Will electricity power cars of the future? High-performance
electric sports car Tesla Roadster TEXT OF STORY KAI RYSSDAL:
Had you been wondering what's going to power cars in a post-oil
world you can go ahead and cross hydrogen right off that list.
Earlier this week the Department of Energy pulled the plug on
hydrogen fuel-cell research. Ethanol is another contender for
top alternative auto fuel. But a study in yesterday's Science
magazine says despite the billions in government subsidies that
ethanol fuel gets, it's really not all that efficient. Which
leaves us with No. 3 on the list: Electricity. From the
Marketplace Sustainability Desk, Jennifer Collins reports.
Jennifer Collins: Before we can pick a car of the future, we
have to figure how we're going to distribute its fuel. Tesla
motors is hoping it's picked a winner with electric cars.
Diarmuid O'Connell is a vice president with the company. He says
the electric grid is far closer to being able to power cars now.
Any other type of fuel would need a new