Scottly is right about this years fuel price gouging.
No doubt the embargo on the '+' members product from opec+ was a factor.
Even moreso, there are some rather damning interviews of domestic oil company mouthpieces stating
profits went up during covid after laying off many workers. There is no plan to rehire those workers or reinvest the profits
So they're admittedly pocketing the cash and who knows when that will trickle-down into circulation
On the alternative fuels side of the discussion - we all know alcohol is technically a solution. Albeit a challengeng one for the materials engineers to deal with.
The same can be said for compressed hydrogen, as well as the uncompressed option. Which even a freshmen chemistry student can complete as an experiment on their lawn mower.
Idealistically - hydrogen emissions are better. Though its already been stated that production is a problem. Getting the average person to think of it as something other than a burning dirigible or a crater in the new mexico desert is another obstacle.
Practically, i believe alcohol fuel is more viable. More on that later.
The market for EVs and PEVs in the US a tough one. The phrase "horsepower sells cars" is still relevant. Americans have a vastly different relationship with the highway system than the overseas markets. The relationship with motorcycles couldn't be more different between someone in Nepal and an American.
Another contrast are the speed limits. As there are entire nations that literally can't drive 55 mph. Or have passable roads for that matter.
It's often brought up that EV's won't road trip like a gas-mobile can. Yet the market research shows that a majority of americans might only drive their car up to 2 miles on an errand run, and prefer to live within 20 miles of their workplace. Other anecdotes suggest 92% of people never live somewhere beyond their hometown.
Even though the real-world use case doesn't match the naysayer argument (majority which are ideological fallacies anyway) Tesla still put out a car that can go spaceballs "plaid" speed and not have to pull over for the next 350 miles. Why? Because America.
Then some youtuber went out and did a 1000-mile run with his to prove a point. He didn't hit the same same station twice. Can't recall if he did a loop or if he had to drive the 1k back.
Building an electric semi truck wouldn't be as hard as people think either. Building big strong stuff is comparatively easy - rather than trying to shoehorn massive powerbanks into a commuter car. Aerodynamics also have a role to play in the effeciency of a hypothetical electric semi. Every newton of energy not spent pushing through the wind makes a heavy load that much more manageable. I'd be willing to bet the currently available technology and some of the manufacturing could produce a viable semi truck. One that can complete a reguation driving shift by topping up on the mandatory breaks and fully recharge overnight - while also running the drivers climate control and fridgerator.
Obviously - truck stops would need a major overhaul.
So... Infastructure. The thing that underdeveloped countries and rural/remote populations don't have immediate access to - is also a naysayers favorite bullet point. When oddly enough refined petrolatum is another scarce resource for those living on that edge. Motorcycle vloggers touring through remote villages in underserved countries have captured a stark reality of both gas and electric availability on a global stage. The juxtaposed image of a decked out ktm pulling up to roadside hut/shack felt ironic. The fuel there was sold in glass carboys and the price goes up the more you can see through the liquid.
Something else I gleaned from different episodes of video journalism - there are places in the world that don't have #$%* for power, water, internet, oil, gas - hell, even retail stores and supplies. But you could bet your ass there's someone in that village that knows how to make some industrial grade alcohol. The kind health organizatios deem not fit for human consumption, but its still the life of the party.
Which brings it all full circle. The global import/export vehicle market in underserved countries relies on hand-me-downs barged over from their neighbors. Unfortunately, the quality of vehicles varies from "junkyard scrap" to "it might pass inspection" - so as the years go on, if these countries don't manage to get a leg up on 400v electric stations (and teach mechanics not to kill themselves working around high voltage) - even the nicest electric car isn't going to help them one iota.
So maybe, just maybe, in a long-term big-picture sense - alcohol is the solution.
