Reply #38: autos will be here a long time to come.. [View All]

[trekbiker]

100 to 200mpg cars running on oil, bio fuels, electric, etc. A Prius that gets 120-185mpg has already been demonstrated (of course it charges up at night). Solar and wind have great potential as efficiencies go up (assuming personal energy consumption can go down significantly). I'm not ready to give up on technology's ability to surprise and overcome obstacles. People can learn to live using a lot less energy than we presently do. I can see a day where gas costs $20 gallon but autos get 5, 10 times the mileage, we drive slower, commute less miles. Autos can be made smaller, lighter, much more efficient. Hybrid technologies are just beginning and will be amazing. A big breakthru in electric storage technology and PV efficiency could change everything. Also, as demand for oil flattens out or falls due to high price, it is possible that the apex of "peak oil" could be drawn out for a long long time.

Rail systems are great and need to be expanded. But what about the first 3-5 miles to get to the station and the last 3-5 miles to get to your workplace? same goes with shopping, etc. I dont think we'll be going back to thousands of tiny little villages surrounded by livestock and farms any time soon, if ever.