3 ms·
Kind of depends on broad the answer is. In isolation, sure, battery chemistry might've gone a little further. But I suspect it would've plateaued sooner withou
by somerandomqaguy 3y ago
Kind of depends on broad the answer is.
In isolation, sure, battery chemistry might've gone a little further. But I suspect it would've plateaued sooner without the sophisticated battery management systems that modern integrated circuits enabled.
When taken in scope of events of the 20th century like the World Wars? Countries that had adopted electric would've found themselves at a decisive disadvantage against countries that chose oil. The gas piston engine enabled advances in aviation and blue water ships. I have my doubts electric adopting countries would've survived against those advantages.
- pmontra 3y agoI doubt that electric armored vehicles will fare well against oil counterparts in the next century. Powering large batteries every day on a long frontline like Ukraine / Russia is not easy. Transporting and hiding oil is easier.
- nradov 3y agoThe US military is starting to adopt hybrid vehicles. This reduces the need to deliver fuel to combat zones and can also lower IR signatures. https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2023/2/28/army-currently-focused-on-hybrid-rather-than-all-electric-vehicles-official-says https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2023/2/28/a...
- pmontra 3y agoThey still get all of their power from oil tough. About full electric vehicles, according to the article they are planned for 2050 and > “If your batteries are so heavy that you have a five-ton truck that has four-and-a-half tons of batteries on it, it doesn't leave a lot of room for cargo … and how am I going to recharge an electric vehicle in the places that we're going to be?”
- nradov 3y agoInternal combustion piston engines weren't used much for blue water ships in the World Wars. Steam engines, both piston and turbine, were more common for power, cost, and efficiency reasons. ICEs were mostly used on smaller boats, as well as submarines. ICEs were crucial for aviation during the World Wars. Even today we're barely able to build electric airplanes that can go anywhere.