Mitsubishi raises output target for electric car

Why haven't we been building electric cars for years??

the harper - Gasoline engine cars are more cost-effective, even now. Can you believe that?

Gasoline engine cars are more cost-effective, even now. Can you believe that?

When you look at economies of scale then of course gas engine cars are cheaper. But if you factor in the externalities (i.e. pollution and health issues) then these cars are less cost effective.

"Why haven't we been building electric cars for years??

Because battery cars dont have good range and when the batteries are flat, they take an age to recharge. The iMiEVs range is good in this class but is still only around 100 miles per charge. Ther are some real worries about the life of lithium ion battreies too.

I would have to run a very long extension cord to charge my car from the fourth floor to the basement. Imagine if everyone in my building did that? Ugly thought. But, I have another idea. Outside of most convenient stores and other places are electrical outlets....know what I mean?

The problem is the mainly the charging. Electric motors are a well refined machine by current standards. It is just that you have to have a motor per wheel, which takes microprocessors and such. Batteries are an issue because they dont charge fast and are heavy, super capacitors or the new carbon nanotube capacitors that MIT made are ideal, charge much faster - matter of minutes (depending on the outlets total power) and are far far lighter . Years ago, microprocessing the motors (so they all spin at the same speed, etc) might have been the main issue, but now it is distance/recharge time. 45 minutes (Tesla Motor's fast charge time) is a little long to sit at a "gas station" just to continue your road trip.

Yes electric cars are fun but we've missed the point (again). Silly Humans

We're just replacing one dependency for another. Boliva has the most lithium by country and doesn't like the USA much, so Japan and France are negotiating successfully for contracts. Mostly it's from South America but sources exist in the US Nevada region but at much less quantity.

There isn't enough lithium on earth to make all cars electric cars as a replacement, so either 1) we stop driving cars, or 2) change our transportation uses.

Pick one.