatly reduce the number of accidents and traffic jams on the road ways. If all the traffic is orchestrated in an organized/synchronized matter the human element will be less likely to F it up. I believe that is a good thing. Not so much in the country but in cities for sure. ATL traffic is a nightmare and it's mostly due to people driving like idiots.
Your next electric car [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfCMUaVT7hk"]Man Claims His Hoverboard Exploded and Caught Fire While Riding It - YouTube[/ame]
I think those who are poo-pooing electric cars have never driven a properly sorted one, like a Tesla. The instant torque is addicting, along with the quiet smooth flow of power. As for not being any fun, you haven't driven electric go-karts! They are way more fun than the stinking putt putt karts - way more - faster too! However, I think the demise of the gasoline engine car is way past my lifetime, and will probably outlive the rest of the folks on this board too. The supply of fuel will be regulated to match the demand, and when the demand spikes, so will drilling and the search for alternatives. It ain't over yet, so enjoy it while you can and stop worrying about it!
Tesla makes a nice but still way to expensive. I do like how Dodge is giving the middle finger to everyone in government with the (3) 707 Hp Hellcats. Challenger, Charger and new Cherokee I will still never buy a Dodge / Mopar car ever.
I did say affordable electric car. Even at $80k Tesla looses money on each one. They need to sell the carbon credits for the company to make any money. Every electric car sold today looses money but they have to sell them because a few states say so. I agree the performance numbers on a Tesla are impressive. But just like gas cars you can't get those and have mileage. The range is short enough without driving hard. I don't see any charging stations where I like to drive.
I'd need a 500 mile range to ever consider one. That won't happen in my lifetime so I'll just burn gas. Thanks to all the electric car drivers who are saving gas for me to burn.
Cheap gas and US consumer sentiment toward burnin' it is a very dangerous situation for our automakers. The 2008 implosion of the industry was in part due to our addiction to big, crappy SUVs that Detroit could make very cheaply. Whether we like it or not, good automakers will take the long view and continue to develop the electric people movers. We don't have to like it, but it's the future. Here's the crazy part: Millennials and their spawn don't care. The latest iThingy is what's capturing their imagination. There are a few hold-outs, like my two boys, who are car crazy (I wonder where thay got that?). America's car obsession is slowly dying, but as long as I can have my karz, I don't care.
Electric power is not the only answer. Beside we burn fossil fuel to make it so battery's are not a long term answer.
https://www.teslamotors.com/gigafactory The tech is coming. I got to ride in a Tesla last year. They are awesome. Also, the new Tesla is down at 35k. The further along the technology gets the cheaper the cost to consumers. Confirmed: The $35,000 Tesla Model III Will Be Unveiled in March 2016
There are really only 2 realistic hybrid cars technologies that make sense if you take gov subsidies and regulations out of the equation. The first for the greener people is the tech that is used in the Volt, only it needs to be more efficient, and trains. A gas or diesel engine powers a generator and the generator powers the car. A small battery or capacitor is used as a reservoir for acceleration. The engine is optimized to run at a single rpm making it very efficient and clean. Audi had an A1 e-tron version using a single rotor Wankel. A very light weight and smooth package. For the fun side is similar to the La Ferrari although Subaru had the realistic idea many years ago. A smaller turbo engine to handle most of the car's needs and an electric motor for acceleration. Subaru sandwiched the electric motor between the engine and transmission and use large capacitors for storage. Now you can have all that great electric motor torque, no turbo lag, great mileage, along pop and burble and the fun we all like in a lighter weight package. Subaru did bring the technology out because regulations and incentives favored plug-ins. Now there's a mod idea. An R53 with 1 or 2 electric motors on the back with a set of large caps to give them some juice.
Years ago BMW had a 7 that used hydrogen. I believe it worked very well. I remember that they said the two problems were infrastructure, and that we do not have an efficient way to make hydrogen. I would think this is a much better way to go. If we spend the time to find better ways to make hydrogen it would be much more green. Batteries come with lots of problems.
Hydrogen is predominantly made from oil, using energy from coal fired plants........it's hardly "green". The BMW I-3 also runs only on it's batteries and electric motors, with an optional 'range extender" 2 cylinder gasoline engine that runs a genset to keep the batts charged enough to drive....it adds about 200 miles, but you still need to charge the batteries at some point. I think the most green way to do a car is solar charging stations, or solar charged batteries that you can swap easily. But none of this bothers me in the least, it's not the end of cars, or even the end of cars as we know them - it's just a different propulsion system, that's all.
The real answer.... The real answer is a methane extraction system built into the drives seat. Free clean burning fart propulsion. Today's gas stations could be turned converted to chili parlors so refueling would still be available should the need arise. Don't laugh this could work. Why this morning along I've produced enough clean methane to drive to Chicago. Pull my finger for passing power.
Don't worry...some kid that knows how to use a smart phone will 'volt' it up. Hey man, I'm running 36 volts at each wheel.