kEiThZ
Superstar
Shai Agassi's Better Place is setting up in Ontario with the support of Dalton McGuinty's government:
http://www.betterplace.com/global-progress/canada/
Here's what Better Place is about for those who don't know:
http://www.ted.com/talks/shai_agassi_on_electric_cars.html
I am impressed and incredibly excited that Ontario is getting on the ground floor of this idea. It has huge implications for our auto sector. On the other hand, it also has huge implications for our domestic transport sector.
If Agassi's math is accurate, the energy cost of driving in Ontario will drop to between 6 and 7 cents per km with taxes and exchange rates figured in. That means the average Ontario driver putting on about 20 000 km per year will spend $1400 on fuel maximum. For the average driver, this is equalent to paying $0.875 per litre. Not cheap. But definitely not expensive.
However, since batteries do fall under the spell of Moore's law, they will only get cheaper every year. That means that the fuel powering an electric car is getting cheaper every year. So if Agassi's predictions hold, we'll be down to about 1.5-2 cents per km (taxes and exchange rates in) in 2020. That driver doing 20 000 km per year incurs fuel charges of about $400 per year or $.25 per litre at today's fuel efficiencies.
Reducing the cost of transportation is great for our economy. Getting off carbon based fuels is great for our environment. And getting off depleting oil resources is also great for our economy. However, we are entering a stage now where driving could get cheaper every year. That presents a whole host of new issues. More congestion, more wear and tear on the roads, etc. I hope the government is ready to discuss that side of the equation as well.
http://www.betterplace.com/global-progress/canada/
Here's what Better Place is about for those who don't know:
http://www.ted.com/talks/shai_agassi_on_electric_cars.html
I am impressed and incredibly excited that Ontario is getting on the ground floor of this idea. It has huge implications for our auto sector. On the other hand, it also has huge implications for our domestic transport sector.
If Agassi's math is accurate, the energy cost of driving in Ontario will drop to between 6 and 7 cents per km with taxes and exchange rates figured in. That means the average Ontario driver putting on about 20 000 km per year will spend $1400 on fuel maximum. For the average driver, this is equalent to paying $0.875 per litre. Not cheap. But definitely not expensive.
However, since batteries do fall under the spell of Moore's law, they will only get cheaper every year. That means that the fuel powering an electric car is getting cheaper every year. So if Agassi's predictions hold, we'll be down to about 1.5-2 cents per km (taxes and exchange rates in) in 2020. That driver doing 20 000 km per year incurs fuel charges of about $400 per year or $.25 per litre at today's fuel efficiencies.
Reducing the cost of transportation is great for our economy. Getting off carbon based fuels is great for our environment. And getting off depleting oil resources is also great for our economy. However, we are entering a stage now where driving could get cheaper every year. That presents a whole host of new issues. More congestion, more wear and tear on the roads, etc. I hope the government is ready to discuss that side of the equation as well.