Ok, am I the only one that sees this? Plug-in only shifts us to more pollution and hazardous by-product creating power generation... specifically coal and atomic. Cleaner at the duplex outlet end but much much dirtier at the source. As much as the technology is vilified, ICEs can be configured to run very clean (especially under non-variable operating conditions). Gas hybrids are an ideal configuration. What is truly needed is petrol alternatives to run in the gas hybrids.
Our 'dependence' on foreign oil is nothing more than the US propping up the world economy. Call it region stabilizing foreign aide, hush money, or ransom if that helps. It is the entire reason for automotive and oil industry subsidies and the suppression of viable OU devices. Those oil $ have strategic influence. The technology exists, it has existed for 50+ years. Not one will EVER be allowed to see large scale commercialization until new influences can replace the old. High fuel costs are necessary to allow the *gradual* transition away from our petrol-economy. Alternatives just are not cost effective until gas is $3/gal + in the US. A critical number of Americans did not care about fuel economy until gas hit $2/gal. Hybrids are just baby steps into the future (until the US consumer starts realizing the maintenance & repair costs to keep those complex systems running outweigh the fuel savings). BTW, has anyone else noticed the MPG on a standard / non-hybrid Toyota Corolla? 30/38 mpg for automatic 32/41 mpg for manual. Not bad for standard technology in a reasonably sized 4-door sedan IMO. -john -----Original Message----- From: Jones Beene [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2005 1:57 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Another Plug-In Article ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jed Rothwell" > I disagree. Suppose most Americans drove plug-in hybrids that get hundreds of miles per gallon. That is effectively what they get, since most people commute short distances. Yup... up to 250 mpg with the DIY "modded" battery-pak add-on... http://slashdot.org/articles/05/08/14/0147222.shtml?tid=126 Realistically, if half of Americans converted to such vehicles over the next 5 years, hopefully most of them American made (Toyota's #1 quality factory is in Georgetown, Kentucky) then we could eliminate oil imports completely. Impossible, as a marketing strategy, you say ? The present administration - in the so-called "energy policy" is giving away $9 billion in ridiculous tax incentives to an industry already gloating with obscene profits. IF... instead of recklessly giving away 9 billion, we not only switched that money over to hybrid buyers as incentives, but forced the industry to pay the difference - granting incentives of $3000 per vehicle to everyone buying one of these (American made) plug-in hydbrids, then in 5 years, at 10 million new hybrid vehicles per year, we could put half of all commuting Americans in this type car, while at the same time giving a mega-boost to manufacturing jobs in auto manufacturing. While we are on the subject of utopian visions... why not give similar large incentives to all employers who install solar energy systems in their parking lots, for a" free sun-powered" hybrid recharge, while at work? More millions of new jobs for the solar industry. Of course, the CF powered hybrid auto would be nice, as well.... Jones
