Are Electric/Hybrid and Hydrogen powered cars really alternative at all?

Question

Yes, they do not use oil, or they use less oil. However, they rely on energy being produced somewhere else, and for now, that somewhere else is in a power station, and most of those power stations rely on non-renewable energy sources. And that includes all nuclear power stations except fast breeder reactors.

So - should we really consider these types of vehicles as alternative at all?

Answer 1

True my friend electric cars or something of that nature are the future. Your right they still use gas we need vehicles that use no gas unless they are semi trucks than they can use bio diesel or something I'm no expert but you ARE right.

Answer 2

When we finally decide to invest money in renewable green energy instead of bombs, then these cars will truly be alternative vehicles. (Except hydrogen because it produces water vapor which is also a green house gas, but at least it's not as bad as the c**p that comes out of current cars.)

The real alternative in my opinion is the air car. It uses compressed air instead of explosions to push the pistons up and down.

In the future, the current compressed air technology + MIT's prototype compressed air powered electric generator = Free clean energy

The air tanks power the generator, which powers the compressor, which refills the tanks that power the engine.

www.theaircar.com

Answer 3

Yes.  Like many people, you are looking at the individual component--not the entire system.  

What I mean is this: there are no "magic bullets--no solution that will somehow solve all the technological challenges in one fell swoop.  A  thechnological system--any system--requires multiple systems working together to achieve the desired goal.  

Electric cars (or hydrogen)  are one critical component fo that system.  For it to be fully effective, of course the electric power has to be prodduced by some means other than burning fossil fuels.

But since that's not the way we're producing power now, you think electric cars isn't a solution?  Of course it isn't--and neither is the rest of the technology you use everyday.  Your car is useless without the infrastructure of roads and gas stations to keep it going--the lamp in your office is useless without the power grid to produce the elecricity to power it. Your doctor can do little but stand there and watch people die without all the industries that provide him with medicines and all the othr tools he needs to sae lives.

Start thinking in terms of systems--because that's how the world oftechnology--any technology--works.

BTW--nuclear energy is renewable.  Some nuclear reactors are not breeder reactors.   So build more.

Answer 4

Electricity and Hydrogen are secondary energies and come from a source of primary energy. As such they are just "energy carriers". (as is also compressed air)

They are not interesting unless:

- their efficiency is higher

- they can be produced in large quantities, at low cost and with less CO2 and pollution emitted.

For a country like Brazil with over 80% hydro power and which can extend its generation using renewable energies, it is definitely an interesting opportunity.

For China, it would be a nightmare since it would lead to the construction of even more coal power plants.

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The only viable project is the project "hydrosol" which aims to produce hydrogen using solar thermal energy without further conversion. This would be done using a catalyst at high temperatures.

Answer 5

with improving energy storage density per kg of weight the cars will become more effective