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With gas approaching $4.00 per gallon interest in alternatives is on the rise. (http://www.tribstar.com/automotive/cnhinsautos_story_133080103.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/plug.jpgM. Scott Carter - TribStar - May 12, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. — So what happens next?

Has the gas- powered, V8 engine gone the way of the dodo? Will the future bring Jetson-like flying vehicles fueled by household trash?

Or will the countries of the world destroy themselves fighting over what’s left of the globe’s oil?

No one knows for sure.

But if one University of Oklahoma professor has his way, the Middle East can keep its oil because the cars of the future won’t need gas — just an electrical outlet.

Dr. John Fagan, an OU professor of electrical engineering and director of the university’s Electric Vehicle Research Institute, said it’s time for American drivers to embrace the electric car.

“Electric vehicles are better for the environment and they can go about 100 miles on the equivalent of a half-gallon of fuel,” he said.

The cars, Fagan said, typically average about 100 miles per day.

“Most people drive around two. They run from home to work or the grocery store. And that’s where we need electric vehicles, in the cities.”

Today’s electric cars will go about 100 miles before needing a recharge...http://www.tribstar.com/automotive/cnhinsautos_story_133080103.html

Thanks msantos for the find.

Interesting guy:

Over the next five years, Fagan predicts foreign automobile manufacturers will “hammer” American car companies with wave after wave of electric vehicles.

“Some of the Japanese automobile manufacturers are getting ready to release electric vehicles here,” he said. “Toyota is about ready to bury the American car companies, their electric cars are going to hit our shores very shortly and American car makers are going to be, once again, holding the bag.”

Sounds like we'll have more choices, and soon. Lutz needs to retire, so GM can survive.

“Ethanol is a good idea. But it’s basically 100 proof corn whiskey. And the economics of ethanol are not there. You put three BTU (British Thermal Units) worth of energy into making one BTU worth of fuel.”

Yes, he is an interesting guy.

“If we do nothing in the next three to five years, you won’t be going to the lake, because you won’t be able to afford the gas. If we don’t stop automobile manufacturers from making the abominations in gas mileage they are making right now, we’ll be in trouble. Chrysler and GM will be gone and gas will be $6 or $7 per gallon.”

We are already in deep trouble, Chrysler is on morphine drip, and we are watching GM in a death spiral.

Harry

Fords allready dead

No doubt about it, the future of road transport is electric, and we are on our
way there.

The pieces are coming together like in a jigsaw puzzle.

There are now more than 25 million electric bicycles in the world, and over
10,000 electric scooters. There are those goofy looking NEVs in the USA, 37,000
of which have been bought. There are high-end electric sports cars on their way
from the likes of Tesla, Lightning, and Fisker. Plus electric dragsters
outperforming allcomers. And electric dirtbikes. There are electric buses.
Roadgoing electric delivery trucks in sizes from 2ton to 12ton from
smithelectricvehicles.com and modec.co.uk are already in service in their
hundreds with parcel firms and supermarket chains. Heavy duty electric tugs are
in use at airports and docks.

These form the corners and the edges of the jigsaw puzzle - and we are starting
to see how the main middle ground of that picture might look, with carmakers
Nissan, Renault, Subaru, Mitsubishi, BMW, VW-Audi and others all shaping up to
bring affordable massmarket cars to the showrooms in the next 2-7 years.

Hundreds of millions of dollars and massive amounts of effort are now being
poured into developing better batteries. The race is on.

I expect half the population to be driving electric cars within 5-7 years or so -
including some of those headshakers who currently can't see it happening.

It's happening.

I expect half the population to be driving electric cars within 5-7 years or so -
including some of those headshakers who currently can't see it happening.

It's happening.

It's happening, but not that fast. In 10 years half the population might be driving either an electric or a hybrid.

in terms of predictions - its safe to say that

1) greater than 75% chance gas will be $4.80 next summer (a 20% increase)

2) 5-7 years out more than 50% of new car purchase in US will be for cars with MPG some 50% better than today (ie from 22 to 33 MPG avg). Suggests that there will be lots and lots of hybrids, small diesels, and EVs

3) Since the legacy used FSPs will be driven less than 10,000 miles per year, they will still remain around for a long long time as oddball vehicles kept for oddball reasons.

Where's the electricity going to come from? It's not like our national electric grid is already near capacity. Wrong!! We'll need to think this one through a bit more before we all jump on the band wagon. Remember the corn based ethenol solution of last year? Not really the solution if you ask me..but at least we're starting to come up with some ideas.

Where's the electricity going to come from? It's not like our national electric grid is already near capacity. Wrong!! We'll need to think this one through a bit more before we all jump on the band wagon. Remember the corn based ethenol solution of last year? Not really the solution if you ask me..but at least we're starting to come up with some ideas.

http://mydocs.epri.com/docs/CorporateDocuments/EPRI_Journal/2005-Fall/1012885_PHEV.pdf
http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?Section=Industry_News&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=58224
http://www.calcars.org/calcars-news/657.html

Ah, the wonders of off-peak electricity.

Earl, much of the charging can and should be done during off-peak, during the night. Incentives and timers can help accomplish that.

Harry