The Salar De Uyuni from Space.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Back down on Earth
(Source: German Wikipedia)
UK Daily Mail- In search of Lithium: The battle for the 3rd element
This article tells the whole story of Lithium. How it's mined, where it's being found, the political issues, and the threatening human cost. Also, it tells of how astronauts who landed on the moon, saw the Salar De Uyuni, a wide and ancient sea bed turned salt-flat in southern Bolivia. That breath-taking land, could soon vanish, into a toxic waste land. Here's a picture of the Salar Mine, just to give you an idea about the toxicity and dangers of this element's extraction from the Earth:
(Source: Wikipedia)
Precious fresh water resources, are used to create these brine pools, that are then filled with chlorine, to cut down (marginally) on toxicity. Then, as the water evaporates, you're left with a yellow sulphide, because Lithium cannot exist in pure form, on it's own, because as any High School Chem. Student can tell you, the first row Alkali's produce spontaneously combustion, upon coming in contact with oxygen. At a time unparalleled in modern history, where water- clean, drinkable water, is one of the most undervalued, yet most important resources the world needs, we're using it to get Lithium to mine. And this isn't rainwater, or any mountain run-off, it's aquifer water, that won't be replenished any time soon! We're condemning regions to becoming arid, when they used to be able to host some life. Does the third world have to suffer, and some of the most breathtaking landscapes sacrificed, for the first world's "Well-to-Do," to be able to drive around and say "Look at Me, I'm Gas Free. I drive with Electricity! I'm saving the Planet."
http://www.carsite.co.uk/gallery/videos/id/1016-seasick-steve-tries-to-get-the-fastest-lap-on-the-top-gear-track
There's a famous blues artist named "Seasick Steve," and he was on Top Gear (With Clarkson, May and Hammond), a few years ago. Just before the four minuet mark, Clarkson asks him (he was the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car."), about if he caught "the Eco-Bug." Seasick then asked "What's that?" Then Copenhagen came up, and how you have to have a hybrid there. Seasick Steve then said
"... My boy told me that I could drive around in my '51 Chevy (station wagon) for all of my life, and the life that I had before, and not cause as much pollution as those new cars cost to make. I'll stick with my '51 Chevy."
To that Mr. Clarkson replied "Good man."
Seasick Steve makes a good point, but I propose taking this philosophy a step further- upgrade a classic with twin-turbos, fuel injection, and (as my own personal idea/addition to the formula) Gear Vendors (TM) gear-splitting Under/Overdrive, and a Methanol-Steam Injector. Benefits are that you most likely will increase your fuel efficiency by Two and One/Third times (at least!). Jay Leno upgraded his Monster Roadster with fuel injection and twin-turbos, and he practically doubled his fuel economy; sure it was from 3 to 6 MPG, but imagine what you can do with an old Ford Falcon or Mustang? A Chevy Camaro or Pontiac Firebird? Or better yet, a Plymouth Road Runner, Fury, or Duster! And what if you threw bio-fuels into the mix? Imagine that, a bio-fueled, powerful, super MPG classic car, that could blow the doors off of EV's and Hybrids!
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a1152/4206704/
Jay Leno's "Blastolene Special"
The "Most Efficient" tank-powered vehicle in the world.
(Even Arnold "Hummer" Schwarzenegger is envious!)
(Source: Popular Mechanics)
So at the end of the day, you're not being "green" like you thought you were. Sure, you're using electricity, but where does it come from? If it's Wind or Hydro-Electric, then you're doing okay-ish, but if it's from a steam plant NOT fueled on bio-waste (like sugar cane husks), but coal or oil, you're really shooting yourself in the foot. Plus, the United States has just found Lithium in Wyoming; do we want to endanger some of America's last continental frontier. We already have issues with coal mines. Do we really want to add Lithium to that mess? Using up precious water resources? Destroying America? What would you rather Drive?
This, with all the fore-mentioned upgrades I propose?
(Source: http://www.bestwayrent2own.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/1964_ford_mustang_standard_coupe-pic-41244.jpeg)
Or one of these?
(Source: Own Work - April 20th, 2015 A.D. @ Bellevue College)
You think we'll all be driving Tesla's, but the reality is, that you're going to end up with EV conversions (made from questionable motorcars), or crummy, sub-par machines, like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, or the Fiat 500e, which the president of FIAT-Chrysler, begged people not to buy, because it will sink the company overall, and if we lose FIAT-Chrysler, we lose FIAT, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Chrysler, MOPAR, AND Maserati, along with the possibility of Ferrari! ( http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/21/chrsyelr-ceo-evs-idUSL1N0O71MS20140521 ). We can't afford the loss of that many names! Besides, you have the problem of supercharging too (NEWSFLASH: Supercharging kills your battery faster!).
I know what I'd take. Synergy is the answer: Better Bio-Fuels, and EV's for urban environments! Give me the Pony any day (actually, give me my Pops' Javelin!). And with what I proposed, I recon I'd get about 50 to 55 miles per gallon (gas wise, maybe a tiny-bit less with E85) by the improvements I propose (with a fairly sizable V8). 60 if I was to toss an electric air conditioner in it, and toss the old engine driven A/C out! So "kiss my grits" EV's. If I ever drive an EV though... I'll drive one of these:
My "Modern Motoring" Role-Model, Jay Leno!
(Source: Popular Mechanics)
P.S.: EV's and Hybrids are nothing new. We had them in the last century, along with Steam Cars! In a perfect world, I'd have his Dobles! You logically could burn any combustible liquid fuel, like alcohol, ethanol, bio-diesel, et cetera... And all the torque off of the line, and no shifting! Just man and steam, without the rails (an Iron "Route 66" Horse, if you will). With one of these, with a thousand foot-pounds of torque... Who needs gears?! Or Electric Motors for that matter...
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