“Electric cars won’t save us” Article

[jonescg]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means

I've often thought the most 'sustainable' thing you can do in WA is leave. There was a reason the population remained at about 6000 for 45,000 years. Since that ain't gonna happen, you need to do what you can to ensure the least amount of effort is expended to provide the most amount of benefit. One trip to bring goods to where they are needed for lots of people is more efficient than ten trips to ten people. That's why towns and cities developed in the first place.

I'm getting the feeling you live in the bush and think living in cities is madness? Well 1 million other people don't seem to mind it, as does 80% of the world. There's too much arable land out there being swallowed up by suburbia to the point now where we have to import more fresh produce than we produce. Crazy, but it's more profitable to grow houses than to grow food.

So, before I detail why I think low density sprawl is an unsustainable thing to do, I would like to hear your explanation as to why it might be OK.

[Richo]

Agreed that EVs don't directly tackle congestion, but vehicle size is another area that people may be taking liberties in. If vehicles were 20% smaller that would reduce congestion, in parking too.

I doubt 20% would even cut it.
4 lane highway becomes 4.6 lanes?
Would the extra 0.6 be enough to fit a Trev

I was in the city the other day just as people were getting ready to go home.
Over the hour period where I saw traffic crawl out of the city I noticed one dominating factor.
One car - one person.
So yes smaller cars would work in smaller lanes.
But in all reality I don't see all those shiny one seater SUV's I saw being traded in for a one seater super-micro car - even if was capable of driving up on the front lawn.

Set yourself a challenge.... consider what a sustainable living unit would be that is not at the expense of others or the environment ?

Others have tried and failed.
Didn't it involve people starving in a dome?

I still don't know why Joe Blog construction company needs a skyscaper in the city in the first place.
It has no supporting busnesses near it - other than larries latte on the corner.
And now workers are forced to suffer traffic congestion or second rate public transport systems.
And the government is expected to cough up millions to support this trend.

Still it's been said before no one solution will fix a big problem.

[acmotor]

I'm totally convinced, your arguments are so compelling.   

[Richo]

Just last night on the local news they were giving a rundown of the average speed on the main roads into the city.
They said that it would be quicker to ride your bike in.
Some were as low as 22kph.

I'm glad I don't work in the city

At least sitting in an eV in grid lock is reasonably efficient so they could save us in that respect.

[acmotor]

Worst thing about an EV in gridlock is you realise how much ICEs stink !