http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...023/LATESTNEWS

Seems that "Dust to Dust" is getting renewed support using a different attack. Acknowledge there are errors, but reassure the reader that the basic premise behind the report is still valid.

My review of the Autoweek story follows.

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Among one of the many challenges to "Dust to Dust" is that the Prius was presumed to have a vehicle lifespan of about 100K miles whereas the Hummer, which CNW claimed was greener, has been presumed to have a vehicle lifespan of over 300K miles. The experience of number Prius owners does not square with reality. Yes, the CNW research is deeply flawed--so much so that I don't see how one can cite it with a straight face.

As for Sudbury and NASA, astronauts did not go there because of it's moonlike landscape. NASA went to Sudbury because of the shatter cones, a rare rock formation connected with meteorite impacts. Sudbury was struck by a meteor about 1.85 billion years ago.

Natural gas and hydrogen fueled vehicles might emit fewer harmful emissions than a Prius, but their extremely limited availability is such that few can get their hands on one. For someone who wants to get a cleaner vehicle with a rock solid maintenance record, and for which one is not dependent upon an as yet unavailable network of refueling stations, it's tough to beat a Prius.

Before I'm dismissed as an obsessed Prius owner, please note that I don't own any hybrid vehicle, yet. The car makers have been slow to meet market demand given a 38 percent jump in hybrid sales last year while car sales overall fell.

If I needed to replace my Saturn SW2 today, I'd replace it with a Prius in a heartbeat. However, my Saturn Relay minivan might soon be traded for a more fuel efficient hybrid SUV.

Hybrids aren't the ultimate eco-friendly car, but they are the friendliest cars available on the market today. Plug-in hybrids, or PHEVs, are being promised by the car makers, but despite several very successful aftermarket conversion companies the big car makers have not yet delivered a PHEV to the general public. 2009 or 2010 might be the year.

Highway speed capable electric vehicles, or EVs, are also promised, but with the exception of the $100K Tesla roadster there is nothing out there. Again either 2009 or 2010 might be the year, but it's starting to look a lot more like 2012 at the earliest for something the public can afford.

Hydrogen is probably the best thing going today, but even Honda says it might not be delivered to market for the general public before 2018.

There aren't any panaceas out there right now for the public to buy, but praising "Dust to Dust", a report that hails the Hummer, is just auto industry PR to boost SUV sales.

 

E X A C T L Y ! !

 

Late yesterday afternoon I was working on a problem and got a call from one of the supervisors. His wife had just paid $38 for a tank of gas and was ready to trade in her Honda Civic for a hybrid. He called to get some facts and data since I seem to have a reputation (aka., the Cliff Claven of hybrids.)

So when I looked at the mealy mouthed article and though I'm fighting a head cold, I feel like letting this one go back. Sure he shaved close enough to nick the truth but he is also writing to folks who like my supervisor, have wives and girlfriends who just paid "$38 for a tank of gas."

Live and let live and let's let them argue with the cash register.

Bob Wilson

 

"Hydrogen is probably the best thing going today, but even Honda says it might not be delivered to market for the general public before 2018."

not even close. See attached study. go to evnut.com. It's all there for anyone to learn and spread the news.

We HAD EVs that would work for 90% of the driving population but the battery tech was sold to Chevron. I'll attach that fact as well.

 

Umm, I guess I'm not understanding your criticism. You're quoting me saying hydrogen is still years away, but then go on to say EVs were here.

Yes, I've been to the evnut website. It's both cool and sad all at once to read about the EV Rav4, EV Ranger, and the EV1. "Who Killed ..." is next on my Netflix and should arrive today. I got excited a day or so ago when I stumbled upon info about the TEVan. Then sad as I read details.

To clarify, when I said hydrogen is the best thing going today what I meant was that hydrogen is the technology which holds the greatest promise, long term, of providing an eco-friendly fuel for vehicles. I see a variety of technologies working and perhaps competing against one another. PHEVs, EVs, biofuel, but ultimately, decades from now, I'd bet hydrogen will win out.

 

At 4 times the energy input required over a straight-up EV to move the same amount of distance, why are we wasting so much energy? I'd like to see the most efficient use of our energy...EVs without the hydrogen. See the previously attached paper as well as evnut.com under "hydrogen".

 

I think you and I are pretty well in agreement.

HEVs from the factory are here now.

PHEVs are here now, and will soon start arriving from the factory.

EVs are here now, and will soon start arriving from the factory. I'm not willing to count low speed EVs or the Tesla roadster.

PHEVs and EVs will probably arrive about the same time and they will prove to be huge "game changers".

The hydrogen ballon might in the long run end up, er, "popping". But, Iceland is aggressive pursuing it, so I think it's worth watching and investing some R&D money and grants. Might end up being only viable where there's volcanic activity. I dunno. Or, we might end up perfecting hydrogen producing microorganisms.

 

Agreed! I would think an EV "RE-resurrection" is bubbling right now, with the VERY near future coming to my electric outlet.

 

OK, I give. Uncle! Please release the joint lock.

I watched WKTEC last night. Ugh. I literally felt sick. It was so cool seeing the EV1 as a real car. The still pics on evnut.com were great, but seeing it drive around was worth so much more. But sickening nonetheless seeing it's demise.

It was almost like seeing Bigfoot on video. Only now it's gone to the crusher so now many won't believe it really existed.

Seeing GM dismantled electric trolleys decades earlier, the EV1s demise was just déjà vu all over again. I have to wonder, again, if the Chevy Volt isn't simply the EV2.

Looking into the trolley issue, I found a lot of dismissive comments that it's a grand conspiracy theory without basis in fact. Then I found this, and I'd have to say GM is simply repeating history in their efforts to kill electrics.
http://www-tc.pbs.org/opb/historydet...ectric_car.pdf

 

Thanks for the link/.pdf. More ammo for the truth. When do ya think ANY of this makes headlines? Yeah, I don't think so either, but at least independant film makers are on it. Who Killed The Electric Car is required watching for ALL who are tired of high oil prices. It really doesn't have to be that hard to transition to EVs. If the d-a-m-n media would stop telling me I "need" 500 HP and 700 mile ranges...