It’s great to talk about all these great things hybrid cars and electric cars can do for us. Being independent from foreign oil, cleaning up the environment, reducing global warming effects, creating more green jobs, etc. Here’s why I think hybrid cars and electric cars may never become mainstream in many lifetimes to come: OPEC is hybrid cars’ and electric cars’ number one enemy. Not technology challenges, not infrastructure challenges, not political challenges.

Yes that OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. I’m talking specifically OPEC’s livelihood. No I don’t care for OPEC’s livelihood, and I’m sure they don’t care much for you and me. But I know OPEC countries do care about keeping us dependent on their oil. OPEC declares on OPEC’s website, “OPEC’s mission is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital to those investing in the petroleum industry.”

Now, you and I understand livelihood. Livelihood is something you can’t mess around with. It is the lifeblood of our existence. It is the source of life. Without livelihood, a means of supporting and sustaining our lives, we are in deep trouble. “Steady income” and “fair return on capital” are OPEC’s livelihood, and they will protect it with all their powers like any business would protect its livelihood.

So how is OPEC keeping hybrid cars and electric cars from replacing fossil fuel cars? Well beside the fact that these cars still depend on petroleum products (think lubricants, plus the cars’ production and transportation,) OPEC can always adjust oil prices to levels that will just make owning a hybrid car and electric car uneconomical. No matter what most of us say in surveys, we’ll always vote with our wallets when it comes to purchasing consumer products.

I’m just playing devil’s advocate here. Or maybe not.

What’s your opinion on this?

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