Diesel people just don't get it.

[OlsonBW]

People come on this website posting about VW and other cars with diesel engines trying to convince us that diesel is better than gas and gas/electric hybrids. The thing is, they just don't get it.

It's not about gas, gas/electric, diesel, or even hydrogen. It's about a stepping stone away from ANY form of liquid fuels that we have to go to a pump to buy.

Hybrids are about taking us a step closer to all electric vehicles.

We aren't going to need ANY kind of electric fuels in the future. We shouldn't want them as any kind of liquid (or solid) fuels means product and product means mass and mass is infinite while the sun, by all reported expectations, is going to be around a long, long time. At least as far as humans can understand time, which is relative based on what planet you are on.

It's only a matter of time before recharging batteries is going to take seconds instead of hours or minutes. And it is only a matter of time before the range on electric only vehicles is going to be over 600 miles.

Imagine a day where solar panels are 3 cents on the dollar and it doesn't take a loan to buy them or have them installed. Imagine a day where batteries to run your house through the non-sunlit hours and cars 24 hours will be small enough and powerful enough so that you only need something the size of a case of motor oil.

For those of you hating the idea of ugly solar panels being on top of your roof. Don't worry. A day is coming where the windows in your house will also be your solar panels. As for your roof? Most likely there will be thermal collectors built into the roof collecting heat and transferring it to your hot water pipes where instant on electric water heaters will heat up the remaining 30 or 40 degrees (even in deep winter) letting you have hot showers or baths.

Imagine driving home in your whisper quiet car (except those with powerful noise systems a.k.a. radios currently ...) and parking in your garage or on the street near your house. Imagine your car wirelessly talking to your house and wirelessly recharging.

Imagine not having electric bills anymore because solar panels and high density/super fast charging batteries will store enough power even in the cloudiest and rainiest places on earth to not need an electric company anymore.

Imagine how quaint it will seem when countries around the world dug up coal to burn it to create electricity.

Those days aren't coming soon enough but they are coming. And not only will you not be needing to go to a fuel station (now known as a gas station) to buy fuel. The idea of doing so will be as nostalgic as the corner service station where men would run out of the station to check your oil, check the air pressure in your tires, and cars had bias ply tires.

It's not about hybrids vs diesels vs hydrogen. It's about moving away from all of any fuel that you purchase. It's about moving to electric vehicles that are recharged at your house with solar power. A day will come when most people won't even remember having to "fill up" their cars with anything as they will seem to always be fully charged.

Am I one of those left wing environmentalists?

No. I'm a fat, lazy, cheep (but not cheep enough to shop at Wallmart) Americans who doesn't want to have to go somewhere to buy fuel anymore. Oh, and I'm tired of hearing about how Exxon had another record profit while also trying to keep from having to pay for the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska...

[Bob64]

Solar is powered off a physical energy source too :P
Fusion in the sun. Granted, it should last a few billion years longer

[Fraser]

OlsonBW, I agree wholeheartedly. Some of your specifics may not turn out, but the concept of using free solar (receptors and collectors aside) thrills me. I'm in favor of nuclear power to help the electrical system, but I'd prefer single-user abilities.

[OlsonBW]

Originally Posted by Fraser

OlsonBW, I agree wholeheartedly. Some of your specifics may not turn out, but the concept of using free solar (receptors and collectors aside) thrills me. I'm in favor of nuclear power to help the electrical system, but I'd prefer single-user abilities.

You would still be buying fuel from someone requiring power lines. Imagine being able to get rid of all power and phone lines (and light polution - I wish!!!) along with fuel stations.

[OlsonBW]

Originally Posted by Fraser

OlsonBW, I agree wholeheartedly. Some of your specifics may not turn out, but the concept of using free solar (receptors and collectors aside) thrills me. I'm in favor of nuclear power to help the electrical system, but I'd prefer single-user abilities.

Hey, I'm from the future just letting you know how things will be. lol

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by Bob64

Solar is powered off a physical energy source too :P
Fusion in the sun. Granted, it should last a few billion years longer

True, but what are we going to use when it stops?

Tom

[bwilson4web]

We have to use today's tools to build the future. But it is a shame to see not just diesel but gas-only advocates trying to rebuild yesterday's technology.

Bob Wilson

[a priori]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

We have to use today's tools to build the future. But it is a shame to see not just diesel but gas-only advocates trying to rebuild yesterday's technology.

Bob Wilson

Buggy whip, Bob.

Why bother shouting them down when we can simply wave as we pass by their federally-funded dealerships?

[Fraser]

Originally Posted by qbee42

True, but what are we going to use when it stops?

Tom

You're active and in apparent good health. But some of the rest of us don't expect to live long enough to experience the dark sun.

[fuzzy1]

Originally Posted by qbee42

True, but what are we going to use when it stops?

Tom

Move. There are plenty of suns out there, and more are being made from the hydrogen gas clouds.

By that time, whatever intelligence exists will have little memory of the nearly prehistoric species called 'homo sapiens'.