Car Tech: Poll: Would you consider buying a hybrid or alternative-fuel car?
- 5/3/07 11:55 AM
Very true.
by Andy77e - 5/20/07 8:49 AM In reply to: not much electricity is generated using oil by cwerdnaYou are correct. However, the point I'm making is if EVERYONE in the US was driving an electric car, they would all have to charge their cars every single night. That would add millions of KwH to the demand. Our current infrastructure could not support that kind of demand. This would force us to build many power plants.
Natural Gas is limited. Coal is being phased out. Nuclear lol the eco-nuts would go crazy if we tried that. Wind, Solar and Hydro power is no where close to providing enough power to fill that gap. Not to mention people would charge their cars at night, when Solar and Wind power would be minimal.
So what do you suggest? My guess is, the demand for oil would be lower, thereby lowering the price. I would wager new power plants would run on Oil since it's the only thing availible.
I understand that *currently* we don't use much oil power generation. But you have to look ahead to the future of the energy market. Moving to electric powered cars would change the whole dynamic of the market. Things would not stay the same if you make this sort of large shift in energy useage.
Hi Andy, we meet again.
by Melyash - 5/20/07 11:22 AM In reply to: Very true. by Andy77eI agree with you on the Oil fired power generating, for the most part solar, wind and Hydro can not take up all the slack of such a demand, but can I make a point?
The Solar home systems generate power during the day and store them in battery banks, to run the home or charge the car at night. Also it is my understanding that when demand is lower it is cheeper to provide electricity. That one of the current problems producers of electicity have is balancing the load. As transmission lines get hot, they get less efficent, and conversly require more power to force the needed energy to the homes. If you had storage battries in the homes providing a buffer, be they charged from solar on the roof (best scenario) or power at night during a lower demand cycle you are begining to level out the peaks and valleys in the demand curve. You pick up significant savings in not delivering during peak demand, avoid the dreded rolling blackouts of early the early 2000's in California, and help delay the need for more powerplants.
Hope Life in Ohio is treating you well, and I look forward to your reply.
It's not that bad Andy,
by Melyash - 5/20/07 12:15 PM In reply to: ugh... by Andy77eDrink Lots of Beer before you watch it and it is more than mildly entertaining. Have you seen this new ad campagin from Shell? The one about slant drilling to smaller pockets of oil from a single rig? They act like slant drilling is something new? The technology is nothing new, it is used all the time but the spin doctors and smoke and mirrors folks at Shell's ad agency makes it sound like wow, the whole globe is just a giant oil reserve and all we need to do is find all the little pockets and suck them dry!
It really looks like a direct response to the Movie "Crude Awakenings" that I suffered thru at a friends house one night but of course an Inconinent Truth had to probably had started it. I call it that cause it has more BS and leaky lodgic in it than a 90 year old on Red Bull. If they are having to call spin doctors, they figure the public is actually paying attention to the problem, and that scares them.
I have a friend who is so left she almost falls off the table, and after viewing I.T. they were all fired up to sell their gas hog pickup and get a Hybrid. It has been a year, and no hybrid has shown up in thier driveway, and it ain't cause they cant afford it. I am really dying to ask her why, but I dread the two hour discussion on what is really wrong with the government, and bush, and Iraq, and.....
so I don't ask.
Me, I personally put my 1994 Nisan UD1800 up for sale, and bought a Ford F-250 Turbodiesel. It burns cleaner, tows nearly as well as the UD-1800 but I don't get a Jake Brake because of the Variable Geometery Turbo on it. 
I need a truck to tow my stuff, but I went with one with good power and good emissions for a diesel. In reality I am not as safe with a lighter truck towing my trailer, and even with the better tow/haul transmission mode which downshifts for braking as you apply brakes, and the intergrated trailer brake controller to my trucks antilock system, I still would like the safety of a Jake Brake, but I am willing to take that minor increase in risk, for good mileage, a better ride, and lower emissions. After the Warranty is up on this thing I will put a Gale Banks Powerpack system on it and increase my mileage, and reduce emmissions due to better combustion. And when I need that extra horsepower, it is there in six easily adjustable levels of power enhancement.
No I will not take a $10,000 hit to my bottom line to scrap my Nisan, but right now till it sells I am not driving it so it is not polluting. Now if someone wants to pay me the value of it to take it off the road, I am all ears.
more handwaving about costs
by cwerdna - 5/21/07 1:24 AM In reply to: ugh... by Andy77eAlthough I can't say I'm well versed in electric cars since I don't have one (I only have a Prius), I don't know where you're getting your $100 at the pump vs. $100 at the outlet.
Compare the 2003 Toyota RAV4 EV at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm to say an 07 Prius and 07 Corolla. The cost to drive 25 miles in each is $0.60, $1.41 and $2.35 respectively. Even if I up the KwH price to 0.12 (what ripoff PG&E charges where I live w/taxes), the cost for the RAV4 EV is $0.90.
Hybrid? Maybe when the Volt comes out
by jmilana - 5/2/07 7:55 PM In reply to: Poll: Would you consider buying a hybrid or alternative-fuel car? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I wouldn't buy one now because they're so UGLY! The Honda Insight was bad enough. The Prius is in a whole new category of ugly. I'll buy a Volt if it's better looking than the Honda/Toyota cars. I'm a Chevy girl anyway. Meanwhile I have my flawless 6 cylinder '95 Camaro and my little Mercedes C230K. They get OK mileage for now.
An alternative Fuel Vehicle???
by jolenj - 5/2/07 8:03 PM In reply to: Poll: Would you consider buying a hybrid or alternative-fuel car? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No I would NOT consider buying a hybrid or alternative fuel car!
Why? Economics...simple: The old pay me now or pay me later reasoning. Consider - I own a 2001 pickup with a V8 getting 14-16 in town and 19-22 on highway. If I were to "upgrade" (term used very loosely here) to a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle, it would cost me in round numbers about $30,000 (after licensing, tax, and purchase) plus I would STILL have to purchase gas (or electricity) for motive force. The way I figure the numbers, I can buy a lot of gas for $450/mo I would have to spend in payments.
Give me a Chevy V8 any day!!
Nope wouldn't buy one
by teslaman - 5/2/07 8:15 PM In reply to: An alternative Fuel Vehicle??? by jolenjNot to mention the price of cars these days, I wouldn't buy one cause they are purely a transitional car. The big guys up top are too afraid of the economical impact of converting straight to alternative fuels so they introduced hybrids to "cusion the blow". Why by some expensive new car when you will just have to buy another one down the road when the conversion is complete?
But personally I will never buy a new car anyways, they are all cheap tin cans anymore, no quality metals, plastics or electronics. Just like everything anymore, cheap, cheap, cheap and very expensive.
It's always been that way!
by john_zocco - 5/4/07 12:19 AM In reply to: Nope wouldn't buy one by teslamanInexpensive cars have always been cheap, to keep the price down. If you want something luxurious with high quality and lots of fancy stuff, you'll have to spend at least $40000. Obviously you're not in the market for such a car. Neither can you justify buying a hybrid for about $22-26K. I suggest getting a horse-driven carriage!
Funny
by teslaman - 5/5/07 3:57 AM In reply to: It's always been that way! by john_zoccoI meant ALL cars. I am talking about quality of parts. Solid plastics, tough strong metals, the stuff old cars were made of. Now even your fancy very expensive cars are made out of cheap materials. Just look at an old part compared to a new one, sure the old one is heavier, but we now have stronger lighter metals. But instead we replace all that metal and durability with cheap model plastic that in 10 years is all bleached or worn cause it was painted. So tell me how a new car starting at $20,000 minimum is worth it when an old car that cost $5,000 when it was new is built with tougher stronger parts that STILL WORK!!!! Old stuff lasts forever, this new crap you will be lucky if it works when you buy it. It doesn't matter how much you spend, the quality of the materials these days is utter garbage.
I agree
by Andy77e - 5/5/07 2:12 PM In reply to: Funny by teslamanTeslaman is right. I few years back I owned a Chevy Lumina when the alternator blow up for the second time. Working at a dealership has it's advantages. One of the car guys there brought out an old alternator from the early 80s. The difference was amazing. Mine weighed a ton less, but the metal was thin and weak. Whereas the old one was very thick and tough. He told me he replaces all the new ones on his cars with old ones because they do not over heat. The thin metal on the new ones doesn't have the surface space to cool it enough, and they ware out. I put the 80s alternator on my car, and it lasted till I got rid of the car. I bet it's still working where ever that old Lumina is.
Flawed logic!
by john_zocco - 5/4/07 12:02 AM In reply to: An alternative Fuel Vehicle??? by jolenjIf you are not in the market for a new car, then I would agree with you. But people who are looking for a new car, should seriously consider getting a hybrid, especially a Prius. I just bought a new Prius Touring Edition for 26K plus taxes and fees. That was almost 4K off the sticker price! It has leather, navigation, JBL stereo, Bluetooth, Sirius radio, etc. A comparably equipped 4-cylinder Honda Accord would run me about the same, maybe a little less. Yet according to Consumer Reports, the 4-cylinder Accord gets 24 mpg combined and the Prius gets 44 mpg combined. Now that gas is over $3.30 per gallon in southern California, I'd say the Prius is a pretty good buy. Don't knock it 'till you try it! But then most people who drive big pickups and SUV's are not really interested in hybrids, like the Prius. That's just fine with me. There will always be a market for trucks. But I can't help but smile when I get 40-50 mpg and guys who work with me get 14-18 mpg in their big pickups. Enjoy your pickup. I know I enjoy my Prius!
Hybrids
by dkreview - 5/2/07 8:10 PM In reply to: Poll: Would you consider buying a hybrid or alternative-fuel car? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I currently own a petrol Lexus, and they are now bringing out some very impressive petrol/ electric hybrids. I would certainly consider one when I change over in a couple of years, even if there is no significant price saving
Maybe...
by 45922 - 5/2/07 8:11 PM In reply to: Poll: Would you consider buying a hybrid or alternative-fuel car? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When they come out with one that has the power to pull a fully rigged boat, then I'll consider it.
look at the toyota highlander it can pull a boat
by magnusfl - 5/2/07 9:11 PM In reply to: Maybe... by 45922there are already hybrids that can pull a boat or a trailer so that not an issue any more the main issue for me is I want a large vehicle that can also be pluged in so I am waiting for a large vehilce like the toyota Highlander that is plugable so i can run an efficent vehicle to and from work and shopping and deal with the higher cost when going camping were i need the larger space
towing?
by Matt the Great - 5/2/07 10:16 PM In reply to: look at the toyota highlander it can pull a boat by magnusflSorry but I believe he meant a vehicle that would tow over 5,ooo pounds. A Highlander would die if it tried that every day. As someone who need a vehicle that can tow with little effort there are not real hybrids available. My next vehicle will be a diesel.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
