Phoenix of Terra wrote::?
Ergon, you seem to know a lot on this subject. Can you post some links that might give a general overlook on electric cars, and perhaps hydrogen cars. You know, costs, benefits, and such. I haven't really delved into the topic and would like to get some balanced info if possible.
Also, to toss my opinion on the table, I'm in support of nuclear power plants (I liked what you said about nuclear waste; America should do something about recycling). However, I'm hesitant to support electric cars, mainly because I'm not sure of how they operate. Hydrogen cars I assume use chemical reactions with a hydrogen based fuel. However, I'm not sure of how electrical cars store their "fuel" (through a rechargable battery, I guess) and if you aren't paying an equal amount in electric bills as you would be in oil, especially after the demand moves from oil to electricity when it becomes cool to have an electric car.
Some other questions I have that perhaps you could help clear up, if the US theoretically went to electric cars in a rush. First, considering the US has about
54% of it's power from coal, wouldn't pollution increase with a higher electricity demand? I doubt our coal mines could support that as well, so wouldn't we still be importing fuels for an energy demand? Also, seeing as natural gases are
second in usage for electrical demands, couldn't it be presumed that the fuel that cars no longer needed for the most part would be transferred to electrical purposes. Finally, nuclear power manages to create
787,219 mega watt hours (?) with
104 reactors. Seeing as your physics teacher seems to know a lot about nuclear energy, do you think you could find out at what percentage nuclear reactors usually run at, as well as how long it might take to construct more?
I know my posts might be taken wrong, so I'd like to add that these questions are not meant to aggressively attack electric cars, just curious about theoretical situations if electric cars became mainstream.
Okay, the best video that I can think of about the elctric car is the movie called "Who killed the electric car". It basicaly is a documentry about how it was ttested in California when the new laws were made. Watch the video its really good.
I tried finding a link online for the movie but none are up =[ Just go to ur video shop and borrow.
For some costs and stuff go to this site. Spacy found this site and i thought it was pretty cool. As of now they are the only electric car company i have found.
http://www.teslamotors.com/They ahve information on everything, about stats. Acording to there stats, its 1 cent/ km etc just check out that website.
Another good link to watch is
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A8qhTIfGUYAit talks about the tesla cars. If you watch the Movie who killed the elctric car you will know why its hard to find electric cars :p
Now the main concern about saying that the polutions will go from oil to burning coal for electricty. LIke i said before the solution to this is Nuclear. Nuclear is currently the best way to get electricity. If we were to continue this venture, we might actualy one day unlock the secrets to Fusion. If we unlock fusion, that will provide us with UNLIMITED ELECTRICTY with NO POULUTANTS, RADIATION OR ANYTHING. All it needs is Hydrgoen or something. So tecnically wihle nuclear power would be sufficent enough in pwoering the elctric cars, fusion would be the ultimate discovery. However as of now we stil have not discovered the secrets of fusion but I hope one day we would..our race depends on it.
And also another note on that youtube video, dont listen to GM.. GM are **Filtered** :@ they only want profit thats why when they kiled their first electric car range they introduced SUV and mas marketed those cars :@
Anotherthing while GM cars go only 40 miles the tesla goes 240 miles lol
anyway
and Phonix of Terra here is a link to my physics assignment..it goes through the pros of nuclear power :p
http://files-upload.com/files/623406/Physics Final.doc
its got some stats and yeaa just check it out if you want :p
prob **Filtered** but meh That document should give u all the information u need about nuclear pwoer :p
Now Jack, back to you :p
The thing with oil is its not going to be taken away. Whats going to happen is there is going to be no more "Cheep oil" Right now i reckon its stil cheep, at 1.15 - 1.25 $ AU Liter in australia. I am sure other countrys are a bit mroe.
But if we were to slowly start to alternate now before the oil becomes to expensive, we might have a chance of replacing most of the cars. We have more than enough uranium to make nuclear pwoer plants for electricty, and if we get fusion theres another bonus. So eclectically wise we should be fine.
So we have to start early before its to late. This is the same for Global warming.. gota start early before its to late =[
But life is unpredicable. No one knows what will happen. Lets just hope our generation can save the world from its self.
BTW guys im only 17 :p

I hope that answered your questions and if you need anymore answers just give me a buzz.
as a final note i also agree about that drug anology. Our society has become dependent on oil, we are living a lifestyle that we cannot sustain. =[