Recent Comments:
Cheap gas in China prompts buyers to go bigger, while Gov't wants smaller {Autoblog Green}
Apr 23rd 2008 4:14PM I realize this is merely a blog, but Sam Abuelsamid do you even have an editor?
"For decades, the price of gasoline has not reflected its true cost because prices have not factored in the cost of military expenditures required to maintain "friendly" governments in countries that supply large amounts of our oil"
What the heck is a "true cost" precisely? Unfortunately if there is any "untruths" about oil prices, its that they are TOO HIGH because there is no competition because oil is traded as a "Commodity" even though its a refined product. Its all collusion and price fixing from OPEC fat cats rather then pitting them against eachother. Then there are your precious taxes that you apparently want MORE of, your taxes which hurt the middle class and poor well before there are any significant changes in auto purchases.
Conservation of gas is for chumps. This very article is about China suddenly becoming the largest consumer of oil, doesn't even mention what is happening in the rest of the developing world, and you think hammering people into switching from a Tundra to a Prius and saving .00000001% of their nation's oil is really in perspective? Get a clue Sam, its a big world, conservation is like using a bucket to bail water out of the Titantic, the water is still coming Sam. Stop hurting innocent people with taxes, the future can only be alternatively powered cars.
Top 20 green cars we wish we could buy today, Number 1: The Chevy Volt {Autoblog Green}
Apr 22nd 2008 8:10PM Why in the world are people still yammering on about the Mitsubishi iMev. How many range anxiety killed cars need to be brought up before it crystallizes in people's brains that the pure BEV with existing battery range is a flawed design.
That's why the Volt is #1 on my list too. Fisker would be right up there if cost was no issue.
Hippie vans and plug-in hybrids {Autoblog Green}
Apr 15th 2008 6:07PM Good point Mike Z, this Mike Allen's idea is not a new one, it was tried with the Insight flop, I certainly hope no one at GM takes this naive article as anything more then what it is; a myopic, ill informed opinion from some 60s burnout.
First, the savings using hippie bus would be totally offset by the sales killing fatal flaw that would be a lack of acceleration, ability to climb hills, merge on freeways etc. Earth to hippies---EV is not a widely accepted as mainstream, you put a wimpy engine in the Volt and people will judge the entire tech as suspect, we can't afford that if we want to ween off oil.
Those of you who can afford extra cars are welcome to take a flier on a car with limited abilities, but the rest of us in the real world want a "car" to drive, not a golf cart like A.Brien with his 20 h.p. car.
As for meme, the % of drivers needing to hit 100mph? That's the wrong question, the real one is how many of their ICE competitors do? This "need" question is kind of Orwellian. More importantly its these impractical green-extremist ideals that too many want to impose on this car that would kill its sales.
Ever hear of "range anxiety?" A lot of green idealists thought that was a small price to pay for the EV1's awesomeness, then the auto manufacturers did some market research and realized that almost no one would ever sacrifice the ability to drive more then 80 miles before a 6 hour recharge. Its all well and good to post on a blog saying what people should sell or what people need, but consumers are forking over big $ investing in something, not throwing around an opinion on what would be nice. E-REVs needs normal horse power.
Toyota: Plug-in hybrids can't halve CO2 {Autoblog Green}
Apr 9th 2008 3:51PM Here here Tim, this fetishized fixation so many Greenies have on CO2 reminds me of the pop-science chicken-little mentality of the 90's regarding the "disappearing Ozone layer" that itself seems to have magically floated away.
Its been my experience that reasoning with certain devotes is impossible because they desire to be miserable and guilt ridden.
Not that I oppose in any way reducing of CO2 emissions, in fact I want to put my $ down for it, I would like to buy a PHEV40 vehicle in 2010 and have more power plants built, not less. Having all those emissions in a concentrated place rather then in 100 million cars would be far easier to combat, such as using the CO2 from the coal plants to feed algea-oil infrastructure. Sorry, there I go again, trying to talk about solutions, I should just wring my hands and be depressed like a good boy.
GM's Chevy Volt update: All systems go, Malibu-based li-ion mules coming soon {Autoblog Green}
Apr 4th 2008 8:07PM Chris M,
I disagree with what you said regarding an advantage of Toyota's Synergy drive. First, the Volt is not a series hybrid, it is an extended range electric vehicle, E-REV. It does not run on gas, the gas motor is used to power the electric drive when its battery is used up. This is key because it doesn't have things like an alternator, etc because its a true electric vehicle, unlike any Prius.
So you see, it is impossible for Toyota to improve with "an advantage of a more efficient mechanical link" Also, the Volt can go over 60 on battery, with this Prius, when ever its supposed to come out, I wouldn't even be able to go on the freeway electric.
GM's Chevy Volt update: All systems go, Malibu-based li-ion mules coming soon {Autoblog Green}
Apr 4th 2008 4:00PM mike baz,
I saw your post and had to respond. Have you been able to confirm that credit card points on a GM CC will be applicable to the Volt? I was planning on calling GM on that but if that's already been stated I will definitely switch to their card.
Also to Rar and JiltedCitizen, well said. Amen. I find the childish outbursts of the haters on here towards GM and domestic automakers to be as nauseating as they are disturbing.
