Chariots of the New Millenium
Are the Dreams of Nicola Tesla and His Followers Approaching Reality
By Bruce R. Meland
With an oil glut worldwide, and resulting low gas prices here in the US,
major oil companies are merging and laying off thousands of employees to
remain financially healthy (in other words, to maintain high executive
salaries and stock options). As a result, it is very difficult to get the
American public interested in alternate fuel automobiles, specifically,
cleaner, quieter and more energy efficient electric, hybrid electric, or fuel
cell vehicles.
Last year Ford Motor Company sold about 800,000 sport utility vehicles
and canceled some of the more energy efficient lines. The primary American
automotive concern, at the present, seems to be congestion, or gridlock.
Fast-growing big cities like Seattle and Atlanta with little alternate
transportation experience stop and go freeways. Commuters are late to work
and valuable company time is wasted. And if an accident occurs on the
freeway, traffic backs up for miles, adding hours instead of minutes of delay
time. Frustration! Road Rage! Motorists shooting motorists! There must be a
better way.
The Germans seem to have one. I visited Berlin this summer where they
just completed their third station, for new 150 mph ICE trains, where you can
catch commuter rail or the underground to almost any spot in the city.
Very few US cities offer alternatives such as light rail, commuter rail
(trains using existing tracks), an effective bus system, or even enough
parking space for the glut of private autos. Very few US commuters are aware
of the physical, mental, and economic dangers due to auto congestion and
tailpipe emissions. Only if air pollution alerts are issued during air
stagnation conditions (extreme cases: Mexico City and recently Tehran), do
most city dwellers realize their health is at risk. An air pollution threat
occurs almost every time traffic is in a gridlock situation and the vehicles
ahead gas the occupants behind. Feel blessed if the car in front of you is
electric!
Cars at idle emit two to three times as many health-damaging pollutants
as at normal operating speeds. The link between diesel exhaust and cancer has
already been established, and a distinct correlation exists between hospital
visits due to respiratory problems and air pollution alerts. With increasing
intercity pollution, US metropolitan areas will soon follow their European
counterparts and create emission free zones where fossil fuel cars will be
prohibited. Only electric cars, or ZEV's (zero emission vehicles), bicycles
and mass transit will be allowed.
Another net effect of millions of cars on the road worldwide is the
constantly increasing emission of greenhouse gasses and the resulting major
contribution to global warming. Such mass tailpipe emissions are threatening
the planet and are a likely culprit for extreme weather patterns (severe
weather) worldwide. 1998 experienced the warmest average temperatures in
history. And let us not forget other harms to the environment from such as
the Exxon Valdez, Scottish North Sea and Russian Arctic oil spills, and the
resultant destruction of animal life and human property.
A related catastrophe, the Honduras flooding, apparently resulted from
severe weather and the clear cutting of rainforests. When no extensive root
systems or tree structures were available to absorb the excess rain and wind,
the consequence was mass destruction of public bridges, buildings, private
property and human lives.
Another result of the excessive self-indulgent use of oil in the US is
the aggravation of trade deficits with countries like Nigeria, Mexico,
Indonesia and in the Middle East. The result is a money drain from the US,
meaning less commerce and less jobs. Moreover the money paid for the oil goes
mostly to privileged leaders or dictators and does not trickle down to the
masses. Consequently there is, in these countries, no emerging middle class
to buy our goods and services-no cars, (of course they wouldn't want most of
our cars because they are too big and use too much gas), computers,
appliances, wheat, lumber or apples. So the US economy slows and American
jobs are eliminated.
Meanwhile a silent revolution has been emerging since the 70s. Hands-on
engineers, electrical wizards, high school and university students have used
standard power electronics to revive the electric car, that lost out to Henry
Ford and Standard Oil in the early 1900s. Spurred on by the Oil Crisis of the
mid 70s, electric cars, mainly conversions, started reappearing. Most EV
converters wanted better range. The followers of Nikola Tesla started
researching his work to discover how he managed to power his own electric car
to great distances on a single charge. Inventor Rory Johnson developed,
designed and operated a 525 HP fuel cell motor with a range of 100,000 miles
that operated on two pounds of deuterium and gallium. The government
attempted to block his research, apparently, because of the threat to gas
taxes. Oil companies didn't want it because it threatened their monopoly.
Johnson was run out of his Illinois shop to California where he died under
mysterious circumstances. Similar stories on other inventors appear
frequently in the literature.
Highly efficient magnetic motors are also under development. Joseph
Newman claims his revolutionary magnetic motor technology was stolen and now
appears in the MinnKota outboard trolling motor. This motor is claimed to be
the most efficient electric trolling motor on the planet.
Researchers have also tried to duplicate Pons and Fliechman's Cold
Fusion (low-level transmutation of elements) work, announced in 1989 at the
University of Utah. Attempts to harness this technology for use in auto
propulsion have not materialized yet but work continues worldwide. One
promising application of this rather recent discovery-rapid decay of' nuclear
waste-could greatly help the nuclear industry clean up its mess and perhaps
enable it to better meet the additional power demands for electric cars.
This technology also poses a threat to entrenched interests in the
nuclear cleanup industry. Instead of nuclear waste being easily and cheaply
disposed of on the power plant site, it now must be expensively glassified
and hauled to Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Disposal companies stand to make
billions preparing; hauling and disposing of such waste. They, apparently,
have little interest in seeing an easier, safer, cheaper way of doing the job.
In the meantime, auto manufacturers and advanced battery companies,
spurred on by California mandates (10% of all vehicles sold in California in
2003 must be zero emission); and millions of dollars in grants and incentives
from federal, state and local governments are forging ahead one step at a
time with electric, hybrid electric (half gas and half electric), and fuel
cell powered vehicles. The Advanced Battery Consortium (half auto industry
half government funded) alone, is spending $60,000,000 in the development of
the lithium polymer battery. Millions of dollars have also been spent on
other advanced battery developments, such as Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium
ion batteries. Most major auto manufacturers worldwide are developing these
emission-free, or ultra low emission vehicles. The electric vehicle movement
is gaining visibility nationwide through exposure at EV Expositions, and
electric car races and rallies nationwide, such as the American Tour de Sol,
in the Northeast, National Electric Drag Racing Championships in Oregon, Aps
Electrics in Phoenix, and the inaugural 99 Southwest Tour de Arizona, an EV
rally around Phoenix.
Enter stage right, major auto EV and HEV productions: General Motors
spent $300 million developing the EV1, a presently a sporty electric coup,
for LA, Bay Area, and Phoenix yuppies. The EV1 has high performance and now a
range of 120 miles on a charge, using nickel metal hydride batteries (NiMH).
The 99 electric Ford Ranger pickup has fast charging capabilities for its
lead acid batteries, (charge it in 20 minutes for another 60 miles) as well
as NiMH batteries for longer ranges. The Toyota RAV4 EV, The Honda EV Plus,
and the Chrysler EPIC Electric Van now go over 100 miles on a charge. The
Nissan Altra has a range of 120 miles, using lithium ion batteries. These
initial EV models are expensive ($40,000) and are leased for around
$400/month. Fast charging stations are being installed all over LA, the Bay
Area, Sacramento, Phoenix, NY and Atlanta. These installations are heavily
subsidized by the Electric Utilities nationwide. Budget now has an EV
Rent-a-Car operation at the LA Airport renting several EVs from the major
auto companies for about $40 per day.
Toyota with the Prius was the first to market a hybrid electric vehicle
(HEV) in Japan. It gets about 50 mpg, and does not pollute while trapped in
gridlock. The highly efficient gas motor shuts off when stopped, and starts
on electric power. US and European sales of the Prius will begin in mid 2000.
25,000 Prius' are now running the roads in Japan with great success. Other
auto companies worldwide also see high market potential for hybrids and will
soon enter the market. Hybrid and fuel cell busses are also being produced on
a limited basis in America, Europe, and Japan. European car companies also
have electric cars on the road and a European company, ZEVCO has a fuel cell
London Taxi operating in the UK.
Bruce Meland is editor of the magazine Electrifying Times which has covered
the emergence of cleaner vehicles for the last seven years. For a copy of his
special Preview 2000 issue presenting 40 electric, hybrid electric, and fuel
cell vehicles, including electric bicycles.
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths,
misdirections
and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and
minor
effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said,
CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
<A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
<A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
