Re:Tesla Shock Means Global Gasoline Demand Has All but Peaked
by renesd on Friday November 25, 2016 @05:01PM
(#13040183)
For sure EV are a thing, and I don't think they are going away. But I don't think they'll be the only game in town.
There are quite a few hydrogen cars driving around in Japan, and infrastructure there is almost rolled out. For cars only Toyota is starting to roll them out in California. Some are starting to be sold around Europe as well. I think they've only sold around 700 in the USA.
Natural gas pipeline and storage infrastructure can be used. Because an order of magnitude more gas can be stored as hydrogen, than in lithium batteries I think they will be in the mix.
I definitely think it's a better idea for larger vehicles like trains on lines which aren't electrified.
Re:Tesla Shock Means Global Gasoline Demand Has All but Peaked
by esturk on Friday November 25, 2016 @05:07PM
(#13040203)
It remains to be seen whether those are mass produced cars or just test market cars that Toyota produces just enough to get their eco-friendly credits. Toyota made cars just so they can claim they fill the quota in the past.
Re:Tesla Shock Means Global Gasoline Demand Has All but Peaked
by bonzini on Friday November 25, 2016 @04:38PM
(#13040045)
Where I am, the only electric cars I see are car sharing vehicles. Maybe a Volt or a Model S every few months. I do see a good deal of Toyota hybrids and maybe a Lexus every week or so, but those are still burning fossil fuels.
I'm going to have to disagree with you there. Electric cars are absolutely a thing; if you pay close attention you will spot a decent number of them in a day's worth of driving. Dedicated supercharging infrastructure is already fairly widespread, and basic wall electricity is already everywhere and is available as a second resort.
So sure, hydrogen cars themselves may exist, but the infrastructure does not, and I'm not aware of many people who reasonably expect that it ever will exist. Electric cars seem to have already won in the competition of "what renewable will replace gas".