Submitted by Tony Belding, May 12, 2007 12:05

I have to take issue with David Salzman's comment. All-electric cars commonly achieve energy efficiencies equivalent to 130 MPG or better on a "well-to-wheel" basis, even taking into account losses from the transmission lines and the battery charge-and-discharge cycle. Furthermore, hardly any electricity in the USA is produced from petroleum. Coal, natural gas, hydroelectric dams and nuclear power are the primary sources. The suggestion that electric cars would somehow increase our demand for oil is inexplicable, it makes no sense. Right now the main obstacles holding back electric cars are the cost and durability of battery cells. Cost can presumably be addressed through increased mass production and economies of scale, as we have seen in many other manufacturing industries. Engineers at General Motors expect the durability problem to be resolved within three years, as 2010 is their announced target for putting the Chevy Volt into production.

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