[64speed]

And what about the people that can’t afford to buy these zero emissions vehicles? Public transportation is wonderful in urban areas but out here in Rural SC if I don’t have a car I don’t go anywhere. Uber doesn’t even serve my area yet and I am only 15 miles from Clemson. This is a pipe dream. What about farm equipment and generators and the like. The best case scenario I can see is them forcing us into the use of natural gas but even then that will take a very long time. I still see 30 and 40 year old cars on the road here everyday. These people aren’t gonna run out and buy a volt anytime soon. Also oil lobby in this country is way more powerful than it is in Europe.

[U47]

Originally Posted by 64speed

And what about the people that can’t afford to buy these zero emissions vehicles? Public transportation is wonderful in urban areas but out here in Rural SC if I don’t have a car I don’t go anywhere. Uber doesn’t even serve my area yet and I am only 15 miles from Clemson. This is a pipe dream. What about farm equipment and generators and the like. The best case scenario I can see is them forcing us into the use of natural gas but even then that will take a very long time. I still see 30 and 40 year old cars on the road here everyday. These people aren’t gonna run out and buy a volt anytime soon. Also oil lobby in this country is way more powerful than it is in Europe.

The Volt is being discontinued.

Oil companies are heavily invested in ALL forms of the Energy Business. They will never be hurt.

[Will]

What is this nonsense about not needing repair shops? The engine is only one component in a car and repair shops don't rebuild them any more anyway.

Cars will still have suspensions, brakes, window motors and lock solenoids and windshield wipers and the linkages associated with them, heating and cooling systems, and loads of electronics, plus plenty of other things I haven't mentioned, all of which are subject to failure and will require maintenance.

There is a lot of Truth in the OP but there are also some fallacies.

One of my biggest concerns is automation. The powers that be seem to be rather shortsighted. Once a large enough number of jobs are lost to machines there won't be enough consumers left to buy the goods and services the machines produce.

[Sirrotica]

All well and good until the batteries in all these conveyances need replaced, the battery recycling and manufacturing creates a larger carbon footprint than hydrocarbon powered vehicles.

I have a hard time believing solar panels will be able to provide enough electricity when in their grand scheme everything will run on electricity, the demand is going to be huge, current grids will not handle the added loads imposed as they're barely can keep up with current demands. Third world countries don't even have a working electrical infrastructure currently so who is going to pay for the needed improvements there?

A lot of unanswered questions that no one knows the answers to. I suspect the tree huggers worked this all out at the Paris Climate Treaty in a couple days, and left a lot of loose ends no one has looked at the monetarily and practicality. The dreamers that have no common sense is how this stuff is born and when the crap hits the fan the little guys get stuck with cleaning up the dreamers messes.

BTW, I have never fit in to the predetermined profile of the average person, I won't fit the future one either. Trying to put the round peg into the square hole won't work unless the peg is rubber and has no backbone...………..

[U47]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

All well and good until the batteries in all these conveyances need replaced, the battery recycling and manufacturing creates a larger carbon footprint than hydrocarbon powered vehicles.

I have a hard time believing solar panels will be able to provide enough electricity when in their grand scheme everything will run on electricity, the demand is going to be huge, current grids will not handle the added loads imposed as they're barely can keep up with current demands. Third world countries don't even have a working electrical infrastructure currently so who is going to pay for the needed improvements there?

A lot of unanswered questions that no one knows the answers to. I suspect the tree huggers worked this all out at the Paris Climate Treaty in a couple days, and left a lot of loose ends no one has looked at the monetarily and practicality. The dreamers that have no common sense is how this stuff is born and when the crap hits the fan the little guys get stuck with cleaning up the dreamers messes.

BTW, I have never fit in to the predetermined profile of the average person, I won't fit the future one either. Trying to put the round peg into the square hole won't work unless the peg is rubber and has no backbone...………..

I find the biggest problem is getting what you said in their thick heads. And what are you going to do with all these idle hands, especially the ones that are streaming into the country without control with no skills and education?

[Sirrotica]

People with higher education usually think they have all the answers because it said so in some book they read, formulas, etc. They have a piece of sheepskin or paper that says they completed the necessary courses to get that accreditation, it does not give you superior intellect.

Common sense is not taught in college so therein lies the disconnect of theory vs actual reality. Reasoning is not taught for the most part, seems it's a carried trait that some people just cannot grasp the concept of.

[1965gp]

They will need stronger opioids to keep all these people busy since they won’t be working.

One thing for sure is that our lifestyle is going to change. Maybe not as fast as they want but it will change. I have a friend in San Diego that doesn’t get a bill from the electric company, they get a check because their house produces more solor power than they use. And this was installed 15 years ago so I can certainly see it improving.

I don’t think all of this will happen, but most of it probably will.

[cabhop]

I wonder if this will affect the buggy whip or wheelwright industry?

[66sprint6]

Same crap, different pile anyway if you have to produce, store and transport energy. Tell me that won't create its own problems, with anything from quality to security.
Right now, battery technology is a joke. Not mentioned in many of these articles. It would be a miracle to have a battery pack one tenth the size of the current Tesla's in the near future. I hope that it happens, but it is the missing piece of the electro-digital future currently.

[johnta1]

One needs to understand that change happens very gradually. Most won't even know they are changing.

I can remember when gas went to 50 cents. EVERYONE was going to quit driving and sell their car.

Then it went to a dollar! OH MY GOSH! Country going to H3LL! They're going to go buy a horse and ride it.


Or the color TV?

Or the microwave? Half said the radiation would kill everyone or produce aliens or something.


Or even recently, EFI would never ever take over the carburetor.


Go read about the World's Fair in like NY or Chicago or whatever back in the early 50's / 60's and see what was envisioned for us.



Most of these things written in the list is fear mongering or trolling possibly.

But if one has to worry about stuff like this, that's sad in itself.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by johnta1

One needs to understand that change happens very gradually. Most won't even know they are changing.

I can remember when gas went to 50 cents. EVERYONE was going to quit driving and sell their car.

Then it went to a dollar! OH MY GOSH! Country going to H3LL! They're going to go buy a horse and ride it.


Or the color TV?

Or the microwave? Half said the radiation would kill everyone or produce aliens or something.


Or even recently, EFI would never ever take over the carburetor.


Go read about the World's Fair in like NY or Chicago or whatever back in the early 50's / 60's and see what was envisioned for us.



Most of these things written in the list is fear mongering or trolling possibly.

But if one has to worry about stuff like this, that's sad in itself.

AMEN!

[ta6point6]

Change is coming it is inevitable if you are stuck in the past"...........welll. I hate change but it comes to everything.

[bird72]

I just hope I live to see man on Mars.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by goats2quick

well, ive been at kodak for 25 years. i worked 75 hours this week. a day off would be nice

You are one of the lucky ones, so don't complain too much or too loud... they can hear you. Enjoy the overtime while you can. Kodak might completely disappear one of these days. At least you're making better money than I did when I worked for them back in the 70s.

[daduck]

#19 on the list - 3D printing.

About frigin' time!!!!!

Let's 3D print some 1977 Grand Prix parts!!!!!!!!!

[Will]

Battery technology is advancing rapidly. Heck, 20 years ago lithium ion batteries were in their infancy and not really commercially viable, now they're used for all kinds of things. There are newer battery technologies under development now that will be safer and have higher energy density. I don't think it's unreasonable to speculate that in another 20 years or batteries half the current size will hold twice as much energy.

Generation and grid upgrades will certainly be necessary. I think solar generators are probably the future, or at least a big part of it. Solar power towers utilizing salts are a very promising technology.

I've no doubt that fossil fuels are on the way out for ground transportation. Air transportation is another story.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by cabhop

I wonder if this will affect the buggy whip or wheelwright industry?

Took the words out of my mouth, LOL, and what about the switchboard operator?
One thing for sure, all of these electronics need a dry place to reside. Should always be a need for a good roofer!

[bird72]

Originally Posted by TAKerry

Took the words out of my mouth, LOL, and what about the switchboard operator?
One thing for sure, all of these electronics need a dry place to reside. Should always be a need for a good roofer!

Roofer Drones

[Chief of the 60's]

"Fit in" sounds like conforming to a particlar group or organization. I don't roll that way. There are always those that will change themselves just to "fit in" to what they perceive to be the cool group. Not me. Its a stupid way to go through life being someone you are not but so many do it.

[brians]

No I would not fit in and personally, do not see the end of the internal combustion engine in my lifetime.
The politicians can pass all the legislation timelines they want but can guarantee there will be extension upon extension. The world economy is dependent on the oil and gas industry. Texas alone has a couple of million people working in that field.

Few points:
Right now, a gallon of gas is cheaper than Tesla’s Supercharger stations. (At least by me)
This morning, a gallon of cheap unleaded was $1.97. That is way less for inflation then a gallon in 1970.

The Tesla battery has an 8yr warrantee. What do you do after that when the batteries cost thousands?
Unless something drastically changes, the vehicles will be in a junkyard. There will be no more used car market.

There are electrical grid upgrades and upkeep issues.

Only see the government getting rid of fuel when they tax it so high that people have to switch due to cost or an actual better way is invented, not just the same car powered a different way. Who knows, maybe I’ll see the Star Trek Transporter be perfected in my life time. Now a personal transporter, I would buy.