It's amazing to me how so many can embrace technology so quickly without questioning its viability. So many so quick to get the latest thing. These are the same people that are quickest to bring a lawsuit against any product or service. as well. Now I'm not opposed to trying new things, new inventions and ideas have improved our world in innumerable ways. I do believe there is more than one to skin a cat as we used to say. Still, I've always been one to do a bit of research before trying something new. Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread. Another old adage that seems a lot of folks have either forgotten or never heard in the first place. But what amazes me even more are those that have jumped into the water and refuse to accept how deep those waters are! They just keep treading water believing it will somehow get better. The complete refusal to accept fact and reality. That is what leaves me shaking my head.
A good example of that happened yesterday. There was a picture of an automobile made in 1909 that was an electric vehicle. The comments beneath that picture where mostly from those saying how great that was, how we should have stayed with that technology and on and on about the virtue of using electricity. We all know that fossil fuels with be the end of mankind and the planet unless we immediately adopt this all electric attitude. Now me, being me, just had to point out some basic facts about those electric vehicles, both those made in 1909 and those being made today. They both use batteries which are expensive to manufacture and toxic when fully expended. In 1909 those batteries were lead/acid and gave off hydrogen gas while being charged, just a slight risk of explosion, nothing to worry about right.
Well, if we were charging thousands of those batteries if just might get to be an issue. So today we are using lithium-ion batteries. No charging gases given off with them, they just spontaneously burst into flame, but only occasionally so no problem. But the bigger problem was the range of those vehicles. We have the same issue today, even with all those "charging" station located across the country, as long as you stick to the main highways that is. Yes, the infrastructure to keep those batteries charged just doesn't exist and the experts say it will take fifty years or more to do so. Beyond that however is the larger issue, the ability to produce and store that electricity without using fossil fuels. That's why there are hybrid vehicles you know, to be able to extend the range of those vehicles.
I could go on listing all the negatives with this push for all electric vehicles but that isn't really what I'm thinking about. I'm just wondering how it is that those people with the money and resources to afford those expensive toys remain so blind to the facts. I'm thinking another old adage sums that up, a fool and their money soon part company. Now I agree that if you can afford the expense of having a charging station in your home, there are charging stations where you work, and charging stations within the range of every electric vehicle made no matter where you drive in the country it is a good alternative. I'm thinking they'll figure out how to keep those batteries from bursting into flames one day.
As I said when I first started out, I'm amazed at the number of people defending this as a viable option. All it is, in my opinion, is another example of virtue signaling. I'm going to adopt and embrace this new technology no matter what and I will never admit that it just isn't viable at this time. It is a technology suited to the wealthy. A fancy toy, nothing more. It's true that the automobile replaced the horse and buggy as the means of transport. It wasn't always the best choice in the early part of the 20th century because of the availability of gas and oil. Thing was, that could be put into barrels and shipped anywhere it was needed. You can't really put electricity in a barrel that way, the battery gets way too big and heavy to be of any use.
Some areas of the country are experiencing brownouts and blackouts today because of the lack of infrastructure to deliver electricity and the lack of available electricity as well. Is it really reasonable to believe that electricity will be available to charge all these vehicles? It is estimated there are 268 million vehicles operating on our roads every day. 268 million! How are you going to charge all of that? And that is the problem facing this new technology. Like it, hate it, it doesn't change a thing. Cars were an expensive toy enjoyed by the wealthy folks too until old Henry figured out how to produce them cheaply. There is nothing cheap about buying or operating an electric vehicle. The lowest price quoted for a level one charging station, for one vehicle and the majority of homes today have at least two automobiles, is 750 dollars. That charger will take eight or more hours to fully charge your battery. A top-of-the-line supercharger can cost over fifty thousand dollars! And it is at least ten thousand to replace the battery when it goes bad. And yes, they degrade each and every time they are recharged. The more often you recharge them, the quicker they die!
I'm not anti-electric vehicles. They are good for those that can afford them. They are good for in town chores and general use. They are quick, no doubt about that, and loaded with electronics. Of course, if anything goes wrong with them there are no roadside repairs with the exception of changing the tires. In fairness that is getting to be true with the fossil fuel powered vehicles as well. Electric powered vehicles much bigger than a sedan aren't very good at all. Their range is severely limited by weight vs power requirements. It's an engineering thing. I'm really not anti-electric I'm just being realistic. I'm modern, up to date on new technology but I still use Android because it is more affordable and is capable of doing everything I want it to do. I'm using a desktop computer for the same reason, it's cheaper, more dependable and capable of doing whatever I want. No need to spend thousands of dollars for an I phone or the newest Laptop. If you can afford all that, good for you. Maybe one day I will have those things too, when they become more affordable. But, of course, by then you will be insisting on some new technology that is so much better and it will save the planet! It comes down to supply and demand. It is foolish to create a demand with no means of supply. Unless the real purpose is to control that supply that is. Control with the flip of a switch. Could come in handy.
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