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I will never buy a car if I can't drive it across America, it has nothing to do with politics. I cannot afford $65,000.00 for two cars.. 1 for work 1 for travel.
There are too many vehicles on the road, under utilized, and wasting fuel (energy).
In short, we need to acknowledge that electric rail is our only viable alternative to deal with the demise of the Age of Oil.
According to the laws of Physics, steel wheel on steel rail has 1/7 the rolling resistance of rubber tire on pavement. Electrified rail mass transit is the most energy efficient and frugal land transport system in the world. Before the rise of "cheap and plentiful oil", in the USA, economics favored electrified urban rail service. It was noted that one could ride local electric streetcars and interurbans from Maine to the Rockies and never need to ride on a mainline rail road (Steam powered, before Diesel - Electric locomotives).
The United States once built 500 electric streetcar systems in less than 20 years (1890-1910). Most cities and towns of 25,000 or more got a non-oil electrical transportation system. The US did this with a population of less than one-third of today's, approximately 3% of today's GNP, and relatively primitive technology.
America's lead in electric powered rail was overshadowed by the appearance of a relatively cheaper fuel - petroleum. That made sense - at the time. Until the 1970s, the USA was the world's top oil producer. Those days are long over. Nor can we waste energy or money on a transportation mode we can't afford anymore.
If we do not immediately transition from petroleum, we are primed to crash.
The future is rail - 'lectric rail.
Get America "Back on Track"!
** James Strickland, M Sc, sums it up: " A transportation system that relies on a "non-renewable" resource is bound for collapse - the only question is whether we adapt in time, not whether we need to adapt. "
------------------ The observation that the lack of available mass transit compels Americans to use automobiles only underscores the necessity to rapidly expand electric rail mass transit. And to accommodate the dispersed population, encourage employers to offer shuttle bus service from the nearest mass transit station to their place of work. Thus reducing the number of vehicles needed.
Any incremental increase in passenger load while decreasing automobile usage reduces the fuel consumed, far more than MPG increases. There is no other viable way to reduce consumption by 80% necessary to end importation of oil, and extend domestic supplies.
A vehicle like the Volt basically prescribes to you requriment to get off oil. As most people don't travel over 40 miles in one trip (and they could likely recharge where ever they park) this would go a long way to solving our dependence on oil.
Houston 3:
With the Volt, you can go cross country, getting 50 mpg.
I'll walk and push a Ford rather than buy a GM or Chrysler from government/union owned motor companies. I believe there are many Americans who feel the same way.
NEW SINGLE SEAT VW
You can go to Shanghai for a vacation, buy two or more of these cars, one for your wife and one for yourself, and one for each of your kids, have them shipped to USA and still spend less money than if you bought a car here.....
This is not a toy, not a concept car. It is a newly developed single seat car in highly aerodynamic tear-shape road-proven real car.
It is ready to be launched as a single-seater for sale in Shanghai in 2010 for a mere RMB 4,000 (US$600)!
Interested? Wait till you learn that it will cruise at 100-120 Km/Hr with an unbelievable 0.99litre/100Km (258 miles/gallon) !!
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Originally Posted by cdne
I'll walk and push a Ford rather than buy a GM or Chrysler from government/union owned motor companies. I believe there are many Americans who feel the same way.
Is it just me or does anyone else fail to see the logic in boycotting a company where we as shareholder have a vested interesting in the company's success; whether one was for the bailout or not?
Help me out though; you have to plug it in, which is going to jack up your electric bill. Also, electricity is generated by coal, y'now the left's #1 energy enemy. correct?
As our electricity source starts to run on more renewables, it will be more environmentally friendly to drive electric cars but even if electric cars are powered by energy that comes from coal, it is still a better choice.
Think of the air quality in your city if more cars ran on electric.
A car that has a range of about 100 miles will meet my daily traveling needs. I would love to own a plug in hybrid that runs on a combination of electric and biodiesel/diesel. I can fill it up with diesel for longer trips if I don't want to have to stop every such and such miles to charge up. I'm personally looking forward to the Nissan Leaf. The Volt is too expensive and I don't trust the reliability of GM cars.
Electricity is substantially cheaper than gasoline and electricity from coal is a cleaner source of transportation energy than gasoline from petroleum. Other than those two errors, you're spot on.
There's no such thing as "clean coal." A boondoggle if there ever was one.
jetgraphics:
A vehicle like the Volt basically prescribes to you requriment to get off oil. As most people don't travel over 40 miles in one trip (and they could likely recharge where ever they park) this would go a long way to solving our dependence on oil.
Not quite.
An electric or hybrid electric is still dependent upon petroleum.
For example, synthetic rubber tires, plastic film in windshield, fabrics, lubrication, all polymer elements, and the pavement, itself. And let's not discount the relative lifespan of pavement, once pounded by diesel trucks.
In contrast, a steel wheel on steel rail train car requires minimal petroleum. And it's usable lifespan can span decades or generations before needing replacement. There are some trams, built in the 1890s, still in use around the world.
The "40 mile trip" figure is misleading, as well. Any 100% electric vehicle immediately loses range whenever you turn on any accessory. Use the lights, heater, air conditioner, windshield wipers, electric windows, sound system, power steering, and you cut mileage... and must switch on the infernal combuster.
Even if we substituted all 200 million plus automobiles with hybrids like the Volt, we're still consuming at least 10 million barrels per day, which means at least 50% imports (still bad news).
It would have been far wiser for the administration to do the "right thing" - transition to electric rail ASAP - instead of subsidizing the dying automobile industry.
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