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Back to $3.00 a gallon? It's been there for at least a couple of months here and never got much below $2.60. If/when gas gets back up to $4 a gallon I doubt the demand for suvs and pickups will drop much.
Depends on the taxes. Where I live we average $1.95 for regular.
If something drastic happened like back to back cat 4/5 hurricanes in the gulf or the wrong middle east country gets angry and gas went back to $3-4 and stayed there, would there still be a strong demand for Crossovers, SUV's and Pick Ups or would this send people back to Full Size Sedans or the return of Station Wagons?
It's a question of income and means. If such a vehicle were practical for someone with the means to pay for it, then they'll buy it. Whether the market would be large enough to incentivize manufacturing is another matter. My guess is yes... there would be enough buyers to make it profitable.
I doubt it. For some insane reason most people in this country think bigger is better. They don't care that the monstrosities they drive are making our enemies in the middle east richer. They want to make up for shortcomings with a "dig me" behemoth.
I have a Prius and a full size Silverado. I need a truck for a lot of what I do. My son uses it for work. For just the wife and I on around town jaunts- we drive the Prius.
Why the hate? Some people need a 'monstrous' truck cause they use them.
Fuel is dirt cheap in the US, compared to the average income at least.
I'm curious, what would happen if prices got up to the European level (~1.5 euros for 1 liter=~6 dollars per gallon) and stayed there for a long period of time, even indefinitely, would the preferred choice of vehicles shift dramatically from the V6's and V8' and trucks to hybrids and other 4-bangers? Would people still buy trucks for grocery shopping? What would happen?
Fuel is dirt cheap in the US, compared to the average income at least.
I'm curious, what would happen if prices got up to the European level (~1.5 euros for 1 liter=~6 dollars per gallon) and stayed there for a long period of time, even indefinitely, would the preferred choice of vehicles shift dramatically from the V6's and V8' and trucks to hybrids and other 4-bangers? Would people still buy trucks for grocery shopping? What would happen?
You'll probably see a drastic change that kind of behavior. My nephew just bought a 4wd truck to get mulch twice a year. I doubt commuting to work at $6 each way will make more fiancial sense than the $25 Home Depot truck rental for that sort of thing twice a year.
Historically US truck sales plummet with every gas spike. Then people run out in a panic buying fuel line magnets and "mileage booster" fuel additives and other stupid gimmicks.
Fuel is dirt cheap in the US, compared to the average income at least.
I'm curious, what would happen if prices got up to the European level (~1.5 euros for 1 liter=~6 dollars per gallon) and stayed there for a long period of time, even indefinitely, would the preferred choice of vehicles shift dramatically from the V6's and V8' and trucks to hybrids and other 4-bangers? Would people still buy trucks for grocery shopping? What would happen?
I don't think that would be so much an automotive thing at that point so much as an urban planning thing. I think when you see relatively small shifts in gas prices, then people might start buying smaller cars. When you see huge shifts, people change their patterns of where they buy homes/want to live. Right now there is a lot of growth in outer suburbs and exurbs in terms of building, but if people are driving 30+ miles one way to work, that would equate to $12 a day just in gas costs before parking, wear and tear, tolls, etc, for an okay car.
While fuel is far more expensive in Europe, most cities have good public transportation options. You might not need to be as reliant on the car as you are in the U.S.
I doubt it. For some insane reason most people in this country think bigger is better. They don't care that the monstrosities they drive are making our enemies in the middle east richer. They want to make up for shortcomings with a "dig me" behemoth.
You'd make a stronger case if you didn't resort to the lame "shortcomings" comment etc.
P.S. Anymore a lot of the oil in this country comes from here and our enemies in Canada.
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