---- Original Message -----
From: "Zell, Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <vortex-l@eskimo.com>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 9:37 AM
Subject: RE: Who Killed the EV?
I don't see any need for any conspiracy to kill off electric cars at
all. The range is awful, they take time to recharge, the battery life
sucks and they are small
- especially when compared to the profitable SUV's that US manufacturers
produce. They suck.
It's a chicken and egg thing. Sure, there isn't much "demand" for electric
vehicles at the moment. But that is mainly because the auto companies have
no interest in developing them or marketing them. People just don't know
about EVs and their advantages, especially for people who don't drive very
far. I'm sure with gasoline prices more than double from where they stood
when the EV as introduced in 1997, a lot more people would be interested in
EVs that cost only 1/4 to operate than petrol cars.
The auto companies certainly aren't showing any interest in developing EVs.
Sure there are range limitations and other issues. But how they going to
improve the technology when no development effort is put into improving it?
A natural step towards EVs would be plug-in hybrids. There is no reason why
plug-in hybrids couldn't be used to provide short driving ranges on
electricity and longer driving ranges on gasoline. As battery technology
improves, such as longer life and faster charge lithium-ion batteries,
plug-in hybrids can slowly by shifted more towards batteries and less
towards petroleum.
I think the disinterest is a natural business inclination by auto/oil
companies not to invest in and promote technologies that would hurt them in
the long run. They know the sucessful introduction of plug-in hybrids and
EVs would hurt their industries terribly. A lot less cars would require
maintence and spare parts and perhaps would last longer with electric
engines. Oil would esstentially cease to be used for automotive purposes,
and would become a niche commodity used for lubricants and petrochemicals.
