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Originally Posted by Dragoneye
Not only that...the argument against electricity is not very solid. It's much more efficient to burn a fuel in one central source than a million little engines. Easier to control emissions (research the output of a modern coal-fired generating station...you may be surprised), and cheaper per mile in terms of energy cost.
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You're forgetting that there is a 4.5-5% loss in the transmission of electricity from the big generator to the destination, as well as an additional 5-10% loss in charging batteries for remote consumption and another 5-15% loss in discharge of the battery. By the time you add it all up the dreaded physics kicks in and the much maligned fossil fuel is more green than the electron.
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Also...where do you think gasoline comes from? A gas vein in the ground like gold? No, it's heated and separated out from all the other goodies found in crude oil. Which means nearly as much burning of nasty stuff as electrical generation.
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You seem to forget that we need those "goodies" too. Unless you want to stop using lubricants, jet fuels, plastics, asphalt, etc. then we're always going to be refining crude oil. You make it sound as if 100% of the energy put into refining oil to make gasoline is wasted.
A better way to think of it is that gasoline is a free byproduct of making iPods and Soda Bottles.
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Finally...the future holds promise in the way of electrical generation. Solar, wind, biomass, and even nuclear if our leaders can get a clue...all of these can help contribute to our total energy production. In concert with simple conservation to help balance the load of these new cars and trim our electrical requirements across the country, it's not as impossible as some would believe.
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Solar and wind are pipe dreams. There's no way they can supply our needs. Perhaps a solar array in orbit would be the answer, but since we have no way to put anything in orbit beginning next year... scratch that.
I'm all for nuclear, but since it's been maligned more than oil and we have not started a new plant in 30 years, I won't hold my breath.
Until then we should just all go green and burn oil and cut down on the polluting electricity we are all using.