The electric car is at the cusp of being a valid and viable option. Tesla proved it can be done. Now it's just a question of how cheaply it can be done. There's no denying the movement towards renewable energy sources. You're only talking about 50 years of development of electric vehicles which is nothing compared to the development of ICE. I don't think there is turning back on this technology now.Firebot wrote: ↑People have been talking of the electric car which has been manufactured since the 1960's. The technology is not there. Tesla (as cool as it is) being the closest thing to a viable product is not the answer. All that electric cars will do should it ever hit the market is drive the price of electricity sky high, driving people back to oil. Even then, electricity in Canada is mostly generated from non-renewable sources. Simple supply and demand is what is at play.
http://www.electricvehiclesnews.com/His ... storyV.htm
Again we are talking of flying car syndrome. What seems so technologically close is actually very far away from economical and practical use.
It simply comes back down to the problem that is a lot more cost-effective oil available than prevously though even 10 years ago through techonogical advances and this oil is being extracted now through fracking and horizontal drilling. The US who was a net importer of oil, is now fully self-sufficient and able to produce more oil than Saudi Arabia. If anything cheap oil is going to significantly detract the push towards alternatives. The whole point of alternatives is to get away from a relative expensive limited non-renewable source of energy that is highly pollutant. The alternatives have to be better than what it is replacing.
I know that many try to figure out oil and energy without being in the industry, but some of these predictions are Jetsons science fiction territory.
I think the real question we should be asking is, while there is more cost-effective oil available now, *how* cost effective will it be when oil prices are dropping and still haven't found support yet? Will fracking and horizontal drilling still be profitable with low oil prices? Can these companies sustain prolong periods of low oil prices?
What I think is that people have had a taste of expensive oil and a taste of the possibilities of leaving oil and that they will continue on that path towards renewable energy sources.
I don't drive more now that fuel is cheaper, nor do I stop looking at fuel economy when looking for new cars.
I know for myself, as soon as a reasonable electric vehicle both in specs and price comes on the market, I'm out of the gasoline car. I suspect there are lots of people like myself.
How this translates to current oil prices and producers, I'm not too sure. I want to place my bet saying we won't see those record highs anytime soon.
