This post was incorrectly posted as an event last year. I came across it during some site house keeping. The information continues to be relevant so I’ve reposted (correctly this time). – Noel

A recent Wired article raised a number of important questions. It does it in a way that can be perceived as doubt-inspiring. However, it offers an opportunity to raise hope. Take a moment to read the article and our reflections. Importantly, contribute your thoughts and suggestions on what we can do to secure our transition to a sustainable future.

 “How many gas cars can we take off the road?”

Let’s also look at this from the angle of consumers who demand more efficient, lower cost-to-operate, cleaner, and higher performing cars. Consumer demand that is motivated primarily by selfish financial reasons will play a big part in the shift from gas-powered vehicle. This, of course, will augment the demand for cleaner transportation.

“How many gas cars can we take off?”

How about 99+%? It’s only a matter of time. Reflect on the transition from the horse-drawn vehicles to gas, steam, or electric in the early 1900s. That transition was relatively fast and was enabled by cheap, faster, readily available cars.

Importantly, we should also consider the evolution of ownership. The shift to a sharing model (Uber, Lyft, for instance), suggests that transportation may increasingly be treated as a service – people subscribe to or hail transportation instead of actually owning the cars. This can have the effect of less cars on the road as each one will be moving and transporting people, vs being parked at home or at work.

Today’s transition is enabled by innovations across many industries and sectors. This convergence of new technologies, along with the shifting consumer expectations surrounding transportation and governmental interventions (perhaps abroad for now), will enable an adoption curve not unlike what we’ve seen with smart phones.

 “Bring on the batteries”

Absolutely – there will be an incredible demand on batteries (for and this general home and utility – grade energy) will bring about innovations that will not only be focused on the storage device itself (higher energy density, recharging times, longevity), but also the efficiency of the overall vehicle. Again, the demand will inspire action and we will accomplish what is seeming impossible. Just look at computing and how it has evolved over the past few decades.

“What kind of power is charging those cars?” 

Indeed, this is an important consideration. It can range from 100% renewable (an EV that is charged exclusively by solar) to one that is dependent on a grid that is dirty. That said, even in the latter situation, electric cars are still cleaner. They are more efficient compared to internal combustion engine vehicles where a lot of the energy is wasted. There have been numerous studies on this matter. Here’s one from a university in Brussels: Electric cars emit less CO2 over their lifetime than diesels even when powered with dirtiest electricity – study.

“What are the batteries made of?”

We, indeed, have to be concerned about the overall system of production – we need to understand the components that make up what we use, where they are sourced, and how they are created. Ironically, when we apply the same lens to our current energy and transportation industries, we’d be even more inspired to make the transition to renewables happen with more urgency.

Fixing one problem by creating another is counter-productive and should be avoided. Fortunately, there is focus on how to responsibly source and create the solutions. Additionally, there as a lot more transparency – consumers are more aware and demand to know and information is more freely shared and discovered. It will be harder for manufacturers to take short-cuts that will inevitably result in unintended consequences.

Shifting from our current dependency on oil will require rethinking many things, e.g., transportation, electricity production and delivery, automation, communications, and jobs. I agree with the author’s message of a systems-based approach to solving our problem.