Transit Won't Solve Our Dependence On Oil

Taking transit to work won't solve the global oil problem. But new strategies could reduce gasoline imports by two-thirds within 20 years.

1 minute read

March 24, 2005, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Even if Americans drive less, global oil demand will surge because of breakneck growth in India and China.

...An ambitious agenda to achieve those goals has been produced by Set America Free, a group set up by R. James Woolsey, Frank Gaffney and other national security hawks. They advocate using existing technologies — not pie-in-the-sky ideas like hydrogen fuel cells — to wean the auto industry from its reliance on petroleum. Hybrid electric cars such as the Toyota Prius, which run on both electric motors and gas engines, already get more than 50 miles per gallon. Coming soon are hybrids that can be plugged into a 120-volt outlet to recharge like a cellphone. They'll get even better mileage."

Thanks to Laura Kranz

Thursday, March 24, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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