[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Who Killed the Electric Car?

[Lawrence Lile]

I'm convinced that electric vehicles are one component of a Green
future, here's the reasoning

Electricity can be the worst fuel(Dirty Coal Plants, nukes) or the best
fuel (Wind and solar power).  

Ethanol is a great transition fuel.  I buy it whenever I can, and the
rumor that it takes more energy to make than you get out of it is no
longer true, that was based on 1980's technology. However, there isn't
enough biomass to meet the demand for transportation fuels.

Hybrids are transition vehicles.  Even if you can run your hybrid on
E-85, you are still using 15% gasoline. Watch them, though, Car mfrs are
considering making hybrids with much larger batteries, that could
provide full electric power for 90% of commutes. 

Most miles (at least for me) are commuting miles, electric vehicles are
ideal commuting vehicles, useless long-distance vehicles. I can charge
at home and at work, so short battery ranges are not an issue. 

Hydrogen is a ridiculous hype.  Hydrogen is not an "energy source" as
touted by many who promote it - nobody has a hydrogen mine or a hydrogen
well!  Hydrogen is a fuel made out of other fuels at great energy
expense.  The Oil companie's favorite way is to crack petroleum
products.  Yes you can make it with electrolysis, which takes gobs of
electricity, far more than you get out as fuel.  Why not just put the
juice into a battery?  

Many electric utilities have an option to buy Green power.  My utility
is considering it, and about every 6 months I write letters and call
them to remind them of their verbal commitment to sell Green power.  An
insider that I work with says it is coming "soon".  

For my own needs, an electric vehicle, a solar house, and green power
from the utility means that my own family could be carbon neutral in the
near future.  I think this is a real possibility for hundreds of
thousands of others.  

After I get my house built, I am going on a campaign to build an
electric vehicle, since there are few commercial alternatives.  Here are
a few links:

http://www.myersmotors.com/  Production electric vehicles based on the
old Sparrow

http://www.electroauto.com/  Electric car conversion kits.  I plan to
get one of these and install it in a used Geo Metro.  Anybody got a Geo
Metro for sale, preferably with a blown engine?  

--Lawrence Lile



-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of George J.
Nesbitt
Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2006 7:32 PM
To: Greenbuilder list
Subject: [BULK] [Greenbuilding] Who Killed the Electric Car?
Importance: Low

I saw Who Killed the Electric Car yesterday.
I thought it was very good overall, a bit sad, but with a hopeful
ending.
It's about California's attempt (failed?) to mandate zero emission
vehicles (like electricity doesn't pollute).
The biggest thing they left out, was that electric, hydrogen, hybrids,
ethanol, etc. are only part of the solution, we need to be less
dependant on personal transportation in the first place!
Has everyone heard about the movie?
Has anyone seen it?
Does anyone have an electric, biodiesel, ethanol, or hybrid vehicle?

Anyway, I would recommend seeing the movie to everybody.