 From the event abstract:
"A switch to electric cars would help reduce these problems:
- The US consumes 25% of global petroleum production. Imported oil played a major role in Gulf–I war and a secondary role in Gulf–II. US interest in the Middle East is enhanced by US petroleum needs.
- 40% of US CO 2 production comes from petroleum (2.7 Gt of 6.1 GT of C in 2002). Off-peak power can be used to reduce total fossil needs. Base load plants are much more efficient than peak-power plants. Much reduced pollution in cities and in total.
Electric cars are quieter, save considerable energy, accelerate faster, pollute less, and need much, much less maintenance. The only major impediment is the development of a viable battery. A modest use of off-peak electricity could allow 5 million CA cars to be free of petroleum. In my view the electric car is far more likely than the hydrogen fuel-cell car. This physics talk will present data and carry out basic calculations on gasoline, electric and hybrid cars, and on the electric grid. I will review recent visits on EV technology at UCDavis, LBL and EPRI." |
