Rick101 wrote:I have to disagree. I think electric vehicles are going to get more and more popular over the next 5-10 years. The pace of technology is phenomenal.
Firstly , let me say that I am not some eco-warrior who waves "Save the planet" banners on protest marches. Far from it. However, despite appearances, I do have at least two brain cells that work.
I have no doubt they will get more popular, nor that charging points will become ubiquitous. My contention is that batteries are not the environmentally friendly alternative people think they are. I doubt the 'fun' factor will last long and I certainly doubt anybody will fall in love with driving when they have to contend with electric or hybrid vehicles for everyday use.
When you have a hybrid car, if you only use batteries, you carry the weight of an engine and fuel around, reducing range and performance. When you only use the engine, you carry the weight of all those batteries and a motor, reducing range and performance and kicking out more CO2 than if the car were lighter. Cars are heavy enough already, without batteries adding to the problem. Weight kills performance, economy and handling, a fact not lost on car manufacturers, but still they persist with this 'fashionable' idea.
Pick up a laptop computer battery and feel the weight. Then multiply by several hundred. Ouch. What processes are needed to produce a car battery? How 'eco' is the process? What is the life expectancy? How do you dispose of them? If they die after a couple of years hard use, who is responsible for replacing them? Are they consumables like most other batteries? Charging batteries takes how long?
We need to wait a long time before going down the hybrid route. In the meantime, adapting current cars to run on bio fuels and adapting the current infrastructure would be far simpler and cheaper. Growing fuel has to be better than refining fossil fuels, making batteries and trying to install charging points everywhere. Oil is already scarce. Balance out emissions from the exhaust with the benefits of renewable fuel that absorbs CO2 whilst growing. Fewer oil rigs and ships transporting oil, equipment and people to far flung places because vast swathes of the planet could be used to grow fuel. A few more wind farms and suddenly oil and coal reserves will last longer. But not forever.
Until then, I will drive my petrol cars that I find aesthetically appealing and reasonable fun to drive on interesting roads, even if they don't have big engines, shed loads of power and torque or amazing economy. Coz I luv driving.