Not P but Dmitry Orlov again

[Allan Balliett]

Two assertions that Orlov has made to set well with my world model.

The first is that the future of electric cars is limited due to the
limitation of LITHIUM on the planet. (Lithium is essential for the current
state-of-the-art electric car batteries) I've tried to discuss this with
him via email but I can't get a response out of him (and I know very well
that he generally answers email in an instant if it's important to him.

My issue is that I find Orlov rather unique in his statement that there
ain't enough lithimum to go around. (It's my understanding that there's a
still a lot in South America)

On top of this, a simple Google on electric car battery technology finds
many credible (to me) posts that indicate that (of course) car battery
technology is being studied from many directions and, it appears, there are
technologies that are superior to today's lithium batteries. Some of these
technologies will, supposedly, have products on the market in a year.

The second issue also involves electric cars. Orlov says that if we cut
back on our use of gasoline we'll never have enough asphalt to keep the
roads useful for electric cars since road asphalt is a by-product of
gasoline refining. He says there are no alternative materials for making
highways (he never addresses maintaining current highways but I assume his
answer would be the same) He also states that jet fuel and fuel for sea
shipping vessels are the real value products of petroleum refining and
gasoline is just a by-product that is only good in small engines. He
asserts that the automobile industry was created as a way of marketing, and
disposing of, gasoline.

So, I admit I enjoy hearing this sort of talk, but, to me, it's only worth
listening to if it's solidly true.

These aren't his only assertions that I'd be uncomfortable repeating
outside of a survivalist conference.

Am I wrong?

-Allan in WV where there's apparently never enough asphalt to repair the
roads
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