Forty years ago, when I first received my driver’s license, I filled up my Dad's car with unleaded gasoline. Watching that clean liquid flow into the tank, I was struck by our reliance on fossil fuels. With billions of cars on the road, I couldn’t help but wonder: how long could this last? As a 16-year-old, worrying about the end of crude oil was not exactly on my agenda. Yes, long before the popular "Just Stop Oil" movement (where people insist on stopping traffic in busy city centers), I was tearing through libraries concerned we'd soon be out of oil. What amazed me most was the question: if we are burning dinosaurs and dead plants-turned-to-oil, where is the end of these fossil-fuels?
The statistics are staggering. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2020, the world consumed approximately 92 million barrels of oil per day. With over 1.4 billion cars globally, this level of consumption raises serious questions about sustainability. Former oil executive Matt Simmons once noted, “The world is running out of oil.” As I think of those billions of cars idling, exhaust pipes releasing hot air, it’s hard to ignore how this contributes to rising global temperatures.
But I love my car—the four-cylinder engine that represents freedom on the open road. Even if Elon Musk announced tomorrow that Teslas were free for everyone, I wouldn’t abandon my trusty Subaru. I envision a future where drivers still cherish the experience of steering their own vehicles, navigating the roads with the thrill of control. However, I also don’t want to find myself in a "Mad Max" dystopian world where gasoline costs $50 a gallon and chaos reigns over fuel scarcity. So, what about the clean and reasonably priced unleaded gasoline that I depend on?
Estimates suggest there are about 1.7 trillion barrels of proven oil reserves left, but at current consumption rates, these reserves could be depleted in a few decades. This makes the development of synthetic oil and alternative fuels increasingly relevant. Additionally, airplanes and jets consume significant amounts of Grade "A" jet fuel, which, while less refined and flammable than gasoline, still underscores the scale of fuel consumption.
But if you imagine "clean" fuel flowing daily into these billions of tanks, it's pretty amazing. I silently back fracking, and some unclean practices BECAUSE I need my unleaded. I am not against this world, but I want to be able to enjoy it, by driving.
Advancements in biofuels, derived from organic materials, also present options for maintaining our love for vehicles. As the late environmentalist Paul Hawken said, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” It’s up to us to embrace innovative solutions that prolong our access to fuel. Or electric cars could become manditory, slef-driving cars, a necessity. I was close to a person who lived in a large city, the same city all her life. But she couldn't get anywhere without her GPS. Imagine when we have no control over aspects of driving we now deem manditory.
My experience with unleaded gasoline has highlighted critical questions surrounding our reliance on crude oil. While the depletion of these resources may not be immediate, the signs are clear. By exploring alternatives like synthetic oil and biofuels, car enthusiasts like me can continue to enjoy our vehicles for years to come, paving the way for a balanced and sustainable future.
After all, I want to drive forever, but I’d like to do so in a way that ensures the road remains open for generations to come. I consider rally driving and drifting to be the acoutrements of driving "well," the apex of all driving talents. And I never want to see these gone from our future; even in a hundred years they will need to be exercised. No one really wants a generation of people dependant on self-driving cars, it would render us vehicularily impotent. Elon can clean the whole government, but he can keep his damn hands off my 5-speed...
