Smart Cars?

[imec]

Hybrid cars are a costly mistake

By: Mischa Popoff

FORGET precious metals like gold and silver. Billionaire Warren Buffet is investing in lithium because unprecedented quantities of this metal will soon be required for electric and hybrid car batteries. But before you take out that second mortgage to invest, consider the potential for the whole venture to implode. Yes, the value of lithium will rise as governments respond to green activists by "encouraging" auto companies to produce more electric and hybrid cars. But the increasing cost of lithium will drive the price of these vehicles out of reach for the consumer.

While the prices of other technologies like home computers and cell phones plummet as production skyrockets, the electric/hybrid alternative is destined to become a victim of its own success; unless of course government steps in.

full story...

[fumobici]

I think the PRC has the largest known Lithium reserves and also the best production technology for the batteries.

Lithium batteries are obviously current tech (pun unintended) but may obviously not be the future. Comrade Buffet is probably safe investing in Lithium for his lifetime though unless fuel cell tech makes a big leap.

[bixaorellana]

What is the PRC?

Also, how much does a hybrid car cost?

The article raises questions, but there is a slightly hysterical, axe-grinding note to it that makes me somewhat dubious.

[imec]

Oct 22, 2009 0:13:13 GMT bixaorellana said:

What is the PRC?

Also, how much does a hybrid car cost?

The article raises questions, but there is a slightly hysterical, axe-grinding note to it that makes me somewhat dubious.

I thought it meant China (Peoples Republic).

The cars cost 4-10k more than a straight gas or diesel car I think.

As for the hysteria, I'm not sure there's anymore of it in his tone than your typical environmentalist - and far less than the real nutcases like Al Gore...

I think the point is that the hybrid car thing seems like an obvious, practical solution (and one which governments and publics have embraced in the usual knee jerk manner) whereas the solutions to these complex problems are rarely so simple.

[lagatta]

Like tramways!

You can simply google Mischa Popoff and see where this guy is coming from.

I'd be inclined (emotionally as Popoff) to simply strike off "hybrid", but cars certainly have their utilities in rural and remote areas (getting crops to market, medical emergencies, getting to train station etc), and the level of car use there is not what is destroying the planet - car-centred sprawl in urban and suburban areas is. Cars were a great invention; they are simply misused in our society.

[fumobici]

Yes, PRC = People's Republic of China.

Hybrids can make sense for urban duty where the fuel savings from regenerative braking can offset the increased initial cost, but they will probably be a stopgap measure to carry us over to pure electrics. From an environmental standpoint, having an IC engine dependant on petrochemicals in every vehicle makes little sense compared to having a few centralized power plants where their emissions can be more easily dealt with and distributing the energy as electricity over the existing grid.

[Deleted]

I'm still waiting for the cars to run on tap water, but still, having so many individual cars is an absolute waste in a lot of places.