Pitch
Rebuild our transportation system as shared vehicles, all electric but without reliance on fossil fuels or batteries.
Description
Summary
Automobiles account for between 30 and 50% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Switching to all electric vehicles has it's own problems...the use of heavy metals, significant loss of efficiency over direct electric transmission, continued congestion of roadways, and limited range. It's time to rethink our transportation system, specifically we need to transform our automobile based society into shared, rail based all-electric vehicles.
Category of the action
Building efficiency: Physical Action
What actions do you propose?
Who will take these actions?
Research is required first, preferably the DARPA model of design contests open to all.
Where will these actions be taken?
N/A
How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?
What are other key benefits?
- significant energy savings (energy agnostic)
- zero emmissions
- more efficient transportation system
- freight can be transported in unmanned vehicles
- more reliable (inherent in electric motors)
- safer (save tens of thousands of lives yearly in the US alone)
- increased accessibility for youth, elderly, physically handicapped
- quieter (inherent in electric motors)
- smoother ride
- less light pollution (automated vehicles see in other wavelengths)
And perhaps saving the best for last...
- beautify our world (parking lots turned into parks)
What are the proposal’s costs?
Unknown. Extensive research would be required. Clearly a great cost, but that must be compared to doing nothing, which itself has a great cost.
Time line
All the technologies already exist, but implementation would still take at least a decade or more.
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