ABSTRACT
The competition with the relatively high-efficiency combustion engine with its power reserve and action radius shows a losing proposition for the electric car in all initial trials. But with constant improvements in battery performance and life, there is now a growing indication that the time for a successful introduction of a practical electric vehicle (EV) is approaching. The increasing dependence on Middle East oil will become unacceptable for reasons of security and price. 43% of oil consumption is taken up by the transportation sector. Therefore, a change in technology for transportation and a switch to the EV would have a major impact on the export/import imbalance and would reinstate an important part of the gross national product lost to foreign oil producers. An AC electric-field rail could be implanted into freeways. Electric cars can conceivably couple their electromotive system to this rail either capacitively or galvanically and move along driven by the central rail power.
