N does not easily transpose to $/m (the bottom line) without a step backward.  
Stay with J/m and then $/m. 

---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:00:12 -0700
>From: "J. Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  
>Subject: [USMA:41392] Newton for automobile efficiency  
>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
>
>   Perhaps newtons could be useful for energy
>   consumption of automobiles.  It would be a way to
>   compare vehicles with different technologies, such
>   as gasoline, diesel, electric, hydrogen, etc.  I've
>   seen electric vehicles advertised with their
>   "efficiency" expressed in miles per gallon.  I
>   assume this is calculated by considering the
>   chemical potential energy of gasoline if burned in
>   oxygen.  It seems sad to start with a motor whose
>   mechanical and electrical powers are measured in
>   kilowatts, with batteries supplying electricity
>   measured in amperes and volts, and then to
>   bastardize these standard units into units of
>   equivalent gallons of gasoline.  The results are
>   also misleading since the efficiency of the power
>   generation were not taken into account, e.g., how
>   much coal was used to drive a certain distance? 
>   Anyway, I would prefer to use newtons over
>   generically measuring energy in units of gallons of
>   gasoline.  Reminiscent of the dreaded BOE....
>
>   J.

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