Switching Gears: The Petroleum-Powered Electric Car

by Dan K. Eberhart

The world is on the precipice of energy innovation. As we strive toward cleaner fuels, some technologies will rise and others will fall. Will the Tesla Roadster and the Nissan Leaf go the way of the 1890s’ Morrison Electric?

The new rock stars of the transportation industry are radical entrepreneurs with visions that may change the landscape of energy as drastically as computers changed the landscape of communication. Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily gaining acceptance. Countries like Norway, France, India, and China have stated that they will abandon sales and manufacturing of conventional vehicles by 2025–2030 in favor of EVs.

Eberhart’s expert book provides everything we need to know to engage in the debate over EVs versus internal combustion vehicles. He skillfully sorts fact from fiction, puts valuable research at our finger tips, and offers us a glimpse of what the world might look like in 2050 with a potential worldwide population of 9.6 billion people and over 530 million EVs on our roads.

The future has never seemed more like science fiction. We’ve seen hydrogen fuel-cell-powered trains (“hydrail”), autonomous drones, the first prototypes and working models of electric jets, and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicles. Uber promised to lift intercity EVs to the sky with its Elevate program, and smaller startups have demonstrated ingenious contraptions for human-powered flight.

Eberhart envisions a successful energy revolution where we learn from our mistakes and solve our puzzles, as we work toward a future that allows us to be conscientious, powerful, and energy-savvy all at the same time. Are EVs really the holy grail of energy solutions—power without fossil fuel? Are EVs here to stay?

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2020

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

An examination of the electric car, from its beginnings in the 19 century, to today. It examines the problems and the promises of electric cars. Very illuminating.

[M.H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

**I won a Kindle copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.**

Yes, here are a lot of reasons to be bearish about the current states of the technology and economics surrounding EVs, and this book thoroughly documents all of them. And this book makes its point: that the transportation industry will likely always depend on fossil fuels in some form. Fine, but there are lots of reasons to be bullish, too, about what this book grudgingly admits is an inevitable technology. Those reasons are given much less voice.

Rather than being a fair look at the technology and its future, this book presented the issues in the foot-dragging tone often employed by those opposed to disruptive change (or their lobbyists.) For instance, it accurately details that current EVs aren't the environmental panacea we'd like them to be. Yet when it comes down to it, much of that isn't the fault of EVs or manufacturers themselves, but the sorry environmental practices/records of other industries on which EVs depend, such as rare earth mining and petroleum-fired/coal power plants. So why penalize EV innovators and hold back the tech? Why not insist those other industries clean up their acts instead?

Because an author bio was not included, I had to turn to Google, but I wasn't surprised in the least to find that Mr. Eberhart is a executive for an oilfield services company.

[Read Ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a GoodReads giveaway of a Kindle ebook. (It also seemed appropriate that it was electronic versus physical, in keeping with presenting a smaller environmental footprint.)

I had previous knowledge of a lot of the facts presented here, but not to the level of detailed research that our author had gathered. 70 percent of this book is the main text and the remaining 30 percent comprise the notes from the research. There are so many footnotes.

I thought it was a fair and mostly objective telling. It does lean just a bit in favor of Electric Vehicles, but so do I. (There is that conformational bias rearing its head, but I have yet to switch to an EV.) There is a lot of ground covered in this book.

US politics will continue to heavily influence where and how fast we might get there. At one time we were courting the American farmer growing corn to make ethanol, then switched to Coal Miners, all to win votes. If you can't (personally) make money off of it, you don't get support. There is a lot less thought of what is better for the masses.

This was a GoodReads and you should become familiar with the issues.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book as part of Good Reads' First Reads program.

Switching Gears traces the development of the automobile from the late nineteenth century forward. Many of the earliest car designs were actually electric, but lost out to the internal combustion engine, powered by petroleum based fuels, mostly gasoline. The author does a very good job of presenting a balanced view of electric and hybrid car development. Presenting both the negative side, where CO2 emissions aren't what would be hoped for or expected, and the positive side. He also shows the promising future, especially as autonomous vehicle technology improves. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the subject.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by someone with experience in the petroleum industry this book look at the current state of the EV or Hybrid vehicle industry. Easy to read and cited this book presented multiple perspectives on the future of the electric vehicle. This book had a lot of interesting historical information on the relationship between the automobile industry and petroleum and pointed out how a single decision has changed the automobile industry and the outlook on EV's around the world at different times. From infrastructure to attitude to the balance of public and private resources I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I received a free Kindle edition of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaways.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read

[Pat Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thought provoking book. I wasn't sure whether I would like it, but once I started reading it I couldn't stop. I guest some of it answered or brought up questions my husband and I had talked about. When the Prius first came out, we had discussed that it wouldn't be suited for a area, rural with roads that didn't get plowed well, difficulty and expense in some repairs , life of the batteries and distances of world wide part travel.
I did think it was greatly suited for family in California. Our assorted family has had 4 Prius, 1 Tesla, and 2 small totally electric cars I don't remember their names. Exposures has not been a problem, but so far they haven't fit our life style.
I enjoyed the discussions or recharging stations and future role of petroleum in the EV cars.
Also at my work at a destination timeshare, it was voted to put in charging stations for our guest. The research will be starting, but I brought in my kindle for my boss to read the section of recharging layout and manners.
It is an insightful and thought provoking book. A surprise at how much I enjoyed it.

[Gina T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Green Leaf for providing this e-book via a Goodreads giveaway.

I was thinking about buying a hybrid for my next car but wasn't sure if that was the best choice. This book contained a wealth of information on electric and hybrid cars, various considerations covering everything from carbon emissions of mining and manufacturing, economic efficiency, to maintenance considerations. I determined an electric vehicle is probably a sounder choice, but since it's the only car in my household, I'll stick to my initial decision on a hybrid.

If you'd enjoy an exhaustive look at this topic, this is the book for you.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a dense read, but a necessary one. The material flows as best as it can going over the pros and cons of EVs vs ICE, fuel resources, and what is the real cost of oil consumption vs electric cars. I am glad I won it and will probably reread to digest the information slowly.