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I think they should allow gasoline cars as long as they burn only synthetic fuel made using zero-carbon energy, like the HN startup Prometheus intends to make.
by credit_guy 5y ago
I think they should allow gasoline cars as long as they burn only synthetic fuel made using zero-carbon energy, like the HN startup Prometheus intends to make. True, this fuel will probably be expensive initially, but owners of Ferrari and Lamborghini can afford it. This way, they'll also subsidize the research that will drive subsequent cost reductions, like the buyers of the Tesla Roadster made possible the later much more affordable models.
- foepys 5y agoThose synthetic fuels are already reality. According to Wikipedia global production was 240,000 barrels per day in 2019.
- birktj 5y agoYeah, why ban combustion engines when you can simply ban fossil fuels?
- im3w1l 5y agoBecause banning fossil fuels would make a huge number of vehicles worthless overnight. It's too much change too quickly. Banning new ice cars will lead to a more tolerable and gradual shift. Furthermore, a hypothetical rule saying that old cars can use cheap fossil gas, but new cars have to use expensive synthetic gas would be impossible to police.
- singularity2001 5y agoyou mean the synthetic fuel created by burning down the Amazon rainforest and replacing it with fuel crops?
- clouddrover 5y agoNo. Synthetic fuel like created like this: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/technology-news/under-skin-synthetic-fuels-now-make-more-sense-ever https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/technology-news/under-ski... https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry-news-environment-and-energy/porsche-breaks-ground-synthetic-fuel-plant-chile https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry-news-environment...
- elil17 5y agoThis is the obvious solution actually - E100 already used as racing fuel because it's so high octane. You need special coatings on some metal parts to prevent corrosion but that's well within the capabilities of Ferrari and the like.