http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27792595

Very interesting if true

I was talking to someone (a scientist) more knowledgeable than me on these matters, and I forget the exact figures, but they cited a scientist that has calculated that without patents (generally, not specifically the motor industry) we would be around 100 years more technologically advanced than we are at present!

Please don't ask me for details or references as I do t have that information.

But it does make you think where we would be if we shared learning and knowledge as opposed to just seeing the monetary value in everything.

Imagine if Carlsberg was to have made cars.

They know how to put liquid in a vessel, and also to keep liquid out.

 

If they had cooperated with Skoda there could have been cars with dry interiors decades ago.

more trial and error and Skoda might get there yet.

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

He's quite clever that Musk chap and he might have figured it'll be to his benefit overall or maybe he really is just being philanthropic, he's got enough money not to worry.

I don't think he really thinks like normal people.

 

[Edit] He's providing access to patents and promising not to sue if the patent is used in "good faith".

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/06/12/musk_opens_up_tesla_patents_for_all_to_use/

Edited 13 June, 201412 yr by Aspman

Sometimes the eccentrics arent so eccentric as we think!

Encourage more production, then start charging for the patents in the future when EVs are more acceptable and production volumes are higher.

Doesn't seem like a bad idea to me.

Problem is once you cease any enforcement and they are used, they will form a standard and become unenforceable.

The only way I can see electric vehicles taking off is if the manufacturer's worked together to standardise the battery and fittings, and with that, have the option to pull into a petrol station like we do now, but instead of filling up with fuel, have a sort of machine just swap the battery round, so you can get on with your journey in as little time as possible... that and battery life would need to be greatly extended.

 

Then there's the problem for those who do not have a drive way or garage. How are they meant to charge their battery?

 

Either way, the powers that be need to create some kind of system which would allow the cars to be charged while driving, either by having little charging plates in the road surface that give the battery a small charge as you drive over them, or is it possible to create some kind of energy recovery system which feed's energy back into the battery... but anything which allows the concept of electric vehicles to standardise and grow can only be a good thing.

 

I do however have questions, long term how would the government make up for the loss in revenue they get from fuel duty, they can't exactly advise the energy companies to raise electric prices accordingly, as this would be unfair to those who don't own cars.

And wouldn't concentrating on hydrogen be a better, because unless I'm very much mistaken,we have an almost infinite supply of the stuff, all it would emit would be water vapor and in theory, the car could be refueled as we do at present albeit with a different source.

 

Please note, I'm not very scientifically minded, and I'm by no means an advocate for the electric car - one of my proudest moment's was unplugging a Nissan leaf during the night on the next road down from mine as the owner had left the cable dangling across the pavement and I almost tripped up on it. Wish I could've seen their faces when they try and get into their car in the morning and find they've got 0% battery.