Oil Relief - And Its Timing - Come Into Better Focus

Much is written about “alternative energy” and the relief from high oil prices that might come from solar, wind, nuclear or some other approach. But all of these are “solutions” to a problem that as of now does not exist: a lack of electricity.

Our oil problem is caused by too much use of petroleum, not a lack of electricity. The only way we are going to solve the oil problem is to drive cars that do not include the current petroleum based power plants and to transition freight and some personal transportation to electric powered rail. So we need plug in hybrid electric cars that will start to appear in 2010. Even better would be all electric “city cars” such as what is being developed by Israel and Denmark.

The cavalry is coming. The following dramatic news about Mercedes, if true, shows a forward thinking determination on the part of a major car company to meet the future head on that puts a real “solution” to the oil problem within view. Granted we are not talking about tomorrow. But still the Mercedes idea would put a time frame on a total revision of our car propulsion problem. I suspect a total conversion of the fleet would take about 15 years beyond the 2015 “no petroleum” model year.

Incidentally, will we need more electrical generating capacity at some point? Probably. But let’s not forget that when LED lighting becomes the rule - probably within five years - we’ll be able to save 15% +/- of all the electricity we currently use. Moreover, to the extent that cars are refueled in the off-peak night time hours no additional capacity is required.

Mercedes to cut petroleum out of lineup by 2015

By Jaymi Heimbuch Posted Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:23am PDT

In less than 7 years, Mercedes-Benz plans to ditch petroleum-powered vehicles from its lineup. Focusing on electric, fuel cell, and biofuels, the company is revving up research in alternative fuel sources and efficiency.

The German car company has a few new power-trains in the line-up that European journalists have had the opportunity to test out in the Mercedes facility in Spain. One vehicle includes the F700, powered by a DiesOtto engine that combines HCCI and spark ignition to get nearly the same efficiency as diesel, but minus the expensive after-treatment systems.

The engine can run on biofuels, and we may have a purchasable vehicle by 2010 — a year that seems to be popular for the debut of a lot of newthumb-twiddling years for consumers. I don’t know, maybe car makers just like the roundness of “2010.” The company’s next big step will be to launch a Smart electric car which is fuel and emission-free. alternative fuel car models, making ’08 and ’09 simply

Anyway, Mercedes is looking into electric vehicles, both battery-powered and fuel-cell powered. Not only are models in development, but we’ve also seen the company making steps towards its zero-petroleum goal right now, from better cabs in London to li-ion battery improvements. The company also has about 100 Smart electric cars undergoing testing in London, with that favorite 2010 year as the projected market release date.

Mercedes is making serious investments, already putting nearly $4 million into the pot of its long-term Sustainable Mobility plan, with another nearly $1.4 billion going in before 2014.

While car models may be able to run on fuels other than gasoline or diesel, we have yet to find a method of both running and producing vehicles entirely free of fossil fuels. I’m waiting for a mainstream car line that creates renewable fuel, clean-running vehicles out of 100% recycled materials in plants run on 100% renewable, clean power … Will I even be alive when that finally happens? I have hope.

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