If there were a viable substitute for oil, would Americans accept it?

Question

Or is gasoline somehow sacred?

The electric car was promising, but no one would undertake setting up the necessary infrastructure.

Do you think the oil companies would allow a competitor... or would they buy out and bankrupt anyone who tries?

To my first two answerers: what about the need to settle for less profits while an infrastructure for something new is put in place. Doesn't that cut against the business principle of ever greater profit?

Answer 1

Please allow an ol' man some observations.
IN the 1950's there were High School CHEMISTRY STUDENTS, across the USA, "playing" with the H2O / 'hydrogen- oxygen' separation, and some even installed their research projects, into automobiles (Chevy's and Ford's common V8's, AND especially Chrysler's Hemi's).
Yes, there were SOME typical experimental engineering problems, however, MOST of the more successful units, were bought up 'donations to the educational entities', provided that no further "Dangerous" experimenting activities be continued!!
DANGEROUS ??? WHAT DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES??? hhhmmmmm Could the "DANGEROUS" activities be a DANGER to the petroleum companies???

Answer 2

There are electric cars sold every day .
The trouble is the "fuel" / charging time & short distance .
There are other alternatives & the vehicles all work , but
The BIG issue / element is the quantity of the other fuels .
To date , nothing else is available in a quantity to meet the needs of the populations .

The push to bio fuels from corn has driven many places to near revolt , as the people can no longer pay the new higher prices for food corn .
The bio-fuel people are paying higher for it .

As soon as you find a
1) prolific fuel that
2) powers transport vehicles for significant distances
3) and can carry hundreds of pounds . . .
You will be famous , people will accept it .

Boo Hooing about the oil companies resolves nothing ,
Unless you have a real solution at hand .

Have you already found the magic pill that meets the 3 criteria ?

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Answer 3

1. Yes
2. No, it's not sacred... Just easy and well known.
3. The electric car just needs to be simplified for folks to use it AND they need someone to help them when there is a problem. We are not mechanics.
4. The oil companies don't want competition. Why would they. As for buying them out and bankrupting them.... Hey, maybe they'll think about the global warming and our demise before selling out......

I like to think there is hope out there. I just bought a used car to get back and forth to the supermarket and the Dr's office. And quite frankly, I don't care what it runs on as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg and it still gets me where I need to go. I'd use something electric... If I could afford to buy one. Our local news just did a story about a man who converted his truck over to electric and I saw how simply it can be done. Maintenance is an issue. I think the kinks still need to be worked out and when they are, people will be happy to plug their cars in and save their hard earned money for something else.

Answer 4

There are more electric cars coming on the market. GM plans to make an electic car in 2010 and there are other alternatives. Alternatives may not be as efficient in some ways, but as oil and gasoline prices go higher alternatives become more affordable. Its the next best thing. The oil companies arent as powerful as conspiracy theorists think.

Answer 5

you can ride a bicycle or walk or ride a horse. There is mass transit of all types.
Gas is dependable, and makes you independent.

I don't put anything past the oil companies but I think that oil is better than anything that has been proposed so far.

I have a brother in law that is working on an alternative. It is tough to get over all the hurdles- setting up all the service stations and working with the car manufacturers. Think about all that we take for granted that is set up just for cars to run the way they do.

Answer 6

Look this is a capitalist county. We will buy what will save us money and/or be more efficient period. If it's a good product the oil company's will probably buy it and market it them self. Whatever it may be.

Answer 7

if it were a direct replacement and competitive in price, then the answer is Yes.