Replies

I think the evolutionary path is through hybrid vehicles with on-board electricity generation, eventually combined with an ability to use externally supplied electricity, perhaps in towns or on major intercity routes. Using externally supplied electricity versus manufacturing fuel is far more efficient.

The problem with the usual implementation of that approach is that it involves a massive, centralized electricity generating facility that disburses electricity through a grid to the end user.

Which is to say that this implementation, like all implementations of "mass transportation," is extraordinarily vulnerable to terrorism.

One of the ironies of 9-11 is that the United States is, maybe after Australia, the industrialized nation LEAST susceptible to terrorism, because our population is so widely disbursed [in the suburbs] and shuns mass transportation in favor of the family automobile.

Nations like England, France, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan [or, worse yet, Hong Kong] are just sitting ducks for terrorist attacks, because their populations are so highly concentrated, so highly dependent on mass transportation [compare Spain on 3-11], and because their power grids also tend to be highly centralized [think of the nuclear power grid in France]. Of course, the poster-child for a highly concentrated population that's highly dependent on mass transportation would be none other than Israel herself.

You could do electricity as a source of propulsion, but to shield it adequately from terrorist attack, you're gonna need a generator in every backyard across the United States, and judging from how loud those things can get, that could cause some serious insomnia.

and judging from how loud those things can get, that could cause some serious insomnia.

Obviously you've never been around a tactical/quiet military 60kw generator. That's what I've recently reclassified to operate and they are amazing pieces of equipment.

Everytime someone brings up the electric/hybrid car issue, I ask them who will be supplying all of the batteries? Where do heavy metals used in batteries come from? Where will all the used batteries end up? What about the acid?

In other words, if all the cars in the US were changed to hybrids, instead of affecting the environment with (so-called) greenhouse gasses, we pollute the environment with increased heavy metal strip mining.

It usually causes the greenies to get a brain cramp!

I disagree. On-board generation using liquid hydrocarbon fuel provides an immediately available backup for the transportation electric grid in this plan. Yes, I understand that as soon as it went in there would be a clamor to make grid use mandatory inside cities, but an exception for grid outage ought to be part of the plan.

Good argument, though.