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Is the Future of the Electric Car Industry in Silicon Valley?
fiannaFailMan writes "The San Jose Mercury News is speculating about Silicon Valley's potential for becoming the Detroit of a future electric car industry. Among the valley's strengths is an ability to adapt to rapidly changing business environments and develop new business models, something that the Big Three can hardly be accused of. On the downside, it's a capital-intensive business and isn't like raising $40 million and having an IPO. Apparently there are five companies in the valley already pursuing electric car technology, most notably Tesla motors."
The only solution is to put speakers into the outside of cars that play the appropriate noise for a petrol engine. That way we get green cars _and_ safe roads where you can hear the traffic!
The down-side is that there would be a movement to get the most authentic V-8 glass-pack sound from your electric car. Then the war starts between the speakers for music and the speakers for your engine simulation... Next thing you know, electric cars require 5,000W amplifiers just to keep the speakers going, and the ride distance goes to being measured in feet.