The suppression of electric car technology and public transit alternatives

Electronic/Hybrid Cars vs. Gas PCs

One of the most profound social questions of the modern day is the nature of the market addition on fossil fuel usage. Within the global economy the fossil fuel industry, and the worlds dependence on it has driven prices of fuel to enormous levels contributing to a global market situation where a very few hold a growing percentage of wealth and the rest must struggle to eek out an existence with what's left. "Today, more than half the world's population lives on less than $2 per day, and almost 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty, defined as less than $1 per day."

Rice, 76) Though this may seem divergent of the topic at hand, which is global dependence on fossil fuel, the issues are interrelated.

One of the most logical arguments of the day indicts the fossil fuel interests, including those who buy and sell oil, as well as those who design build and create the items and products that utilize that oil as allowing personal greed to sway social responsibility. One of the most commonly cited reasons for this indictment is the repeated elimination of transportation alternatives that are less reliant upon fossil fuels. One example would be the elimination of most of the infrastructure of mass public transit in major cities in favor of personal automobiles, with an exponential growth rate thought to be progressive. "In pre-war 1910 there were fewer than a half-million automobiles in the United States. By 1920 this had risen more than sixteen-fold to 8. 1 million as the 'Tin Lizzie' started to come of age."

Cudahy 152) There is significant evidence, in the form of court documented indictments and convictions against the automobile industry for conspirator campaigns to eliminate the mass transit system in many cities.

Motavalli 36) federal antitrust investigation resulted in both indictment and conspiracy convictions for GM executives, but destroying a public transportation network that would cost hundreds of billions of dollars to reproduce today cost the company only $5,000 in fines.

Motavalli 36)

Looking back many cities and towns now seeking to reduce pollution and fossil fuel dependence are kicking themselves in the backside for letting such a system be eliminated, in favor of the most polluting and wasteful, though practical invention in the world the personal automobile.

Another issue that is often cited, and will be the greater focus of this work is that the technologies needed to produce personal automobiles that are less fossil fuel dependant, have been in existence for a very long time but the combustion fossil fuel burning engine keeps winning the game. In viewing the fantastic documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? one sees the hypocrisy inherent in the system as many individuals blame industry greed for the virtual death of a very practical solution to fossil fuel dependence and pollution. Why the consumer asks was this vehicle that had been so frequently promised as the solution to all the problems that plague the modern world discarded like so much trash? (Paine Who Killed the Electric Car? 2006) Was it market demand? Was it marketing failure on the part of the producer and of coarse lastly was it an intentional conspiracy to retain the potential future profit that is available to the motor industry and the fuel industry, at the expense of the environment and human civilization in general?

Motavalli 36)

Hybrid vehicle production though it is a far cry from zero emissions vehicles is a marriage of the interests of both big oil and the auto industry, as they seek to calm the public outcry on the limitations of alternative fuel research and development. Most believe that the industries are basically being dragged kicking and screaming away from the combustion engine and would rather see the zero emissions models remain as prototypes and car show vehicles.

Motavalli 36)

It is also very important to note that though electric cars cannot be considered truly emission free as they rely on electricity which is still traditionally supplied by the burning of fossil fuels. This is a commonly cited take on the situation, as contrary opinion against the implementation of such vehicles but it really doesn't hold weight.

It's certainly not hard to find support for the pollution-fighting qualities of electric cars. CARB, for instance, answers the frequently-cited assertion that EVs simply move the pollution from tailpipe to electric utility smokestack. While its true that no car is really "zero emissions," CARB admits," on a mile-for-mile basis, these power plant emissions [from EVs] are over 10 times lower than emissions from a conventional vehicle." CALSTART also contends that electric cars produce 97% fewer emissions than gasoline cars, and that their use in urban areas will reduce carbon monoxide emissions overall by 99%, hydrocarbons by 98% and nitrogen oxides by 92%. According to UCS, California would save $370 million in pollution control costs from the EVs that were introduced in just the first year of the state's program. And it adds that replacing a single gasoline-powered car with an EV would save $17,000 in pollution-related expenditures.

Motavalli 36)

The frequent lobbying by the auto and oil industries has indeed resulted in a significant loss, with regard to the public availability of alternative fuel vehicles and furtherance of alternative fuel technologies. In the film and subsequent interviews with its makers the fact that the companies that were making the vehicles really were no into it and marketed it accordingly. Dean Devlin (one of the films executive producers) speaking of his father's failed communications with GM about marketing the EV1 as fast, sexy and reliable stressed some of the reasons why they made the film in the first place, "He met with someone who worked in marketing at GM, and the guy opened a folder and said, what do you think of that ad? My father was like, it's brilliant, this is exactly what you should be doing. And the guy said, every time we show them an ad like this, they say no, just say it's electric, shrink the car as small as you can, and that's it." (Eaves All About EV article online) Those who have risen to the top by exploiting antiquated technology that hurts the environment, our current elected president included, would like to remain there and utilize corporate social responsibility as a talking point with an empty content section.

Literature that is associated with actual vehicles is often provided by designers and manufacturers of such vehicles as they attempt to sell their significant economic outlay to consumers. The footage in the film, Who Killed the Electric Car? showing individuals using such technology and even president George W. Bush attempting, though rather stiltedly, to fill the tank of an alternative fuel vehicle are examples of marketing. It is difficult to actually find documented research on alternative fuel cars, that is conducted by non-vested research parties.

Current technology briefs with regard to the most efficient combustion engines stress their new and improving efficiency over previous models. Yet, these are still combustion engines and they still directly burn fuel.

A lean-burn engines will undoubtedly allow major improvements in efficiency. Leanburn engines are those that operate at high air-to-fuel ratios. The gasoline direct-injection engine (GDI), is an example.... With its higher ratio of air to fuel, engine efficiency is higher because more of the heat goes into increased pressure in the cylinder... work output can be varied by changing the fuel input without changing the amount of air admitted to the cylinder. This means much less use of the throttle and, since throttling is a frictional process, enhanced efficiency.... temperatures are lower, so less heat is lost from the cylinder.

Ross 92)

Additionally, it is clear that the utilization of these more economic engines has resulted in increased size and power of vehicles rather than smaller vehicles that have a potentially lower effect on the environment. Not a win, win situation for anyone but the auto and oil industries. The hybrid engine, which the pure EV enthusiasts laugh at, due to its obvious attempt to go half way when the technology has proven repeatedly that going all the way is certainly possible, is described below.

One promising version would use a small engine - for example, a one-liter two-cylinder direct-injection engine - which would be about 75% more efficient in moderate driving than today's typical six- or eight-cylinder engine. The engine would kick in only at moderate to high speeds or when acceleration is needed, while the battery-operated supplemental motor would power the car when less power was needed. The electric motor would be recharged by regenerative braking or directly by the engine. With regenerative braking, the wheels are slowed by connecting them to the shaft of the electrical motor-generator, which then charges the storage battery. This vehicle would have about twice the fuel economy in urban driving of a conventional vehicle of comparable size.

Ross 92)

Briefly, within the literature is also an emphasis on alternative fuels, such as biodiesel, which has significant drawbacks as a result of the tendency for it to jell in cold weather and clog systems, ultra light vehicles which stress the inclusion of lighter components to reduce fuel needs (not likely given the new and improved interest in the bigger the better SUV), natural gas vehicles, which are still using fossil fuels, if not as inefficiently, fuel cell vehicles that and several other fuel alternatives.

Alternative automotive fuels - ethanol, methanol, natural gas, electricity (which I call a fuel here), hydrogen, and reformulated gasoline - have enthusiastic, and often single-minded, advocates. However, because of the huge investment implications in the development of these alternative fuels, we should take many of these claims with a grain of salt.

Ross 92)

Research Design:

This work will propose to analyze the viability of several different types of vehicles, based on the availability of technology to create and infrastructure to maintain them. The purpose of this study is to asses the viability of alternative fuel vehicles and to avoid the potential pitfalls of running them. Many cases have shown that the infrastructure to do so is lacking, such as in the case of the DOE who was mandated to buy alternative fuel vehicles and ended up spending more money than they saved doing so because of lack of infrastructural support for the mandate.

Paige 8) I will seek information by polling vehicle sales companies, to determine availability of resources to fuel alternative vehicles, (with the emphasis on electric only vehicles) as well as by seeking alternative fuel information from websites that are dedicated to linking consumers with knowledge and improving the alternative fuel infrastructure. I will also do a brief online survey of individuals seeking information about how they use their cars and if they would be interested in offerings of alternative fuel vehicles if they were available and maintainable. I will also look at the feasibility or technology required to run the EV1 and any prototype vehicles or other marketed electric vehicles available today. The resulting research design will be a qualitative/quantitative research plan to determine the availability, growth and market acceptance of alternative fuel vehicles, the independent variable being the available resources and options and the independent variable being the marketability of such resources.

Data Analysis:

will then collect the information and analyze the results, to determine the feasibility of my thesis, that electric only cars are the best alternative solution to the many problems caused by vehicles today. With a qualitative/quantitative design, comparing two sets of research, availability and marketability the analysis will be heavily demonstrative of the whole picture answering the questions, how available is the technology and how willing is the public to utilize it?

Summary:

This work should serve as a stepping off point to determine the real willingness of the public to utilize all electronic vehicles, not dependant upon the very public opinion and frequently ulterior driven marketing of a rejection of alternative fuel vehicles, and especially the electric only car. Works such as Who Killed the Electric Car? are insightful in many ways but particularly in the manner in which consumers are swayed in different directions than the ones which actually meet their real needs and the needs of the greater world. This work will attempt to bridge the gap between those real needs and the willingness of the public to invest in alternatives.