The cost of crude petroleum is reported at the end of the news every day.  Global warming is covered at least once a week and the motoring press reports another form of propulsion being tried every day.  On the face of it, this looks a very healthy world movement away from the traditional gasoline engine.  But is it?

I have been predicting, in this column, that the technology swing is towards electric propulsion.  Go to any world motor show and the mainstream manufacturers will have an all-electric project car on display.  Some using fuel cell production of electricity, others using rechargeable batteries making the vehicle a plug-in.  But they are all there.

Look at GM.  Their all-electric Volt is their most advanced new car for a couple of decades, and Bob Lutz says it will happen, and it will be on sale 2010.  That’s only two
years away, not two light years.