Electric Cars are Stupid (Mostly)

What is causing this current infatuation with electric cars ?

I'd say it's the latest bait of that element of the environmental movement that is insincere, that group which really wants us all the go back to life as a peasant in the Middle Ages living in "harmony" with nature in a village of mud-walled, thatched roof huts with outhouses. They always have a carrot dangling just out of reach of the mule (aka 'ass' which is how they think of the common man) to lead it along, like those old cartoons.

Simple physics means electric cars are very, very inefficient is use of energy. Why ?

Almost no conversion process is 100% efficient. Electric cars require several conversions to get the car moving. First the power must be generated - there are no electricity mines or wells. Then the power must be transmitted to the charging station. Then the battery must be charged. And finally the power is used by the motor to create movement. That's FOUR process conversions. The losses of energy must be very large.

Almost all electric power is generated by coal, natural gas or nuclear. Hydro contributes a lot select areas.

Using natural gas directly in cars can involve only one conversion: burning the gas in the engine to create movement. The finding, drilling, pumping and transportation incur no losses. A distribution system would need to be created.

Using nuclear power for electricity generation to run cars could work, but one loses a lot in transmission and battery charging. Using nuclear power to make hydrogen works better.

Hydrogen cars could work very efficiently and be very, very clean. BUT ONLY if the hydrogen is created by using nuclear power to make the hydrogen from water. Breeder reactors have an almost inexhaustible supply of fuel. Using those plants to make hydrogen, then one needs a distribution system to get the hydrogen gas to the cars. That process will not incur significant losses - it's similar to a natural gas distribution system.

The ONLY positive thing one can say about electric cars is they do not use imported oil. THAT is a BIG PLUS. But that's the only positive thing.

For all the blather about energy policy for the past 35 years, why does the US have none ? That's easy - the ruling classes like crisis and like to keep their snouts in the 'energy crisis' trough. If the problem is solved, the trough empties.

Here's a 'starter' policy.

1. Start building nuclear power plants - breeder reactors are best as they can use plentiful U-238 to make more fuel.
2. Build a combination natural gas & hydrogen (for long term future) distribution system.
3. Perfect natural gas powered cars.
4. Divert much power generation from natural gas to nuclear.
5. Use the natural gas to power an increasing share of US motor vehicles.
6. Over time, start making hydrogen from more & more nuclear plants.
7. Develop a multi-fuel car motor that uses natural gas OR hydrogen with a few simple changes.

When fully implemented (maybe 20 years), all motor vehicles could runs on natural gas or hydrogen transported via a robust distribution system. Eventually as natural gas becomes scarce, the system would be all hydrogen, perhaps after 50 years.

Over twenty years, US dependence on imported oil would go to ZERO. A good result, and the energy used for transportation would be all rather clean, too. Imagine, if this had been done in 1975 after the first energy crisis, how wonderful the US energy position would now be. Why wasn't a few hundred billion $ of stimulus money spent to SOLVE this vexing problem ? That's easy- the ruling class does not want to solve it.

Instead, the ruling classes have kept the US dependent on expensive oil imports that suck huge amounts of money out of the nation. This is an example of why the current ruling classes in DC must be kicked out by the people.

Word of the Day

"Rallentando" - adverb, adjective & noun [$10] Musical
Rallentando means (adverb & adjective) with a gradual decrease in speed; (noun) a passage to be performed in this way.
Sentence: Implementation of Bunkerman's energy policy would cause rallentando consumption of imported oil use, diminishing to zero after a couple decades.