Electric Vehicles On Collision Course With Reality
Small Excerpt Below:
I also highlighted the myriad supply-chain problems with EVs. Citing work done by the Natural History Museum in London, I said that electrifying half of the U.S. motor vehicle fleet would require in rough terms:
* 9 times the world’s current cobalt production
* 4 times global neodymium output
* 3 times global lithium production
* 2 times world copper production
I concluded by saying:
Oil’s dominance in transportation is largely due to its high energy density. That density and improvements in internal combustion engines and hybrids assure that oil will be fueling transport for decades to come. Powerful lobby groups want Congress to spend billions on electrification schemes that will impose regressive taxes on low-income Americans, reduce our resilience, and increase reliance on China. That’s a dubious trifecta.
Let’s amplify that last point: reliance on electric vehicles will put our future squarely in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. Robert’s testimony included this stunning chart:
2 replies on “Electric Vehicles on a Collision Course with Reality”
Advancing Time: Are EVs good for the environment? – Mostly Not!
Small Excerpt Below:
Also flowing into the issue of ” less damaging to the environment” is something recently brought to my attention, and that is, EVs tend to rapidly eat through tires. While many people may not think this is a big deal, it is. Since electric car batteries are heavier than petrol engines they need a more robust tire. Also, because of their accelerating faster from a standstill. If you want to take advantage of that without too much wear then you need a more robust tire, these cost more, and it has been said, you are lucky if you get 20,000 miles out of a set of tires. All this is addressed at, https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-electric-cars-wear-out-tires-faster-than-fossil-fuel-cars
Thank you, Linda. This has been a known supply chain issue for quite some time. In the world of high speed motors, the rare earth metal issue is quite alarming.
I keep thinking there are either some really smart people who don’t seem to care or really think that battery technology is about to take a leap where reliance on these minerals will not be critical.
Always dangerous when we need to rely on unobtainium to move our physics projects into the realm of practical.