Of course, the infrastructure, in the shape of charging stations and accounting systems is still absent. However, the problem of exploitation of electricity from the various sources is much more urgent. Using the current energy-mix in Germany as a calculation base, the CO₂ emission of the E-Smart is getting menacingly close to that of it's Diesel-powered counterpart.

What is urgently needed, is the expansion of renewable energy and a substitute for coal-fired power stations, which are the worst sinners, despite their smoke-gas desulpherisation. Their operators do see possibilities, to produce electricity from Lignite which would be free of CO₂, however, only at the cost of efficiency and the safe underground storage of these gases also causes problems, apart from the huge problems that an ever-moving excavation-site causes.

Nuclear power is an even bigger problem, not only because the majority of the population is against it. Looking at the large number of breakdowns and the age of some reactors, even their safe operation seems to be questionable. In addition, there is the unsolved problem of the permanent waste storage and the hardly sufficient financial reserves for the very long period after their use in the power stations, not to mention the possible threat posed by terrorist activities.

The so-called 'bridging technology' is doing more to lower the pressure in the direction of renewable energy. Added to this, is the sluggishness of the present technology, which is even causing the renewable current sources to be switched off. Of course, the population also carries a certain amount of joint-responsibility, when, if necessary, the electricity networks (high-tension power-lines) and pump storage works have to be expanded.

Can you imagine what the future will be like? When we, very quietly, drive our no longer quite as large cars around, and have become used to the fully automatic operation and the relatively high torque of the electric motors. Hopefully, the charging times will be shorter than they are today and the car can be used more often. Since, at the moment, there are still vast challenges.

There are always people, who are stimulated to think further by this wonderful new world. They conclude, from all the facts available at he moment, that the average citizen in Germany will have to have, at least two cars, one electrically operated for short distances, and one with an internal combustion engine. To keep the costs down, they would like to adapt to the Swiss- and Austrian system of having interchangeable number-plates.

Just imagine, if you had enough space and money to own three cars, which you drive alternately. An interchangeable number-plate would be ideal, tax and insurance would only have to be paid for the most expensive one of the three. You can of course imagine, that the Minister of Finance and the insurance companies are against the system, whereas the ADAC and the automobile industry (of course, also the foreign manufacturers) are expecting a boom of similar dimensions to that caused by the car-scrapping bonus. 09/08