I definitely agree on “why not a bicycle.” But keep in mind that people will use similar justification for “why not an EV.”
Another point I failed to make is regarding nuclear power. According to polling data, conservatives are significantly more in favor of nuclear power plants. Ironically many liberals are against nuclear energy. The EV revolution would take off if everyone could power their car from nuclear energy. Also, another underrated aspect of EV’s is noise pollution. Imagine how much quieter cities and neighborhoods would be if all cars on the road were as quiet as an EV. Living on a busy street wouldn’t be too bad.
Too true about nukes - we took a wrong turn when we stopped building them in my opinion. Nuclear, wind, solar, hydro with NG peaking would be a fantastic energy mix.
We haven’t stopped building them. Two new reactors just came online in Georgia In 2023 and 2024. Prior to that, one came online in 2016 In Tennesse. Ironically that one, Watts Bar #2, originally started being built in 1973, work was suspended in 1985, and restarted in 2007.
We did not stop but there was a hiatus. We could have had all coal off-line many years ago.
Indeed! Like a gazillion watts pouring into their subwoofers, enough to trigger seismographs...
I always joke with my wife when we hear a loud ICE car go by, usually driven by an F boy. "Ah there it is, an F Boy in heaven just got his wings."
In my estimation, the long-term cost of pumping the CO2 from a gallon of gas into the atmosphere is probably upwards of $6/gal. That's the cost of taking the CO2 out, because the long term cost of all cell based life vanishing from the planet is incalculable. It's possible those costs will come down with scale, but it's also possible they will go up - depends on how the at scale tech might work.
Liberals are split on the issue. The ecologically minded boomers who went through the 60's and 70's are far more uniformly anti-nuke than younger ecologically conscious, who are focused on climate change. But agree fully.
Talk here in PA about restarting the TMI unit that wasn't impacted by the accident in 1979. It operated until 2019 when the power company said it wasn't worth it anymore. Feds may kick in a billion or so to help with the restart.
