🚀 go-pugleaf

Le Guerrier Louis-Luc <leguerrl@ERE.UMontreal.CA> wrote in message
news:SWw43.2603$U4.26394@carnaval.risq.qc.ca...
> Steve Geller (stgeller@pacbell.net) wrote:
> : leguerrl@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Le Guerrier Louis-Luc) wrote:
> :
> : >We should focus on bicycle trailers, tricycles and other human vehicles
> : >to transport normal personal goods,, and
> : >use horses to carry heavy loads to/from the railways (to replace
trucks).
> :
> : I say neigh to that one.  One cannot park a horse overnight and
> : forget it.  The horse and buggy era is over.
> :
> : Small pedal-powered or electric "station cars" are the better
> : solution.
> :
> Yes, it's also a good idea, to expand the range of pedal vehicles to
larger
> units. The electric or solar powered vehicle is also a good solution. I
didn't
> say the horse is the *only* way to replace gas motors.
>
> Louis-Luc

These arguments may soon be over, as alternative fuel sources are beginning
to take fruition in our society. One good example is United Parcel Service,
who is currently durability testing in six major metropolitan areas in the
US a hybrid motor setup for use in their package cars (The box-shaped vans).
This is a DURABILIY test, not a FEASABILITY test. They plan on phasing in
the alternative HEV motors in all their standard package cars as they phase
out the current motor/tranny layout, which had been in use for about 20+
years. Their press release is at

http://www.ups.com/bin/shownews.cgi?19981229hybrid

The article is from late December last year. They began durability testing
in late March of this year. Also note that they currently operate over 900
CNG vehicles. As UPS and other companies begin to show that overall
operating costs of these type of vehicles is cheaper than current designs,
the rest of the world industry will get in step follow suit.

The dreaming is over. Reality is that the solutions are in use now, are are
becoming desireable to large companies as they are now becoming cost
effective. The key is that they are now being shown as costing less overall
than regular combustion engine drivetrains. We need to start thanking the
developers that have made great strides in overcoming the storage problems
we were having with batteries in the early '80s. That has been the binding
point to date, as we were still using battery technology developed after the
first world war. Keep in mind, however, everything is not all perfect. As
were start using large banks of batteries for in these hybrid motors, we
have to remember that we have got to properly dispose of the waste,
something we currently pretty much ignore. The problems will not 'disappear'
with the new technologies- we will have to continue to strive towards
protecting our environments. Good luck to the human race!