Natural Capitalism—Chapter 2: Reinventing the Wheels

The text proposes the 'Hypercar' as a solution to the inefficiencies and environmental damage of the traditional steel-based automobile industry. By combining ultralight composite materials, low-drag design, and hybrid-electric propulsion (specifically hydrogen fuel cells), Hypercars could drastically reduce fuel consumption and emissions. However, the author emphasizes that technological efficiency alone cannot solve traffic congestion or urban sprawl, necessitating a shift toward 'New Urbanist' design, market-based parking costs, and improved community planning to reduce the necessity of car travel.

• Conventional automobiles are extremely energy-inefficient, with at least 80 percent of fuel energy lost primarily to heat and exhaust, meaning only about 1 percent of the energy actually moves the driver.
• The 'Hypercar' concept aims to reduce power requirements by making vehicles ultralight (using carbon-fiber composites), ultra-low-drag, and utilizing hybrid-electric propulsion, which could improve fuel economy to 80-200 miles per gallon.
• Using molded carbon-fiber composites instead of stamped steel can reduce vehicle weight by two to threefold and cut tooling costs by up to 90 percent, as composite bodies require far fewer parts and eliminate the need for expensive steel dies.
• Hydrogen fuel cells are identified as the most efficient propulsion for Hypercars; they produce only electricity and hot water, and their cost is expected to drop significantly as production scales from buildings to vehicles.
• Hypercars could transform the energy grid by acting as 'power plants on wheels,' where parked vehicles sell electricity back to the grid during peak daytime hours.
• The transition to Hypercars would significantly reduce the demand for raw materials, requiring approximately 92 percent less iron and steel and 60 percent less rubber per vehicle.
• Technological efficiency in cars may be offset by increased driving and congestion unless accompanied by land-use reforms that prioritize 'New Urbanist' design and community clustering to make cars less necessary.
• Market-based mechanisms, such as 'parking cash-out' programs and charging fair market value for parking, are proposed to reduce urban congestion and encourage alternative transport modes.

APA

RMI (n.d.). Natural Capitalism—Chapter 2: Reinventing the Wheels. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter2.pdf

Chicago

RMI. Natural Capitalism—Chapter 2: Reinventing the Wheels. n.d. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Natural Capitalism—Chapter 2: Reinventing the Wheels |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmindnatural, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Natural Capitalism—Chapter 2: Reinventing the Wheels}}, institution = {RMI}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }