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24 Build Your Own Electric VehicleUnited States Transportation Depends on OilAlthough small amounts of natural gas and electricity are used, the United Statestransportation sector is almost entirely dependent on oil. A brief look at a few chartswill demonstrate the facts (see Figure 2-3). It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure outthis situation is both a strategic and economic problem for us.Forty percent of our energy comes from petroleum, 23 percent from coal, and 23percent from natural gas. The remaining 14 percent comes from nuclear power,hydroelectric, and renewables. As Bob Brant stated, “Our entire economy is obviouslydependent on oil.”The U.S. consumes 20.8 million barrels of petroleum a day, of which 9 million barrelsis gas. Automobiles are the single largest consumer of oil, consuming 40 percent, andare also the source of 20 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.The U.S. has about 22 billion barrels of oil reserves while consuming about 7.6billion barrels per year. Problems associated with oil supply include volatile oil prices,increasing world and domestic demand, and falling domestic production.While it’s our own fault for letting it happen, the Organization of PetroleumExporting Countries (OPEC) price hikes have had a disastrous impact on our economy,our transportation system, and our standard of living. The Arab Oil Crisis of 1973 andsubsequent ones were not pleasant experiences. After each crisis, the United Statesvowed to become less dependent on foreign oil producers—yet exactly the opposite hashappened.Increasing Long-Term Oil CostsThere is a fixed amount of oil/petroleum in the ground around the world, and thereisn’t going to be any more. We’re going to run out of oil at some point. Before thathappens, it’s going to get expensive.40Petroleum302010CoalHydroelectricPowerNaturalGasNuclearElectricPowerWood01850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000Fi g u r e 2-3 United States energ y consumption b y source from 1850 to 2000(courtesy of Wikipedia).U.S. Energ y Use: Quad BTU (1 Quad/s = 1 trillion MW)