On 10-06-97 Charlie Young wrote to Alec Cameron... 
 AC> I wonder what the total efficiency would be for an electric 
 > car vs. the traditional gasoline powered car? 
 CY>  
 CY> You would have to calculate the energy used digging up the coal, 
 CY> transporting it to the power station, transporting it around 
 CY> the coal yard, and crushing it.  Then there are blowers and 
 CY> other energy hungry devices.  Also you would need to add in 
 CY> the losses in the transmission grid.  That is not to say that 
 CY> gasoline is the perfect energy source, but maybe not as bad 
 CY> as some would have us to believe. 
The main appeal's being able to control where emmissions come out 
into the atmosphere... i.e. not in the metro area, and with what 
I see as standard NIMBY practice, the power plant stack pumps it 
high enough not to come down into the original congressman's home 
district. ;) 
 
There is also the consideration, that if we burned coal, we would 
be burning our *own* coal, not foreign oil.  And, finally, the hi 
technology to control pollution would not be under your hood, but 
be monitored at the *powerplant*.  If, as they *claim*, they can 
burn coal so cleanly, they will improve on the net pollution from 
gasoline in an IC engine.  The auto dealers would take a big hit 
on vehicle maintenance profits, whereas the typical chassis stuff 
like tie rods, wheel balancing, tires, etc would be simple enough 
that some small garages would stay in business. 
 
For my part... well I am putting a flat bed on the back of a golf 
cart right now.  When it is done, I will be able to go into woods 
with it for selective harvest of fire wood.  Use the batteries to 
power an *electric* chainsaw, load logs on the cart, drive back 
down to the house, and cut them into firewood. 
 
If I can get more solar panels, and other home power... 
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