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The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future

Twelve,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Text available

What's inside?

Fueling cars without using oil is the front line of environmental responsibility.

Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Eye Opening
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Authors Iain Carson and Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran depict “Big Oil” and “Big Auto” as the engines behind much of the world’s climate problem. Rather than condemn both, they look ahead and describe how China or the U.S., with the help of major car manufacturers, could lead the way to an oil-free future. They understand that personal transportation is too beneficial to dismiss out of hand, but that it must change. They acknowledge that the world will not run out of oil any time soon, but caution that the remaining concentrations are in the hands of countries that are unfriendly to big oil companies and the West. Moving away from foreign oil, requiring greater fuel efficiency and using biofuels look like the right first steps, they explain. The authors expect the batteries, fuel cells and even hydrogen – their particular long-term dream – to dominate in the future. They note alternatives to their vision, but express their opinions quite firmly. You may bristle if you disagree with a point or two, but getAbstract finds their overall emphasis on weaning cars from oil and driving into a prosperous postcarbon future quite interesting, along with their plea to readers to become part of grassroots movements for change.

Summary

Why Oil Is Problem Number One

If you could rid the world of cars, you would erase their environmental impact, but you would also deprive yourself and everyone else of the benefits and prosperity provided by personal mobility. The answer is to have cars that don’t burn oil and release carbon emissions. No direct substitute for oil exists yet, but several potential technologies permit optimism. Americans are waking up to the ills of oil addiction. As the U.S. develops sound energy sources, it can lead the world in revolutionizing the car – though China could beat it to the punch.

In the short run, biofuels can help mitigate oil consumption while using the existing fueling infrastructure. If promised breakthroughs occur in the use of batteries in electric cars, those vehicles could also eliminate lots of oil consumption. Fuel-cell vehicles have been just over the horizon for some time and may be drawing closer to commercial viability. The long-term, zero-emission energy carrier is hydrogen, if science can make it less costly. Hydrogen cars would require creating a vast consumer-supply infrastructure. If the U.S. doesn’t lead the way, the global race will continue without...

About the Authors

Iain Carson, a former BBC anchor and reporter, has covered transportation and manufacturing for The Economist since 1994. Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran, author of Power to the People, covered the environment and energy for The Economist. He teaches at the Stern School of Business.

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