Even though the gas prices are already painfully high at the moment ($1.05CAD) I honestly think the faster the prices rise (and steadily) the better off we all are because this is the ONLY thing that will help people understand that we are dealing with a finite source of nearly non-renewable energy. Change is what's needed, like a quiet revolution. As a society we are FAR too reliant on oil, it's literally an addiction on a collective level, time for us to come down off that crack binge... Of course hybrid and EV owners are impacted the least by fuel cost increases, but I think we need to make sure efficient solutions can reach a larger market by getting technology cheaper and applying more of the hybrid functions to regular vehicles. Once electric vehicle technology is more widespread I hope there will be lots of places doing conversions for suitable vehicles within reasonable costs, that would help solve the problem in a big way since a huge amount of energy goes into making a new vehicle in a modern plant.

 

Change is needed but down here the SUVs and trucks rule the road. I was on my way home from work the other morning and saw 5 yes 5 trucks in a row with just one person in them. Now you would have to know the Houston city layout is not good for mass transit.If you use them for what they are designed for fine but to be "bubba", oh well. The first change is just getting people to buy more efficient vehicles. I would love to see EVs come out but one of the problems is A/C. In parts of the country and up in yours there is no problem but here in the south it's a must. Kevin

 

Speaking of A/C use:
The past couple of Georgia summers have been pretty mild, highest in the low-mid 90's which is unusual. I remember last year even though I brought my ice bucket along I had to cheat and cycle the A/C on for a few days.

I wore a loose T-shirt for the drive, then changed to a nice work shirt upon my arrival.
I hope this summer is mild as well. My ice bucket alone wouldn't work at all in 105 degree soaking humidity!
I too would never consider buying a car without A/C. Just knowing it's there to use in a pinch means all the difference.

 

These Air powered cars in my sig are interesting in that when the engine is running it produces coldness, so instead of heat being the main byproduct of the operation of your engine COLD will be the main byproduct, with heat being a secondary byproduct, but just enough to heat the cabin, nothing massive like the heat generated with a gasoline ICE. So basically air conditioning is not optional in these ~$10,000 cars. I think (and you've said) a big part of the problem is people buying large vehicles and also driving them too fast. All that has to change, somehow we gotta rethink the marketing strategy, or something... People are still thinking in terms of BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER, POWER... I know once you get behind the wheel of a hybrid that tends to slip away and one notices (thanks to the instant feedback) how to improve efficiency, and it becomes fun, and challenging. I think it would be cheap and really effective if all new vehicles had to have an active fuel consumption meter, like a speedometer so that everyone can play a more active role in reducing the consumption of energy in general, and hopefully people will demand aftermarket fuel economy meters for their cars, and they become relatively cheap and available. In reality that would go a long way in changing people's habits and attitudes towards the need for fuel efficiency.

There were some town houses built by mistake with the electricity meter by the front door of the house, and they did a statistical survey on the units and found that the units with meters visible to the residents consumption was 20 - 30% lower than units built with the meters around the corner, and out of sight. The same would easily apply to cars, just being aware of the actual fuel consumption is a huge aid in saving fuel, otherwise you are left guessing with no feedback other than tank-full averages.

 

They would be cool for innercity use but to have a drive like I do or alot of others I don't think they would be to cool. Interesting idea thou and for someone that has a short commute might make sense. Kevin

 

Hi Brandon,
Fancy meeting you here. That water heater you gave me is still making great/cheap biodiesel for my family's VWs (TDI & RabbitDZLtruck). However, Erick (Schwa) is right about the future lack of energy availability. Guess the others won't ever watch www.endofsurbia.com with open eyes until after the crash.
Hint: get out of surbubia beforehand ... ecovillages are already leading the way for us to follow.

Takes ~90 barrels of oil just to produce the average vehicle, far more for a hummer, and that's before you ever put the first gallon of gas in the tank! So much for using up the other half of the earth's remaining endowment of oil (the hard to reach stuff) just to replace today's dinosaur autos with hybrids, mass-transit, solar panels, or anything else for that matter. Governments will get the last of it, we'll get squat.

Anyway, I'd like to know what others here have heard/read about the real environmental footprint of hybrid production? Is it true that it's worse than non-hybrids? Heard all those NiMH batteries are non-recyclable, too (for now).

 

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