If the author was right on the cost / benifit of electric cars they would domintate the market. And here are reasons why
Battery Cost
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304432704577350052534072994.html
Battery Temp Issues
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/transportation/your-evs-battery-life-depends-on-where-you-live/1711
Battery Failure “Brick”
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/02/the-tesla-roadster-bricking-story-details-deconstructed/
Oh and no one will pay the cost for one with out .Gov s subsidy $7500
When/If supercap or hydraulic / mechanical hybrids become available they will be a better solution then LiOn is right now I think.
I don’t believe that I said the author was right on the “cost/benefit” analysis of hybrids or electric vehicles.
I did speculate on tax possibilities “IF” the author was correct on the energy per mile consumption, not the “cost” or “benefits” of the electric energy consumption.
Naturally, there is more to what powers a vehicle than just the fuel, and in the case of electric/hybrid/battery power, the one time costs - the vehicle, and the ongoing costs - battery life and their replacement costs, indicate the technoloy is not up for head to head competition with gasoline and diesel power. I am not arguing differently.
My essential point was that even without those considerations, or in addition to those considerations, electric/battery powered vehicles are likely to have new and growing expenses, vis-a-vis “fuel/energy” taxes. To me that just seems inevitable, and in my opinion should already be under legislative consideration. Why should only gas/diesel powered vehicles pay “fuel taxes” for the roads?
“When/If supercap or hydraulic / mechanical hybrids become available they will be a better solution then LiOn is right now I think.”
I think it’s possible that U.S. domestic natural gas supplies and that market might make CNG a viable alternative to gas/diesel power, in greater numbers and before themselves meeting equal competition from electric/battery powered solutions. The industry is already advanced in the provision of residential units for refueling.