Power Sources for Electric Cars

* Re “Democracy and the Electric Car Can Save Us,” Commentary, June 30: Unless Ranan R. Lurie is talking fuel cells, he must not know that a huge percentage of the electricity available in the U.S. comes from the burning of (oh no!) fossil fuels.

Upon rereading Lurie’s piece, I also detect the faint aroma of--what--vendetta? Now, I don’t like the Opeckers any better than the next American, but foisting phony “electric-powered” cars on us as the panacea for what seem to be his personal problems with “the Arab Middle East” is unacceptable.

DOUG STOKES

Duarte

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Bob Bath (letter, June 28) claims that electric cars can be charged using other energy sources than fossil fuels. However, most of these other sources are usually impractical or have other problems, and one of them (hydroelectric power) is being reduced because we are tearing down dams. Most of our electricity is generated from coal, and it will continue to be for some time to come.

Coal is more polluting than petroleum. Therefore, if large numbers of electric cars recharged from power lines (as opposed to those running on fuel cells) become common, the result will be to increase the total amount of pollution. The pollution will occur in different places, for example the Grand Canyon instead of Los Angeles. People may disagree as to whether that is good or bad.

DONALD B. GENNERY

Glendale