Gas prices and electric vehicles.

[torredcuda]

Fossil fuels will never be "done" - maybe someday there will be a viable alternative to gasoline powered vehicles but there are a million other things that use crude oil derivatives for it to ever not be needed.

A partial list of products made from Petroleum (144 of 6000 items)​

(A note to readers: This list came from a print publication in 1974. We failed to identify the source document and have been unable to find a list of the “6,000 items” since. In fact, since 1974 there have been hundreds of additional items replaced with plastic duplicates, medical syringes for example. So should you wish to find the complete list of products made from petroleum you will most likely have to compose it yourself.)
One 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like:

Solvents	Diesel fuel	Motor Oil	Bearing Grease
Ink	Floor Wax	Ballpoint Pens	Football Cleats
Upholstery	Sweaters	Boats	Insecticides
Bicycle Tires	Sports Car Bodies	Nail Polish	Fishing lures
Dresses	Tires	Golf Bags	Perfumes
Cassettes	Dishwasher parts	Tool Boxes	Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet	Caulking	Petroleum Jelly	Transparent Tape
CD Player	Faucet Washers	Antiseptics	Clothesline
Curtains	Food Preservatives	Basketballs	Soap
Vitamin Capsules	Antihistamines	Purses	Shoes
Dashboards	Cortisone	Deodorant	Shoelace Aglets
Putty	Dyes	Panty Hose	Refrigerant
Percolators	Life Jackets	Rubbing Alcohol	Linings
Skis	TV Cabinets	Shag Rugs	Electrician’s Tape
Tool Racks	Car Battery Cases	Epoxy	Paint
Mops	Slacks	Insect Repellent	Oil Filters
Umbrellas	Yarn	Fertilizers	Hair Coloring
Roofing	Toilet Seats	Fishing Rods	Lipstick
Denture Adhesive	Linoleum	Ice Cube Trays	Synthetic Rubber
Speakers	Plastic Wood	Electric Blankets	Glycerin
Tennis Rackets	Rubber Cement	Fishing Boots	Dice
Nylon Rope	Candles	Trash Bags	House Paint
Water Pipes	Hand Lotion	Roller Skates	Surf Boards
Shampoo	Wheels	Paint Rollers	Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings	Luggage	Aspirin	Safety Glasses
Antifreeze	Football Helmets	Awnings	Eyeglasses
Clothes	Toothbrushes	Ice Chests	Footballs
Combs	CD’s & DVD’s	Paint Brushes	Detergents
Vaporizers	Balloons	Sun Glasses	Tents
Heart Valves	Crayons	Parachutes	Telephones
Enamel	Pillows	Dishes	Cameras
Anesthetics	Artificial Turf	Artificial limbs	Bandages
Dentures	Model Cars	Folding Doors	Hair Curlers
Cold cream	Movie film	Contact lenses	Drinking Cups
Fan Belts	Car Enamel	Shaving Cream	Ammonia
Refrigerators	Golf Balls	Toothpaste	Gasoline

 

[Russ69Runner]

I agree.

 

[roadrunninMark]

Sure, oil is in other products and always will be but as a fossil fuel it is on its way out. There already are many viable alternatives to fossil fuel vehicles, including ethanol. Go down to Brazil, they've been running cars on ethanol for decades. Their air is very clean. I've been to Sao Palo many times, one of the most densely populated cities in the world. You can walk down the streets without being suffocating on car exhaust. The way we make ethanol isn't the answer either, there are better crops that cause less damage than corn too.

Ford designed the Model T to run on various source of fuels. Here is a quote from him: "The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like that sumach out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust — almost anything. There is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented. There’s enough alcohol in one year’s yield of an acre of potatoes to drive the machinery necessary to cultivate the fields for a hundred years."

Oil companies have done everything they can to stop/slow this but they cannot anymore. Are you familiar with the story of "who killed the electric car?".

You are witnessing the change over right now. EVs might not be the long term solution but the number of these on the road are rapidly growing. The change needs to start somewhere. IF they can get the solid state battery w/o rare earth minerals working and into production, the change over will be rapid.

I am not one of the people that cry "climate change", actually far from it but it will be a better place when we won't pollute the air with gasoline, diesel and coal. I actually believe that the issues have more to do with deforestation. We need more green space than continually clear cutting everything. Trees and such are cleans the air and creates the oxygen. I think the sun has a heck of a lot to do with the temperature of the planet too. We are in a peak of solar activity right now, but do you ever hear of this when they cry about climate change? I do prefer nuclear plants over windmills too as I think those cause more harm and waste. I think an engine on ethanol or natural gas is good idea too. I realize one type might not be the "be all, end all", but a combination of alternatives is better than nothing.

 

[Rapid Transit]

Also known as "Remote Emission Vehicles".

 

[Photon440]

I think the answer has to do with hydrogen. A true renewable and clean fuel source. Once they figure how to separate it from oxygen cheaply and efficiently, fossil fuels are done. It has been proven an internal engine running on hydrogen actually cleans the air. A dedicated hydrogen engine that can withstand the effects plus have a lot higher compression ratio, like a diesel, will make a lot of power in a small size. You can also make a fuel cell vehicle, similar to EVs that the hydrogen supplies the voltage to run the electric motor(s).

Electricity will always be needed too.

While hydrogen sounds like a good idea, the fact is that the majority of hydrogen production right now comes from natural gas. Huge amounts of carbon dioxide result from the process. Electrolysis methods of pulling hydrogen from water account for under 5% of hydrogen production right now, and needs a lot of electricity to do so.

I know a guy with a Toyota Mirai, a hydrogen fuel cell car. He really likes it, but there are only six refueling stations in the Vancouver area. Taking the car for a highway vacation wouldn't work.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Biofuels are being made for Algie. But the amount of it to be produced is enormous. Evey one is looking for an answer of how to get around. Hydrogen is harm full to the combustion engine and it produces and off product that is dangerous or poisons. The cost of batteries for electric cars and the amount of fuels used to create them is making more pollution than we are burning right now. Really, I am not concerned at all only on what it is costing me to drive my runner. If they are so concerned, then let them buy a bicycle. LOL. Tree huggers should invest into a tree farm.