Well, my expertise lies in desiging and building the machinery that makes all the little gadgets that we love so much, like air conditioners and tools and so forth. Don't know much about engines, but if someone can come up with one, I can help with the machines you'll need to make it. But other threads that have explored this same idea have had every idea that anyone put forth pounded into the ground. For instance, I suggested (and no, I don't know how to do it) the possibility of some sort refit to convert existing cars to hydrogen power. Less pollution, etc... That idea was met by howls from the same people who were a few posts before decrying the automobile about how poor the performance would be. One guy even elaborated at length on how his Corvette would only manage a small percentage of the horsepower it has on gasoline. They went on at length about how hydrogen consumes more engery to make than it provides, etc etc etc. Same for alcohol. My point in that thread was that it ain't gonna matter what the performance is when the supply runs out. But any suggestion beyond moving to Metropolis, living on the 300th floor and riding a bike to work is met with a hundred reasons why it won't work before it even gets tried.

And lest ye forget, gasoline for cars is not the only use for oil. The trucks, planes, trains, and busses that carry all the stuff we make and us all run on some sort of petroleum product. A lot of the folks in your neck of the woods use oil to heat thier houses and apartments. What are you going to do when the oil is gone? This problem is not just about cars, it's about everything. even the machines that I build would grind to a halt with out it. Sure, we can stretch it out for a while, but the supply of crude is finite, and when its gone, it's gone.[/QUOTE]

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I haven't completely read this thread so someone may have already replied to this comment. If you go to the following link...http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/...you will see that there are people doing exactly what you suggested. Thing is are you willing to pay 12-14000 dollars for the conversion plus spare parts, you turn your $20,000 car into a $35,000 car without adding any value (unless someone else you happen to sell your car to want's the technology). It would take over 14 years to recoup the money invested since with modest driving most people spend about $1,000/year on gas (double that if you're truely addicted to the car) and you're still looking at 7 years to recoup...this is a major investment. Anyway that aside the only thing that will force the issue is demand, if people stop buying SUV's or buy only hybrid cars or hydrogen cars then it will force the auto makers to conform, right now there is no incentive for them to invest the time or money into these technology.

As far as the comment about not being able to commute on bike it all has to do with priority, if your priority is to sleep in hop in your car and just barely make it to work you will pay for the gas, if your priority is to save money on gas get extra exercise and make it into work energized you will bike and make the sacrifices. I have a job where my uniforms must be pressed nicely (no creases) and present a professional image 24/7 so I drive my uniforms in on Monday and bike the rest of the days, if you have a job where you can neatly fold your cloths and put them in a backpack or saddle bag you can easily bike every day.

My last comment (kinda long for a first post I know) is about your comment on oil being finite, we really don't even know how oil is made last time I checked (I'm no expert by a long shot but this is just what I've read). We used to be convinced it was the liquified bodies of ancient creatures (dinosaurs etc...) but that was disproven long ago. It could be very likely that the earth continually makes this stuff at depths that we do not have visibility into.

Alright, let the bullets fly, I'm used to it...