Seriously why can't someone build a car that's all electric but has a teeny little diesel (or even petrol) engine who's sole purpose is to charge the batteries? The whole roof could also be a solar panel which would help. I am not saying this would be the ultimate car or be good or even more efficient on long trips but around town and such, seems like it would be a winner at least until someone makes an electric car that is actually practical.

 

^^
with the exception of the sloar panel, you've just about described the chevy volt.

 

I'm waiting for UC Davis to get that hydrogen substrate molecule off the ground, apparently it'll be some sort of bucky ball molecule that encapsulates elemental hydrogen in high concentrations. That would be dope, since the major hurdle for fuel cell power is the hydrogen containment. They also put a subaru 4 in a suburban hybrid woot

Till then I can't really take electric cars seriously, but can't bash them either.

 

 

compare the process. Yeah you're right I left that part out, but ultimately we don't have to tanker huge ships across the earth to get it here. We have much more localized mines. (that's not to say we don't get coal from across the earth too)

But just compare side by side the processes and electricity is much cleaner to generate.

From getting the energy source, to processing the energy source, to that energy source getting to your vehicle, to how your vehicle emits that energy source. Electricity ends up being significantly cheaper and clean.

Now... the batteries.. whole other story! haha. I'm not saying electric cars have a better end result for environment, well maybe i was implying that but didn't mean to.

Over all there's no reason why we can't have 100mpg honda civics, and toyota corollas. Just use the old rabbit as an example. we can make lighter yet safer cars, and had in the 70's/80's the ability to make 50mpg+ 100% gasoline/diesel engines...

yet today for some reason we are all in amazement by "holy ****ing **** on my face bbq! that car's 36mpg!!!!!"

when that's significantly less than what the makers are capable of.