Are electric cars a dead end?

Jackson Harper at Transition Voice (part of the international Transition Network movement) recently asked himself that question and offers some interesting insights.

While our Nissan Leaf is still battling with my home-built electric bicycle for top billing for my commute around town, I think James Kunstler is correct that our “happy motoring” days are numbered. A favorite recent quote from Kunster:

We are ignoring the most obvious intelligent responses to this predicament, namely, shifting our focus to walkable communities and public transit, especially rebuilding the American passenger railroad system – without which, I assure you, we will be most regrettably screwed ten years from now.

Despite the private investment in our railways by Gates and Buffet, we’re seeing minimal federal government interest, which is a shame as we’ll need it unless we want the rest of the world to pass us by (at high speeds).