I totally agree. You have to start this conversion somewhere. If the car maker and oil suppliers weren't in it together we could probably do that now. I believe we can eventually go full electric.
Nutty joe suggested a battery trade center as the fuel source for a hybird that would go 300 miles a day on electricity. I don't see having to use the gas motor much if we have these trade centers. We'd be almost all electric already. It would be much cheaper and more feasble for the auto makers to just phase out the gas motor altogether.

Well the reason why I said an assortment of those is that, if you make only one universal fuel, like we did with fossil-fuels, it tends to get problematic. If we went all on electric, that would put a greater demand on energy companies...and right now most of our energy comes from coal: one of the main contributers to green house gas emissions.

If we were to go all electric, we would need a revolution in the energy industry before we have a revolution in the automotive industry. And that would take even longer.

The automobile industry is very competitive. With companies from America, France, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Korea, and others then if the technology existed to make cars more fuel-efficient then some company would have taken advantage of it to give them an advantage in the world-wide market. Paul Shanklin did a good "interview" that I heard on the radio. I copied it and here it is. It shows the silliness of mandating such high "Corporate Average Fuel Effeciency" (CAFE) Standards.

ANNOUNCER: Let's go 7 years into the future & lets imagine one of the first buyers of the new "Ford Excuse, The new 4 x 4 that meets the new fuel effeciency standards."

JACK: Hey Bob, cute........car.

BOB: Yeah, it's my new 2014 Ford Excuse 4 x 4, Limited Edition, the first 4 x 4 to meet the new mileage standards, 37 miles per gallon.

JACK: mmmm, Limited Edition.

BOB: Yeah, they only made 3 this year to keep up with the demand.

JACK: Kinda small, don't you think.

BOB: Oh, yeah, but it does get 37 miles per gallon.

(CRINKLING SOUNDS)

BOB: Hey, careful, don't lean on it too hard. The sheet metal is kinda thin.

JACK: ooh, sorry!..........Let's go for a ride.

(TIGHT SQUEEZE SOUNDS)

JACK: Kinda tight in here.

BOB: yeah, but, my Ford Excuse gets...........

JACK: I know, 37 miles per gallon.

(LAWNMOWER STARTING SOUNDS)

JACK: What is that?

BOB: The optional BRIGGS & STRATTON V-2 ENGINE, only 12 horesepower.
But it does get............

JACK: I know, I know, 37 miles per gallon. Can you tow anything?

BOB: NO

JACK: Carry any cargo?

BOB: Well uh........it does get............

JACK AND BOB: 37 miles per gallon.

BOB: You want to go for a drive around the block?

JACK: I don't know...........what time is it?

BOB: 3 oclock

JACK: Will we be back in time for dinner?

BOB: GOOD QUESTION

ANNOUNCER: THE 2014 FORD EXCUSE 4 X 4. The futue is coming


.

Gmeyer, this is the problem with relying solely on the market for environmental change. They're still operating within the narrow confines of the oil addiction. It's one of the reasons why American companies are sinking. The most they're doing with fuel efficiency is finding out ways to make fossil-fuel cars run more efficiently, as opposed to using completely different alternatives.

They won't innovate, like Japanese companies are starting to do, because they're still stuck in this 21-ton show-em-your-huge-penis truck mentality. And they're not showing any sign of wanting to innovate. The US has one of the lowest fuel standards than any other industrial country out there. California wants to raise their fuel standards to levels that would match China's in like ten years and American car and fuel companies are already suing. I mean that's just sad.

But if we raised our fuel standards to that which would match Europe's...we wouldn't have to import any fuel from OPEC. To me it seems that would kill two birds with one stone...but our market won't like that. They're too busy closing plants and laying off thousands of workers.

Clearly, the government needs to intervene.

That is why I was saying these battery centers would have to be self-sufficent. That was what all the talk about the battery banks was about. The Battery center would use a huge battery bank to charge the smaller automobile ones, and then charge the battery bank with solar, wind, water and, as a back up, a bio-diesel generator. The places don't exist yet so building them would be the challenge not converting the energy industry. By-pass them altogether.
I'm out of here. Have a great night, everyone.

Now this is what I like to see-constructive thought for a better purpose without the personal name-calling and insulting that sometimes erupts here. Thank you everyone.
Katcinsky, the hybrid idea is just a short-term idea of mine until a better long-term idea can be implemented. None less important is the reduction of pollution and the benefits to the environment.
Keep the good ideas coming!

It was on the news the other day that hybrids don't pass emmissions standards. So much for them!

You missed my point. I don't think that the technology exists or someone, foreign or domestic, would have used it. BTW Would you like people to drive around in flimsy little death traps. Statistics show that many people have died because they were in small cars when they were in an accident.

Is the problem the small cars or the big suv's and trucks that are crashing into them? I think it's the big heavy vehicles that are the problem, but from reading your posts, it doesn't sound like you care much about their impact on the environment or the devestating effects they have when crashing into the more economical cars.

I didn't catch that . Did they say all hybrids do not pass emission standards or cannot pass them?