Can someone please explain how this technology existed 31 years ago & where’d it go?

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by Autobahnschleicher

Compare the average fuel efficiency in the us and germany...

My one state of Montana is larger than the entire county of Germany. But with 1/84th the population. We only have 4 states more population dense then Germany, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. This is part of the beauty of the experiment of having 50 separate states united into one country. You get 50 experiments to see what works better and 50 varieties that may better serve one area compared to the other. What works in Germany or New Jersey, may not work well in Montana and it at least used to be New Jersey wouldn't try and force their way on Montana or at least wouldn't succeed.

[redpoint5]

... and Germany petrol is $5.57 / gallon currently. I'd expect higher efficiency when energy is more expensive.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Autobahnschleicher

Compare the average fuel efficiency in the us and germany...

When gas prices had been hopelessly stuck above $3.50 a gallon for years during the last biden administration it only appeared to slow large vehicle sales and made them even more of a status symbol.
Then when gas prices dropped in 2018 fuel efficient vehicle sales cratered, that was when we got the nissan leaf and Hyundai hybrid. Leaf prices were at an all time low and the dealer was trying to off load Hyundai hybrids like they were stolen goods.

[aerohead]

It went into AMERICAN SCIENTIST, books, textbooks, HOME POWER Magazine, DISCOVERY CHANNEL, Rocky Mountain Institute, AeroVironment, World Solar Challenge, Shell Eco Marathon, SAE economy competition, PBS Television, CAR and DRIVER, CIRCLE TRACK, ROAD and TRACK, MOTOR TREND, NPR Radio, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, AUTOMOBILE, AUTOWEEK, Sport Truck, legacy maker concept cars, startups, MAXMPG, NATURE, SCIENCE, WARD's AUTOMOTIVE, Whole Earth Catalog, EcoModder.com, etc..
It never went away.

[freebeard]

I finally watched the Carl Sagan video. After the mention of efficient cars not being fast or quick, he qualifies support for nuclear power, safe, efficient, no waste and not weapons grade byproducts. ...and then states no suitable fission reactors exist. ....in 1990.

The first proof of concept Thorium reactor was rejected in 1973. He should have known about it.

Here's what I learned when I looked up the date:

A Thorium-Salt Reactor Has Fired Up for the First Time in Four Decades

The road to cleaner, meltdown-proof nuclear power has taken a big step forward. Researchers at NRG, a Dutch nuclear materials firm, have begun the first tests of nuclear fission using thorium salts since experiments ended at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the early 1970s.
....
The team at NRG is testing several reactor designs on a small scale at first. The first experiment is on a setup called a molten-salt fast reactor, which burns thorium salt and in theory should also be able to consume spent nuclear fuel from typical uranium fission reactions.

https://www.technologyreview.com/201...-four-decades/

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I finally watched the Carl Sagan video. After the mention of efficient cars not being fast or quick, he qualifies support for nuclear power, safe, efficient, no waste and not weapons grade byproducts. ...and then states no suitable fission reactors exist. ....in 1990.

The first proof of concept Thorium reactor was rejected in 1973. He should have known about it.

Here's what I learned when I looked up the date:

https://www.technologyreview.com/201...-four-decades/

That's good news but is the US market poisoned against anything nuclear?
Eh, 24 hours with no electricity in the winter will change people's mind.

[redpoint5]

2hrs with no electricity nation wide would change everyone's tune.

A customer in Boise was complaining about how dreadful it was to be out of power for 2hrs during a storm... meanwhile my parents and 80 year old grandmother went without for 2 weeks.

We're a soft people willing to trade liberty at the drop of a hat for comfort. That also means we might be willing to trade our misplaced fears of nuclear technology for cheap reliable electricity.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

2hrs with no electricity nation wide would change everyone's tune.

A customer in Boise was complaining about how dreadful it was to be out of power for 2hrs during a storm... meanwhile my parents and 80 year old grandmother went without for 2 weeks.

We're a soft people willing to trade liberty at the drop of a hat for comfort. That also means we might be willing to trade our misplaced fears of nuclear technology for cheap reliable electricity.

When that happens it won't be 2 hours, probably at least 2 weeks, maybe 2 months.

[freebeard]

Well, when that happens there will be bigger problems that being out of power.

[Autobahnschleicher]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

My one state of Montana is larger than the entire county of Germany. But with 1/84th the population. We only have 4 states more population dense then Germany, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. This is part of the beauty of the experiment of having 50 separate states united into one country. You get 50 experiments to see what works better and 50 varieties that may better serve one area compared to the other. What works in Germany or New Jersey, may not work well in Montana and it at least used to be New Jersey wouldn't try and force their way on Montana or at least wouldn't succeed.

In case you didn't know, germany also has 16 states.