> Does the planet really need more gasoline?

Are you just going to buy everyone new cars? Or replace all existing vehicles?

I mean I'm all for electric cars and other modes of transport, but the problem is that we have an existing infrastructure that will take a long time to replace. As an example, the vehicle I drive is from '97. I still see people driving cars from the early 90's (or even 80's) as their daily driver. (And it is more common for poorer people to drive older cars).

So do we need a new gasoline? Yes, unless you want to either replace 30+ years of vehicles, or wait that long.

If producing gasoline requires extracting CO2 from the atmosphere, then providing enough H2 to make the fuel, then it may make more sense to replace your car. Bear in mind that H2 is mostly produced from natural gas today, and electrolytic production is somewhat more expensive.

I think it will depend on how the prices for batteries and electricity evolve as well as advancements in electrolysis.

There are also other advantages to electric vehicles, such as no particulate and NOX exhaust, which may encourage taxation / regulation of combustion vehicles.

If the new gasoline costs 2 dollars more per gallon then you might pay off an electric car relatively quickly.

Electric buses are fast growing in cities, led by China. LA says it will have all buses converted by 2030.

This may surprise you, but half of the people don't live in cities like these. My city doesn't have any form of public transportation. And this isn't uncommon.

I have yet to replace my 19 year old low mileage car. I'd rather have a 1000 spiders and 1000 flower flies and a 1000 bees than another gallon of gasoline. Of course what organisms originally died to create that gallon of gasoline that you buy today?

Did you consider animal welfare? We should do exactly the opposite:

"Convert Grass Lawns to Gravel to Reduce Insect Suffering" http://reducing-suffering.org/convert-grass-lawns-to-gravel-...

not sure whether you are being flippant, but i seriously think about this sometimes. while there is great suffering in the human world, the animal world is even more brutal. at the same time, i can't begin to imagine what an insect's experience of the world is like. you can certainly observe wounded insects experiencing what looks like pain, but do they truly "suffer" in the sense that a human does?

A bit off topic but related to your link, if anyone is interested in more details on gardening with soil ecology in mind the teaming series by Jeff Lowefels is great.

There is Teaming with Microbes, Teaming with Nutrients and Teaming with Fungi.

Gasoline generated out of thin air is as clean as the supply chain used to make it.

It's hard to compete with liquid hydrocarbons for energy density (and therefore efficient of transporting energy to where you need it).