~tc~ wrote:Have you been to Beijing? I have, I don't have to rely on the "propaganda machine". The smog I have seen is very white - not brown like LA or Denver. I doesn't smell. Yes, it is VERY thick - opaque even, and I am sure some of it is pollution, but not all of it.
My point is simply that your experience is not the reality for many people in the US. Gasoline is never the most efficient. CNG would be better. Yes, if you only drive limited distances, electric or hybrid make more sense than diesel - but those technologies are not "ready for prime time" - you can not flip a switch and make them viable tomorrow - you CAN with diesel.
I've been to Beijing, but only around the airport. When I was in China a few years ago, I was in Guangzhou. Also, I visit LA all the time (I'm from So Cal and my brother lives in LA) and I don't think the smog is even comparable to Beijing. I've read a number of alarming articles on how bad the air is in Beijing and how little China is doing to solve it. They will do radical temporary bans, but not implement the actual changes necessary to stem the causes. China is in denial about their air pollution much like Japan is about their Fukushima radiation leak. Both nations are trying to downplay it because they really don't know how to resolve it effectively.
Also, CNG is heavily flawed. It's less accessible for most people than electricity is for EVs. While efficient, it's suitable for fleet vehicles, not the regular consumer due to the lack of widespread distribution of CNG. CNG vehicles also require large, pressurized fuel tanks that take a large portion of usage cargo space. A lot of Japan's taxis are CNG and have been for decades. Their trunk space is rather small due to the large CNG tank.
Honda sells a Civic that's CNG. Below is a photo of its trunk space. You see how nearly half is taken up? Less cargo room + harder to obtain fuel = a losing combination for consumers.
This is also the same problem hydrogen faces. This is why it's never taken off despite the fact that reputable companies like Honda and Toyota have R&Ded the shit out of it for decades. Toyota claims they will have their first mass-market hydrogen fuel cell car on the market this year. I honestly think it will flop.
On the other hand, an EV can have both a frunk and a trunk such as in the Model S as the battery pack and motor can be placed away from usable compartment space.
Also, I question if my driving habits are really different from those of many in the US. I really don't think it is. Even when I lived in So Cal and commuted every weekend from college to home, the driving range was under 100 miles one way. Since then, I've lived in areas where I don't need to drive that far so EV range isn't a huge problem.
Diesel is great for long distances, but the fuel costs more, the cars cost more, and they pollute more therefore need the urea treatment or some other technology to clean them up. This is why they simply cannot take over gasoline cars effectively in a country that drives more than any other. Heck, I have a diesel car in the family and I'm not even convinced these are the best fuel sources, especially for the future.
Keep in mind that fossil fuels are finite, but we are nowhere close to running out. We can consume fuel at our current rate and still have plenty left over in over 50 years from now. The problem is more pollution and political control of the resources. As BRIC nations further develop, their demand for oil will increase and raise prices across the globe. If the technology is here (as it is) to even eliminate internal combustion engines in developed nations like the United States, why still dwell on fossil fuels? Really, the idea of still burning something to generate power for a vehicle is rather retrogressive. It's what we've been doing since cars were invented. Engines and transmissions result in a large energy loss in the powertrain unlike EVs with their electric motors.
I honestly think electricity is better than internal combustion for propulsion in many ways. Sure range is a problem, but range anxiety among consumers is greatly disproportionate to the actual driving they do. It's like many people are worried they can't make the 200 mile trip they do once every 5 years if that.
The Karma is a heavy car with some seriously wide tires on it, so laterally I don't think a simple stock hatch could beat it in lateral Gs. I need to find a link to the test drive article, but I believe it pulled over 1g on the skidpad or really close to it like .98 or so.
