Solar and Wind are already cheaper than Coal in many areas (solar not so much in Alaska, but pretty much in most southern states) so even if forces that be want to push coal, it is a losing proposition against the already-cheaper-and-getting-cheaper-every-year renewable energy.
Wouldn't it be most ironical if within a few years EVs will be winning, not because the powers that be are concerned about emissions, but simply because oil is a losing proposition against the economic power of electric drivetrains? One can dream of a vision that allows us to move in the right direction, even under the yoke of powers that want to move in the opposite direction... Note that the two countries that contain 1/3 of the world population China and India are in dire need to get off of coal as they are choking on the bad consequences of burning that much coal, that is why solar and even EVs are getting so much promotion in those locations. The solar war is pretty much won in that the price is low enough, they just need to install more of it. EVs are following not because they are cheaper or simpler, but simply because they are getting sick of the pollution levels, similar to how choking smog in places like Los Angeles led California to implement very strict emissions rules. Sometimes it has to get bad before it gets better, because people wisen up when it starts hurting... Cor van de Water Chief Scientist Proxim Wireless office +1 408 383 7626 Skype: cor_van_de_water XoIP +31 87 784 1130 private: cvandewater.info http://www.proxim.com This email message (including any attachments) contains confidential and proprietary information of Proxim Wireless Corporation. If you received this message in error, please delete it and notify the sender. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, or copying of any part of this message is prohibited. -----Original Message----- From: EV [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of EVDL Administrator via EV Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2016 2:08 PM To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List Subject: Re: [EVDL] GM Killed The (Bolt) Electric Car On 20 Nov 2016 at 11:43, Cor van de Water via EV wrote: > If China and India and Europe and several countries of S America and > Asia are moving to electric transportation then it is pretty irrelevant > what happens in USA ... I wouldn't go so far as to say "irrelevant," because the US is (at least for the moment) a pretty large market for new vehicles. But it's far from the only market. Vehicle demand is trending up in places we would have called "third world" just a few years ago, and some of those places think that EVs might be a good idea. It's possible that success in rolling back EV demand in the US might prompt the automakers to try similar strategies in other countries. Some of them will no doubt be open to it. Early UK legislative proposals after the "Brexit" vote had to do with weakening environmental laws, some of which were originally passed to comply with EU regulations. That is likely to spread. Radical political changes have already taken place in Hungary and Poland. "Brexit" style changes are also somwhere between possible and likely over the next few elections in France, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden. We could see the weakening or even the complete breakup of the EU. That would be a dismaying setback for environmental law and for EVs. I guess this all sounds kind of dire (just call me Mr Worst Case Scenario), but still my hope is that EVs are close to some kind of critical mass internationally. If that's true, EVs WILL be manufactured around the world. Despite Elon Musk's confidence it's still a tough slog for a small upstart automaker (look what happened to Pivco / Think), so let's hope the EV manufacturers' list continues to include Tesla. Which of these EVs are offered in the US will depend on many factors, from perceived demand and profitability to impending US protectionism and economic isolation. For example, tightening US FMVSS while loosening emissions regulations would favor large US ICEVs at the expense of imports, smaller vehicles, and EVs. > besides a repeat of the 70's where the USA automakers were wiped away > by events beyond their control due to their lack of preparation for > change (not entirely unlike Dinosaurs). I think that's likely, but who knows when? OPEC was pretty successful in throttling the US with their oil blockade, but that was 40+ years ago, and our petroleum sources are more diverse now. There's also that protectionist sentiment I mentioned above. OTOH, big energy companies already have plenty of market control, and I sure don't see that diminishing. I can imagine an internal US version of OPEC, or an Enron style cartel, manufacturing an artifical fuel shortage for the sake of their profits, just as well as I can imagine an actual depletion of reserves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis Also, weakening US MPG and energy efficiency requirements could trigger a small orgy of energy consumption here. That would hasten the "day of petroleum reckoning." (It would also be pretty bad news for the rest of the world.) Interesting times, indeed. David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA EVDL Administrator = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = EVDL Information: http://www.evdl.org/help/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Note: mail sent to "evpost" and "etpost" addresses will not reach me. 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