Why arent we already relying on alternate forms of energy and transportaytion?

Question

I asked a similiar question a couple days ago but did not get much replies worth while. If we have the technology to have cars running on solar power going over 100 miles an hour (a japenese car with 8 wheels) then why arent we using them producing them? Is there really anything to lose in the production of cars that no longer require gasoline? If we have a renewable form of energy to power electricit cars then what do we have to lose except our dependency on oil and tons of CO2 emmisions that are harming our environment? If we switch to electric cars and start getting energy from alternative sources our ecenomy will likely improve, our environment will improve and we can drive oil companies out of buisness or force them to start working with new forms of energy for exemple turning gas stations into places to fuel a hydrogen powered car. At least from what ive seen there seems no reason why we shouldnt already be doing these things, my question is why arent we?

Answer 1

THEIR IS A NEW OIL SOURCE AND I'M WAITING TO SEE IF THE PRESIDENT IS INTERESTED. I EMAIL THE WHITEHOUSE

Answer 2

(sarcastically)... If we actually put into effect alernative fuels~ why... the gas companies wouldn't make any money!!! Seriously, We have the technology, therefore we should put these alternatives into effect. Rumor had it, that some peolpe wanted to erect some of those giagntic windmills out on the beaches... free energy, right? Well, some of the people who actually live on the assorted beaches said that they didn't want to have to look at them, I mean to heck with cheaper energy. It doesn't make sense to me. So many ways to improve our Earth, and no one wants to make the first move.

Answer 3

Because the capitalists can't make money doing it.  As soon as they can, it will happen, but they are smart.  They know that such cars can't compete with cheap gas (less than ten dollars a gallon).

Answer 4

Because you're reading science fiction.  

"If we have the technology to have cars running on solar power going over 100 miles an hour (a japenese car with 8 wheels) then why arent we using them producing them? "

Because they don't exist.  I do wonder who told you this.  

"Is there really anything to lose in the production of cars that no longer require gasoline? "

Well, there are propane cars, and compressed-natural-gas cars, and diesel cars, but they're all based on petrochemicals.  We have no operational vehicles besides electrically-powered railroad trains that operate independently of petroleum supplies, give or take biodiesel, or ethanol, which are even worse.  

"If we have a renewable form of energy to power electric cars then what do we have to lose except our dependency on oil and tons of CO2 emisions that are harming our environment?"

We don't have any electric cars that you would purchase, and it doesn't look like there will be any.  You've been lied to.  

There are solutions to the transportation-fuel difficulties, but they don't involve individually-driven and owned automobiles.

Answer 5

Because Car, and oil companies control the market, plus you can't tax solar energy, so the goverment encourages everyone to use gas. I mean really, why don't we have wind generators on every sky scraper in every major city? Huge wind source, yet not one is there. Until there is a world wide revolt on fossil fuels, we will all pay.

Answer 6

the energy needed to run our civilization is huge; not just peoples homes but the industry and farms that keep people alive all over the planet.

solar panels for cars? an 6 square foot solar panel , AT PEAK EFFICIENCY, puts out about 1000 watts. That's about 1.25 horsepower. Do the math for how big a panel you need to replace a 150 hp gas engine.

wind power? I've done a huge amount of research for alt energy for the apartment complex I run. A 40 foot diameter prop on top of a 100 foot tower puts out, in 15 miles and hour wind, about 130,000 kWh a year, That's  enough to run 5 to 10 apartments here.

For EVERYONE to go off the grid just isn't feasible. Now, thats not to say there shouldn't be wind generators and solar panels everywhere; the more the better, for even a 10% drop in oil or coal consumption is all to the good. But to rely.......ie replace....coal/gas/oil power plants, ( to make the electricity for electric cars?) the only answer is nuclear plants.

Answer 7

General Moters, Exonn, Shell, Bush and his oil business, Chevron...these are few main reasons.

A worldwide revolt against fossil fuels? Lets do it!

Why arent we? #1 reason - Fear of Change!!!!!!!

It's OK people - what's the worst that could happen? We allready know what's the worst that could happen if we dont!

Answer 8

The short answer is that even with gas prices at record highs, it is still cheaper to put gasoline into our existing cars than it is to all buy new cars that run on very expensive sources of electricity (like solar).

Right now, solar power is perhaps four times more expensive than burning coal.   And, as other respondents have pointed out, switching to electric cars would result in dramatic increases in the amount of electricity that would need to be produced.  

Until everyone is ready to pay quite a bit more to own and operate a car, or until we have large amounts of less expensive renewable energy available, we are going to keep using our gasoline-fueled cars.