Electric Cars

Volvo announced this week that it going to phase out internal combustion engines and replace them with all electric vehicles. Tesla, of course, has been producing electric vehicles for some time. There are those that see this as sign that in the future, all vehicles will be electric powered.

As usual, I have my thoughts about this. First and foremost, if they think they can win in a fight with the gas and oil boys, they are mistaken. There is just too much money and jobs at stake. It’s like finding a cure for cancer. Millions would be out of a job.

My next concern is the reliability and range of electric cars. The range has improved, but what will happen when a vehicle gets a few miles and years? If your ride breaks down on the freeway, you won’t be able to have someone just come out and fix it on the spot. Well, maybe if you carry a really long extension cord. Maybe, you could get someone to give you a charge from their vehicle lighter plug.

We have a friend that had an electric car and he had to replace the batteries. It was expensive to say the least. And, how do you dispose or recycle the batteries? Vehicle range and reliability will have to improve or the market will not accept them.

Electric generation and distribution in this country is often at it limits now. If you add a few million cars to charge, you will create additional load on power plants, that may not be able to generate without coal or oil. Trust me, solar and wind generation will not keep the lights on, and that means your buggy will be sitting in the garage, where you will have spent dollars to install a charging station.

The cost of electricity will soar - the old supply and demand. If you think your electric bill is high now, you may want to think about what it will be like to shut down your air conditioning or other appliances to try to control your cost. And, remember, charging your smart phone takes priority over your car.

Remember the long lines during gas shortages? The high prices? And, how much time it took to buy gas? Just imagine waiting in line at an electric charging station. It takes a minimum of 30 minutes just to get you rolling for a few miles. Before you think you can just call a tow truck, there could be a time when the tow trucks are electric too and they may not be charged up.

We’ve been flying toy electric (battery powered) model planes for years. I wonder if that would be the next step after all the cars are switched over. You won’t be allowed any luggage because of the weight of the batteries.

When you start flying in electric planes, parachutes will be the upgrade you don’t want to turn down.

PMO
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