TO THE EDITOR:
I am not a scientist; however, I continue to maintain my skepticism about electric vehicles. And this is after reading about the virtually unlimited source of lithium for batteries ("A sea change," Nov. 29). This revelation, unfortunately, did not also reveal a method for disposing of and/or recycling exhausted batteries.
Also absent was how to source the electricity to power them. We know for the past decade, most of the retired electricity-producing power plants used fossil fuels. Accompanied with the advent of millions of EVs will be a demand for more electricity. We also know almost every community in the civilized world will strongly resist the construction of new fossil-burning and, especially, nuclear power plants.
Sourcing electricity from solar, wind and high tides (free and limitless) with our current and projected knowledge will not satisfy demand. If EV proponents propose natural gas (relatively free and limitless) and steam turbines, I suggest bypassing the turbines and piping the natural gas directly into the existing reciprocating piston engines. (Already tried and proven feasible.)
In short, the current and future problem is not how to power our vehicles but how to find a supply chain that will produce the required electricity or its alternative without offending society, the current automotive industry and the environmental-focused community.
My bet is still on the hydrogen fuel cell.
RICHARD HERDEGEN, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The writer is a retired General Motors executive.
