Do you think oil companies would welcome a vehicle that ran strictly on electricity?

Question

an electric engine that was equal to a combustible engine but it was cleaner, cost less to maintain, 200% cheaper fuel costs, had the same range and speed as a combustible engine..etc. just assume all these things.....

or would they do everything in their power to eliminate it?

so basically the oil companies don't care about the environment, in a sick and twisted sort of way.

or maybe they just care about their own profits than cleaning up the earth

for everyone's information, an electric car was built in the mid 90's and it was called the EV1.

Answer 1

They would probably try to eliminate it.

But don't let that overshadow the reality: someone, somewhere, will have enough incentive and capital to develop such a vehicle and do so.

There are other concerns than you mentioned that currently make it infeasible to bring such a car to market. We will see one someday.

Answer 2

They would only if electricity was a finite commodity, with their companies controlling all aspects of production.

No, they don't care about the environment. Their spokesman, GWB, declared that since global warming couldn't be definitively proved, it was "junk science."

Honestly, can anyone truly say that reduced or eliminated dependence on foreign oil and a cleaner environment through reduced emissions is a bad thing? Just because others don't do it is not a justification for continuing with the same course of action. If we are the global leader we portend to be, than we should take the first step.

But in the end it boils down to influence and money. That's why we're mired where we are.

Answer 3

The oil companies would resist it politically, but that's not the real problem. Who's going to build this electric car?

The established auto industry is afraid of change too. And how many new automakers have appeared in the last 10 years? It's a very difficult business to enter, because of the enormous capital and expertise required to learn to build reliable, safe cars - and I mean all the stuff that isn't the engine or transmission.

Now as for hybrids being viable tow vehicles, that's just sizing and gearing. The railroads are very happy with theirs :) GM is focusing much of its hybrid efforts on full-size trucks, they get the worst fuel economy so they have the most to gain. Of course they'll be towing.

Answer 4

I'd LOVE to drive a hybrid or fully electric car, but they don't have any towing capabilities. Some of us who drive big vehicles actually NEED said vehicles.

That being said, it really wouldn't be in the oil companies best interests to promote an electric car, would it? And then we run into the whole argument of where does the electricity come from?

Isn't it Brazil who ended their foreign oil dependency by using an alternative fuel?

Answer 5

How about a fully electric car that goes 0 to 60 in 4 seconds...cost are up there right now but now that we know it's out there ;-) ...

Answer 6

If a significant portion of the electricity were generated by oil-fired plants, they wouldn't chafe. Consider also that lots of "oil" companies are really "energy" companies and are invested heavily in coal and nuclear materials...from which we make electricity. They'll get us coming, going, or stopping, eh?

Answer 7

they do (marginally) their part through environmental programs and fuel-efficiency projects, but they would absolutely not support alternatives to their products. it just bad business. they have a pretty powerful lobby, but i don't know about using everything in their power to defeat electric car efforts

Answer 8

They are too "money hungry". They are backed by THIS secret and evil group that's been in control of everything for far too long!...
http://www.rense.com/general58/suspre.htm

Answer 9

It's funny... There is an anti alternative fuels movement.

Answer 10

Are you kidding? They would hire a private army to oblitherate all of them!