The Demise of the Car?

[NachtRitter]

I agree that within the US, it is difficult to get around without a car. Even electric-only is challenging because of the reduced range they offer compared to ICE-only or ICE hybrid. Electric-only would be great within a city or as a short-range commuter, but when I drive to my Mom-in-law's house 900 miles away, I like doing it on just a single tank of fuel with my Jetta TDI. Hard to justify one vehicle for commuting and another for long travels.

I do find it interesting how easy it is to get around without a car in Europe... especially Germany. The public transportation system is just incredible! Easy to get to practically any location in any town you want using combination of train and bus. Helps a lot that the towns are relatively concentrated, with little but farmland in between. Granted, Germany is significantly smaller than the US, and there are many other factors favoring public transportation that we don't have here.

[Sven7]

go back to the land and back on our feet, we are built to do that afterall.

Totally agree, but this will take a major cultural shift in the US. We're all about work hard work hard work hard but imo it should be a more balanced lifestyle. I read something like 30% of Americans have an anxiety disorder. Do you think long work hours and pressure to do this and go there is adding to it?

Surely a more relaxed mindset would do wonders for public health, and having slower transportation could help catalyze that. Oddly enough, car camping could be of assistance too. I feel most people plan big, elaborate vacations to give their kids constant attention and constant entertainment, when simply sitting around a bonfire and cooking s'mores would suffice.

[user removed]

When economy becomes a priority, or an economic necessity, cars will change in ways they should have decades ago. I don't see personal transportation disappearing any time in the near future. The days of joy riding are rapidly coming to a close. Cruising around town has nearly disappeared in most places.

Technology needs to be encouraged in much the same way the govt approached the development of the atomic bomb in WW2. The new "Manhattan Project" will end up producing vehicles with all weather capabilities that can travel a mile on an ounce of fuel (128 MPG). Synthetics will appear as the cost of dino fuel continues to rise.

The technology to reach that goal is here today, be it batteries, ultra efficienct engines running on liquid fuel, or some combination of capacitive energy recovery and one or more of the alternatives, we will still be driving for another hundred years.

regards
mech

[TheEnemy]

Originally Posted by Sven7

Surely a more relaxed mindset would do wonders for public health, and having slower transportation could help catalyze that. Oddly enough, car camping could be of assistance too. I feel most people plan big, elaborate vacations to give their kids constant attention and constant entertainment, when simply sitting around a bonfire and cooking s'mores would suffice.

The forest service's new travel management plan for at least my area has drastically cut down on the areas you can go car camping. Limit 300' from the road in designated areas only, and are going to close up to 75% of the roads in some of the forests.