Well BGW, right or wrong on the denial thing, one thing for sure is articles like this solicit the usual grumblings and opinions that accomplish little. Like it or not, we are headed for stricter carbon emission regs.
......I can see a whole industry of mopeds, all-weather golf carts and stuff like that popping up. Not to mention bicycles. Maybe even locally built.
One might think, even hope. Bicycles use certainly will get a nod and a pass.
Still, I remember the moped craze in the '70s brought on by sky-rocketing energy prices only to be stifled by regulation. This time around we'll have higher energy cost PLUS the oncoming emissions regs.
It's a source of endless amazement to me to encounter folks who might embrace the idea of power assist bikes as long as they are plug-in electric.
Starting from the federal DOT to your local DMV, from bikes shops to the man on the street, from acquaintances to good friends, almost all overwhelmingly will show enthusiasm for Ebike alternatives and almost equally all will dismiss small, clean, efficient ICEs as power assist add-ons.
The rather simple fact that the power, and emissions, are being generated 30 miles away at a power plant seems to escape them, combined with the total over-all enviro impact of dealing with spent storage cells.
But, I guess it's not in their back yard.
Call it unfair but I see the day soon when cheap, loosely engineered engines like the Chinese HT 2 strokes will be regulated out of existence. It's already largely been done in China.
I too would like to see the day when a "whole industry" of Alt Trans develops here in the US but realistically I see that opening being small and narrow and smoky Chinese 2 strokes aren't in the picture. It remains to be seen if the better engineered small engines, some examples of which are currently available from Japan and already passing CARB II standards, will be thrown out with them.
The MB movement is still in the infancy in a lot of ways but unfortunately I see many aspects of it as being..well, infantile and it might never get to grow up.
Not meaning to ruffle feathers but to a large extent I see much of the interest in MBs not focused on Alt Trans schemes or as serious commuter alternatives but more as playthings akin to ATVs or dirtbikes. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, just reading the tea leaves on what the future might hold and musing about a way to position myself particularly in regard to future equipment and purchases.