Germany has voted to ban internal combustion engines by 2030.  Won't that be a boring world!

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/october/germany-votes-to-ban-internal...

Well, not to be contrary, but given all circumstances involved, it's a very logical decision. Notwithstanding my surname is Busch and I lived and worked in West Germany for 9 years, I fully understand and concur with their decision. (1)They have no natural source of petroleum. (2)Gas prices are outrageous. (3)Europe has a severe air and water pollution problem. (4)Compared to the USA, distances are much shorter. (5)The entire country is on a 220 volt 50 amp system - perfect for rechargeable electrics. (6)Electric car, motorcycle, and GA aircraft technology has come of age and is advancing rapidly. And there are likely more good reasons that I have overlooked.

HAPPYDAN wrote on 10/12/16 at 20:05:49:


What is feasible and possibly even reasonable for them is really difficult to grasp for most Americans I'd think.
I'm in Texas, and I have driven across this state several times, and buddy, it's a days drive to get across the thing..


Texas is 660 miles wide and 790 miles long. Texas is the second largest state in the United States; only Alaska is larger.

From desert and sand hills to lakes, and streams and rolling wooded hills, we even have a beach..

Ruttly wrote on 10/12/16 at 20:30:31:


Check out the Zero motorcycles. Wicked Fast. And don't forget the Tesla.

The abolishment of the internal combustion engine is just too big of a concept for me to grasp.  While I can conceive that wind and solar can work for some applications, and that even electricity can be generated with boilers that can be cleaner than internal combustion, and that there can be transportation systems that run on grids or batteries, and that maybe fuel cells can work for some applications - I just can't fathom how a subsistence farmer can work without his tractor (he is barely able to survive by using the heirloom tractor that his grandad bought), or how does any clearing/grading/construction get done without bulldozers/trucks/backhoes?  Can they replace the diesel engines in semi's with electric trains....or trucks that can connect to a power supply while in motion....or batteries?

I am just going to keep my head down, try to keep riding my bike for another 20 years.......and then maybe settle in to my electric wheelchair!

When we were kids we mounted old playing cards on our bicycles so that the spokes would snap them and make sounds like an engine, well sort of anyway.  Kids still do it.  So if it all goes electric I guess I'll get out the playing cards.

Regardless of how FAST some electric vehicles may go, there's still the problem of RANGE, which is far from good, and RECHARGE TIME, also not good
The tesla has a max range of 400 miles, but driving at autobahn speeds will significantly lower that, and then you need hours, not minutes, to 'refuel'
then there's the Gwiz, an electric commuter with a range of just 50 miles, then an 8 hour recharge time (2 hours for an 80% charge) and a battery pack that needs replacement every 2-3 years, at a cost of $3000
Those batteries make for a pretty large carbon footprint
I hope the germans come up with something better than electric cars, they aren't really viable outside the urban environment
and they cost more, usually a lot more
There's a REASON the IC engine beat out the electric, all those years ago, it just works better


Maybe the Ecat could make an actual viable for all electric car, but battery power won't