> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Doug > Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 7:12 PM > To: Killer Bs Discussion > Subject: Who Killed the Electric Car > > Has anyone else seen this film? It's very depressing to understand how > people and businesses can conspire against our prosperous future so > blatently.
Do you think that it is possible that there are practical problems with electric cars that kept them from catching on? As one of the commentators on a discussion group about this film stated, wouldn't they have been a lot more practical in Europe where gas prices are much higher than the US? Why wouldn't a small European car company make them. And, indeed, there are electric cars for sale from a small British car maker. Prices are high for electric cars...and the range of the cheaper ones is low. One sees the problems with the energy density available in cheap rechargeable batteries. The one car that's now for sale uses expensive batteries, and can has a high top speed and 200 miles of range....but it costs 100k. > I also wasn't aware of how completely impracticle the fuel cell cars are > as documented by a Toyota guy in the film that builds and tests them. There are problems with fuel cells too. One of the problems with government sponsored technology programs is that they are inherently political. Thus, a great deal of money can be pored down a hole, with all the best intentions. An example of this is the 5th generation computers that Japan wasted their money on....they were supposed to be the foundation of Japan becoming _the_ technology power of the late 20th century and ended up being near worthless. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
