Hey Paul!

[PatQ562]

I work in a technical field, keep up on science, and have developed electronic products for a living. Progress in solar cells and batteries is slow because those technologies are HARD and up against physical constraints. It takes no conspiracy to explain this. Solar cells require mass quanties of silicon at a purity level that could not have been made in 1950, and is still quite expensive today. You could probably make 1000 leading-edge computer chips out of the same wafer that makes ONE 4-inch solar cell. Which product would YOU rather sell if you're in the electronics business? Solar cells are getting about as much efficiency as silicon supports (20%). Reducing cost is a slow steady slog of scaling up and finding cost savings wherever you can. Similarly, battery chemistries were reasonably well understood in principle even 100 years ago, but the problem is mass production of highly reactive chemicals and their supporting electrodes at extremely high purities (if you want the cell to last for long). This is in fact the same challenge facing all industries - most consumer products today are produced using technology and equipment that were barely known 50 years ago, "experimental" 30 years ago, "too expensive for mass production" 20 years ago, "still luxury goods" 10 years ago, and finally, "popular priced" now. You don't build Rome in a day.

Educated people know that conventional electro-chemical technology is not going to produce "cars that run on water". There are tantalizing hints suggesting something beyond chemistry - something like "cold fusion". If there is science behind this, we are at Ben Franklin's knowledge of electricity - rubbing amber and testing lightning with a wet string. We see "something" but don't understand what's really going on. Researchers are working on it, and some know how to do science. It's still "fringe science" but if there are reproducible effects, it will get increasing attention because the potential rewards are huge. There are plenty of wealthy investors outside the existing energy industries who would love to make a profit, and maybe even save the environment while they're at it. Personally, I believe even energy producers would invest in such technologies because they are already in the business and could make even more money.

Pat Q

[PatQ562]

what happened to a guy that wanted to build a car without built in Obsolescence...who was framed for drugs by somebody, and it caused his new car compnay to colapse, ever read on a clear day you can see gm. or what about tucker?

It's very expensive starting a car company. Delorian never completed a fully competitive design (bad motor, leaky doors), ran out of money, could have purchased a complete going concern (American Motors) with up-and-running factories for less than the $100M he spent trying to build a factory from scratch in Ireland, and as far as I know, was legally caught trying to score big in a drug deal. An act of desperation perhaps, but still a big mistake. Tucker also ran out of money while trying to get started at a time when post-war material shortages still make it hard for anyone to make stuff, and HIS car had serious unsolved problems too (severe handling issues). He was put out of business by suppliers suing for their back bills and allocating their shipments to the Big 3 companies, short sighted perhaps, but they were probably going broke too. Meanwhile, VW, Citroen, and Mini produced long-running designs without built-in obsolescence that sold very well by the millions, thank you very much. Since these cars all used very little gas, why didn't the all-powerful oil companies squash THEM?

Pat Q

[Rembrant]

Hey Paul, I saw a Chevy Volt on the road today.

[SEGsby]

Buahahahaha.

[DaveCodeglia]

Our Nissan Leaf arrives in May.

[Rembrant]

Saw a Tesla on the road today.

[SEGsby]

Have seen two Leafs (Leaves?) and one black Volt in the Culver City area in the span of a month. Hope to see more EVs on the road soon.

Don't expect to see ANY Aptera's, unfortunately. Thanks a lot Paul.

[SEGsby]

Just thought I'd bump this thread.

Originally Posted by SEGsby

Hey PAUL!

It's 2011 now! How's that Aptera thing goin' for ya?

[PatQ562]

Don't disturb the coffin. Leave the scene quietly. Go about our business somewhere else, safe.

Pat Q

[SEGsby]

Thought I'd bump my bump...

It's 2012... How's that Aptera thing going for ya, Paul?

Got any new job prospects?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!