John Stossel's Newest Book "No They Can't" is Turning Out to be an Interesting

I have been trying to draw attention to this for ages, what is more electric vehicles, like other cars use more energy in their manufacture than they do in their lifetime. Thus a real measure of their efficiency should involve not just energy used per mile but also energy used in manufacture and life expectancy. Now as my Land-Rover Defender has a body made of Aluminium and requires more hand assembly than other makes and because it has a life expectancy or up to 60 years or more, it is, I argue, as well as being the best production 4 by 4 by far and certainly the most iconic it is also the most environmentally friendly vehicle all the best, urban

Lots of great info in these responses, for instance, I wasn't aware of the rare earth materials you mention, being only available in China, THAT is interesting seeing as one of Obama's points for spending so much on 'green' was to not let China get ahead of us in the 'green' industries. The government needs to get out of moral issues like saving planet earth from SUVs. They need to allow private innovation and brain power solve the problem. Americans are well aware now enviromentally, and if the government wants to do something, make them better educated and let them LOOSE to solve the problems.

That sounds like a very good book. I like John Stossel; he isn't afraid to tackle anything, it seems. As to electric cars, I don't think they're a logical choice for several reasons. First, they cost too much. Secondly, where do you go when they need maintenance or repairs? Third, where does the electricity come from? There is a war on traditional sources, so do we get it from wind farms? Solar? Of course we know better. And fourth, they're built much too small for anything but one and two person households and only if those people never carry anything bigger than a handbag and maybe one sack of groceries. Fifth, their range is limited. It's not like a gasoline engine where you can buy gas almost anywhere. Where do you plug in if you have to drive further or more than you anticipated? What happens when the car is being charged and the school calls to tell you to come and get your child immediately? They would work for rich, single people who live in high rise apartments and never want to go anywhere other than work and shopping. But then those people could take public transportation.

Do we remember when water powered our mills? Wind pumped water and powered our ships? Of course we do, but now water provides a fraction of our electricity and that's a shame, really. No, I'm not prepared to give up my SUV, although, if I could afford a second car, I would get a small one for errands that don't involve 3 people or large shopping trips. Commute to work, doctor runs... that kind of stuff. While my SUV doesn't exactly scream "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" it does carry the cat food, cat litter, dog food and a shopping trip to the "big box store" for paper goods, and the like. I can put 5 people in it without too much discomfort and it has automatic transmission, power steering and air conditioning (not a luxury in Texas I'll add.) I know it takes more gas than a smaller car, but honestly, it doesn't do too badly, when its not loaded down with an additional 500 of stuff! I have a friend who has a Prius and she really doesn't get that much better mileage than I do.

hmm. i wanted to read some books nowadays. i might consider this one. hmmmm. is there any soft copy for this/? thanks

From your passage, I just find out we can avoid pollution in one way but not the other. Electric power can really decrease the pollution the gasoline created such as carbon dioxide. And you have stated one point that individuals have neglected the origin of the electricity. As you told, the electricity can be born from the coal. Assuming you got the right point, ultimately we still use the pollutant but in a different way, which will not change the enviromental problem worldwide. So if the electricty comes from the coal, is there any other kind of resources to take the place of the gasoline? Using hydrogen to start the engine used to be a very heated topic. However, we stop going forward for its extream instability. I imagine if we can make a subtance able to keep stable consistently as well as to creat the large mount of energy with no pollutant given out, that it will solve the problem. It really brings a big challenge to the scientific circle. Other than the environment problem, form your words I also find that we really have less consideration in the process of implemention.Sometimes we just work in a different way but get the same result eventually, which waste our energe completely. I suggest before we move on, each movement and piece of thought should be related directly or indirectly to our ultimate goal...Lol..

All cars,regardless of their energy source,have to be built from components that we need to drill for,Mine,or Harvest. In that sense,No car is any better than another from a manufacturing standpoint. Electric or hybrid cars just get to have a "Longer tailpipe" when they rely on fossil fuels for their source of power.While renewable energy from wind,Solar,or wave power is available,accessing it also takes technology,manufacturing and maintenance capacity.after that,though,the source is effectively unlimited.. While I like the idea that Electric cars have fewer mechanical issues,there are also fewer places able to maintain them,and as yet we still have that "range anxiety" issue that keeps them from becoming widespread,despite statistics saying most people only need a car for less than about a 20 mile trip each day..That,and the cost of buying one in the first place..