I'm a fan of Design News and this issue has a number of complementary articles. Rather than separate threads, I'll post the list here. Was The Tesla Story 'A Joke?' - Captain Hybrid | Blog on Design News I agree and we have both an electric motorcycle and two Prius. Electric vehicles have a future but not with the current technology nor the hydrogen fool cells. Air metal may work but we're not seeing enough 'hard, tedious work' to make that likely anytime soon. But there is a 'cheat.' New Class of Linear Motors - 2009-11-16 01:00:00 EST | Design News This significantly reduces the per meter cost of building a magnetic levitation bed. The vehicle carries all of the expensive, active electronics so we can afford to make levitation beds with active vehicles floating above them. Supplying power by overhead conductors and we are looking at a new, high-speed Interstate system. Then as if on cue: Rechargeable Batteries Extend Their Reach - 2009-10-21 13:41:55 EDT | Design News Then my favorite day dream, running the house from our Prius: Could Car Batteries Back up Our Electrical Grid? - 2009-11-09 09:36:02 EST | Design News My vision is called 'co-generation' and means I 'dock' my Prius and run it on natural gas. The engine waste heat provides space heating and hot water. The electricity powers the house and any excess is fed back to the grid. I have no problem with condensing the water provided disolved minerals are not a problem. When I leave, the house reverts to a low-power, sustaining energy mode. Bob Wilson
Bob, You have a very optimistic view of a comprehensive low energy use foot print for the future. My worry is, after a while, government acting for our self and "national" interests, will require that to get onto the grid there will also be a requirement to submit to a direct WiFi spinal tap for continuous internet access, location tracking, commercial sales profiling, political activism, and direct thought to transmission "texting?" I'll bet there is already a movie about this far-fetched possibility. Something like an updated version of 1984. Or was that just an Apple Super Bowl half-time ad?
