At 7/5/08 02:26 AM, dySWN wrote:
Electric? Not the wave of the future.
Hybrid cars, on the other hand, I can see dominating the market within the next 100 or so years - primarily because, unlike electrics, many hybrids can recoup energy from downhills and braking so that you don't just end up spending your gas savings on your increased electric bill.
Hybrids don't provide any real long term relief from rising fuel prices. They may double your fuel economy but as the demand from other countries like china and india raise the price of oil, the savings from your hybrid are canceled. The real solution price-wise is take America's infrastucture off personal transportation and mandate public travel options. As long as we require oil, oil companies and suppliers have our balls in a vice.
For those would still need the luxury of a car, the car should much more than just an internal combustion and battery hybrid. Super capacitors, ultra-high capacity batteries, flywheels, and optimised drivetrains in lightweight chasis all need to be incorporated into each car to make for the most efficient travel.