Would You Pay Double for Gas?

I made this case on another thread and no one chimed
in. Folks don't want to look like Ed Begley- our love affair with cars is superficial. So make hybrid versions of the cars we want to
drive and more people will drive them. same applies to electric vehicles.

I would think that simpler less strange designs would cost less too.

God forbid we ever experience inflationary rates of 7%!

If we had inflation at 7% for a prolonged period of time, we would have a very crippled economy. Here is a history of inflation rates in the US - check out 1973-74 and 1979-82. OUCH!

I think a healthy rate of inflation is under 4%, probably between 3-4%. If we look at the price of gas from the inception of the automobile, it hasn't kept up with inflation. It feels like it has in the last five years, though.

Historical Inflation data from 1914 to the present

If 'green' cars were better looking AND more reliable as I am on the road a fair amount, I would have bought one instead of the Touareg a few years ago. Plus, I need a larger vehicle and the hybrids now are all very small.....unless I've missed one??

If we had inflation at 7% for a prolonged period of time, we would have a very crippled economy. Here is a history of inflation rates in the US - check out 1973-74 and 1979-82. OUCH!

I think a healthy rate of inflation is under 4%, probably between 3-4%. If we look at the price of gas from the inception of the automobile, it hasn't kept up with inflation. It feels like it has in the last five years, though.

Historical Inflation data from 1914 to the present

If 'green' cars were better looking AND more reliable as I am on the road a fair amount, I would have bought one instead of the Touareg a few years ago. Plus, I need a larger vehicle and the hybrids now are all very small.....unless I've missed one??

Yhere are all kinds of hybrid SUVs now. Hybrid SUV | Best New 2009 2010 Hybrids | SUVs Hybrid Price MPG SUV's | HybridSUV.com There's a GMC Yukon: 2010 GMC Yukon Hybrid | Reviews, MSRP, Specs, Compare. Cost over $50K. Gets just over 20 mpg.

Yhere are all kinds of hybrid SUVs now. Hybrid SUV | Best New 2009 2010 Hybrids | SUVs Hybrid Price MPG SUV's | HybridSUV.com There's a GMC Yukon: 2010 GMC Yukon Hybrid | Reviews, MSRP, Specs, Compare. Cost over $50K. Gets just over 20 mpg.

Isn't that crazy? I get that now in both cars on the road. I think the GM vortec engine with four valves that go to sleep at a crusing speed gets better mileage than the hybrids.

Maybe this will be improved when I am next in the market for a new car.

Isn't that crazy? I get that now in both cars on the road. I think the GM vortec engine with four valves that go to sleep at a crusing speed gets better mileage than the hybrids.

Maybe this will be improved when I am next in the market for a new car.

I get the impression that the way vehicles are made today, the best payoff for gas mileage come with your smaller vehicles. Some of the SUV hybrids are putting in huge V8 engines. There's no point. Toyota is teaming with Tesla to make an all electric RAV4. I think the old Jeep Cherokee, not the Grand Cherokee, just the plain old Cherokee would be perfect for hybrid or ev. It's fairly roomy but very light in weight.

I made this case on another thread and no one chimed
in. Folks don't want to look like Ed Begley- our love affair with cars is superficial. So make hybrid versions of the cars we want to
drive and more people will drive them. same applies to electric vehicles.

Have you seen a picture of the new Nissan Leaf? It is electric and really nice looking. The drawback is the charge is only good for approximately 100 miles. What good is that?

I get the impression that the way vehicles are made today, the best payoff for gas mileage come with your smaller vehicles. Some of the SUV hybrids are putting in huge V8 engines. There's no point. Toyota is teaming with Tesla to make an all electric RAV4. I think the old Jeep Cherokee, not the Grand Cherokee, just the plane old Cherokee would be perfect for hybrid or ev. It's fairly roomy but very light in weight.

I think you're right about the Cherokee - light weight, fairly roomy. It seems that we have the technology to improve mileage even in larger engines. Auto makers with market share in, Europe for instance, have to comply with fuel economy minimums. Same or very similar car/truck in other countries do enjoy better mileage than those sold here. It's a big mess here that once again has multiple variables like government, oil cos., etc - which should all be collaborating for improvement, but do not.

Have you seen a picture of the new Nissan Leaf? It is electric and really nice looking. The drawback is the charge is only good for approximately 100 miles. What good is that?

I think it needs a rooftop solar charger for longer range/freedom (I was told Priuses have these already?). I don't drive much/far, but I think minimum range needs to be charge free for 200 miles - that would allow you to go to and from Pensacola or to Tallahassee from Sowal and drive for several hours on the interstate, then charge at a reststop.

GM does make some hybrid versions of their large SUVs and trucks, but the diesel versions get much better fuel milage.

Why does a Chevy Volt have a price tag of $41,000? Even if the government offers an incentive, all that does is prop up GM. Is the cost really that high? Until that comes down, America will be driving on gasoline, especially since they have to buy another battery pack several years after they purchase new.

Again, vehicles being pitched as "green" are not always green. Those battery packs don't just instantly disappear when they die.

Scooterbug44 may be on to something with the solar on the car. If they painted the entire car with some kind of solar absorbing paint, it could charge the cars in the daytime, while people are at work.

The lease price seems very doable compared to the sales price.

Regarding the distances- there is data out there that shows that most Americans drive much less than 100 miles in a day- especially city dwellers. Walton County is the exception- not the norm where everything is really spread out. For instance- the nearest McDonalds is 11
miles from my house on 30a (not that I'm complaining).

GM does make some hybrid versions of their large SUVs and trucks, but the diesel versions get much better fuel milage.

Why does a Chevy Volt have a price tag of $41,000? Even if the government offers an incentive, all that does is prop up GM. Is the cost really that high? Until that comes down, America will be driving on gasoline, especially since they have to buy another battery pack several years after they purchase new.

Again, vehicles being pitched as "green" are not always green. Those battery packs don't just instantly disappear when they die.

Scooterbug44 may be on to something with the solar on the car. If they painted the entire car with some kind of solar absorbing paint, it could charge the cars in the daytime, while people are at work.

Wow, for $41k one could completely get their home off-grid and buy a used Civic.

I think the future of these vehicles is quick swap battery stations. You don't actually own the batteries.

The Nissan leaf seems to be a good fit for a 2 car family or fleets. By the time you factor in incentives and rebates you can get a brand new vehicle for $25,000 and never have to buy gas. Longer trips you just take another vehicle - maybe a hybrid.

Wow, for $41k one could completely get their home off-grid and buy a used Civic.

For $10K you could completely get your home off the electrical grid and buy a used Civic.

Gidget did theirs for $1k after all the credits.

The Nissan leaf seems to be a good fit for a 2 car family or fleets. By the time you factor in incentives and rebates you can get a brand new vehicle for $25,000 and never have to buy gas. Longer trips you just take another vehicle - maybe a hybrid.

You may not have to buy gas, but don't the replacement battery packs for those cars run about $8000, and don't they need to be replaced after about 5 years? I wonder if the charge gets less and less as time goes by, like on every other device with batteries. Hmmm? Maybe today, it can go 100 miles on a charge, but when the battery ages, maybe it will get you only 50 miles, then 25 miles, then, BAM! you are hit with a $8000 battery to put into a 5 year old car. Or, you can buy a replacement car with more efficient battery and newer technology, and keep the wheels of capitalism flowing freely. The only problem with that is that you are no longer being green when you have a new car manufactured for you every five years. Have no worry about the cost, because the government will be propping up much of the profits for those vehicles, so that the wealthy are supplementing the auto cost for the middle and lower class, non-taxpaying Americans.
Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but there are many things that need to happen to not get entangled in the web of not-so-green "green technology."

Yes

"Would you be willing to pay double for every gallon of gas you buy if there'd be no more drilling in the Gulf?"

YES, I would pay double for each gallon of gas I use (and I am not a wealthy person). Don't mean to seem crass, and I hope it doesn't come to this for some sakes, but this may be last resort to really effectively change the direction of energy sourcing and transportation in this country. :roll: