2013 Automobile of the Year: Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is a great-looking car but, unlike some, I still don't see electric cars as being the future. Batteries are still too heavy, take too long to charge, are too expensive and require materials that in widespread use will probably become far more of a problem than fossil fuels in terms of scarcity.<p>Of course, there can be and no doubt will be technological innovation in this space but (IMHO) the future of personal powered transportation will still be fuel-driven.<p>What will change is the source of that fuel. It may be some kind of hydrogen-rich fuel (methane or ammonia) or it may be making the necessary hydrocarbons from the air and/or seawater.<p>Portable fuel supplies are just too convenient. The relative simplicity of the internal combustion engine (or some derivation thereof) is just too advantageous compared to even optimistic long-term alternatives.<p>EDIT: the amount of cognitive dissonance when it comes to electric cars is mind-boggling eg:<p>A: the benefits are too numerous to list<p>B: can you use it in an apartment?<p>A: no...<p>Or the amount of infrastructure retro-fitting that needs to happen (power to parking garages being just one). Or ignoring issues or range and recharge times. Even with swappable batteries, even if that were a thing that people would do (there are security, weight and cost issues), the recharge time is still an issue.<p>Power is not free. An electric vehicle still needs to get power from somewhere and that power requires all the normal transmission infrastructure.<p>Someone brought up what's happening in NJ but if you had an electric car you'd be even more screwed. At least now you can transport gas to people.<p>Seriously, out of cost, weight, range and charging time <i>all of them</i> need to get an order of magnitude better to even be on par with fuel-driven vehicles.<p>How exactly have electric vehicles "already won"?