Topic: Stanley Steamer

The early 20th century featured a variety of viable transportation technologies, including Riker electric vehicles and Stanley Steamers, which were marginalized by the oil monopoly. Price explains that asphalt roads were chosen specifically because they are a petroleum byproduct that requires constant maintenance, creating an "evergreen clause" for the industry. He also claims that refineries could easily convert gasoline to methanol to increase efficiency but refuse to do so to maintain high consumption levels.

A visit to the Stanley Steamer Museum in Estes Park, Colorado, reveals the advanced engineering of early steam-powered cars, which required no transmission or electrical system. These vehicles provided maximum torque at zero RPM and could run on any combustible fuel. Simultaneously, the Philadelphia Electric Company operated a successful battery exchange program for electric cars for fifteen years, proving that infrastructure for alternatives existed long before modern efforts.