Hmm let's see. The Feds own GM, the Feds are letting gas prices go up to $5 per gallon so people will buy more energy efficient cars like the Volt... can you spell conspiracy?
Yeah, that's exactly what's happening.
Where do people get this stuff?
Why can't we let the market drive the production of these new technologies? At $40k this thing is not a viable option, i read that the average household income of a volt buyer is $170k a year. Now, every one of those are getting a $7500-$10,000 government tax credit. So in short we are giving $10k tax credits to the 1%ers you guys hate so much.
When the technology gets there these things will be cheaper to manufacture and wont need government money to sell. We are running a $16 trillion dollar debt, let people pay for their own cars.
Why can't we let the market drive the production of these new technologies? At $40k this thing is not a viable option, i read that the average household income of a volt buyer is $170k a year. Now, every one of those are getting a $7500-$10,000 government tax credit. So in short we are giving $10k tax credits to the 1%ers you guys hate so much.
When the technology gets there these things will be cheaper to manufacture and wont need government money to sell. We are running a $16 trillion dollar debt, let people pay for their own cars.
I think that's typical, the prius used to cost as much or more than they sold it for as well. Long term, they make out.
That being said, I don't think I am interested in a coal burning car (Volt), but this could pave the way for more efficient electric motors, that could be powered by batteries that could be charged with the sun instead of being plugged in.
I really don't get the everything is powered by coal logic on this board
Your car is charged by whatever source your local utility uses to generate electricity. If they use coal, it's coal. If they use nuclear, it's nuclear. If they own a solar farm, it's solar. Chevy has no say in it
In the same vein, if your Volt is powered by coal, so is your computer, your phone, your air conditioner, your fridge, and everything else you own that comes with a plug. And so is the gas station down the street that you use to fill up your ICE vehicle in protest of coal.
I think that's typical, the prius used to cost as much or more than they sold it for as well. Long term, they make out.
That being said, I don't think I am interested in a coal burning car (Volt), but this could pave the way for more efficient electric motors, that could be powered by batteries that could be charged with the sun instead of being plugged in.
I think that's typical, the prius used to cost as much or more than they sold it for as well. Long term, they make out.
That being said, I don't think I am interested in a coal burning car (Volt), but this could pave the way for more efficient electric motors, that could be powered by batteries that could be charged with the sun instead of being plugged in.
And a Volt owner is not a 1%er. Unless you think everyone who owns a comparably priced SUV is also a 1%er.
I am all for solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear electricity production. 54% of the electricity in the USA is from coal. I am not against the coal industry either, as of right now we still rely on fossil fuels and I don't see that as a problem.
But to claim this car produces no emission is false as of right now. It might at produce it where it sits, but it produces it while it's being charged.
I am all for solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear electricity production. 54% of the electricity in the USA is from coal. I am not against the coal industry either, as of right now we still rely on fossil fuels and I don't see that as a problem.
But to claim this car produces no emission is false as of right now. It might at produce it where it sits, but it produces it while it's being charged.
I don't think you can go by price alone. Who can afford a $40k vehicle that struggles to carry more than two people? Whereas my SUV can carry 7 or so. I can also use it to pull my boat.
Being able to afford a $40K EV does not make someone a 1%er. Ironically there are plenty of EV owners out there who can't afford a boat.
You wanna talk about a 1%er EV, go look at the high end Model S. The $40K Volt (with $10k of it paid for by the Feds) and the cheaply made Leaf are not what rich people want to own.
Because the market never drives environmentalism.
Environmentalism is always more expensive than the status quo with results that won't be seen until the future. Yet it's almost always worth it because you're inevitably screwed if you do nothing.
Here in LA, our skyline used to be full of smog. People were never gonna pay for smog checks on their own so the local government stepped in and required them. People complained it was a ploy to get tax money but look, in 2012 I can now walk to Little Tokyo and breathe at the same time.
And a Volt owner is not a 1%er. Unless you think everyone who owns a comparably priced SUV is also a 1%er.
I am comfortable with burning coal for electricity for the present, but the coal industry's "clean coal" lies are a farce. What do you think of "clean coal"?
As for the Volt, America is only harming itself by using the car as a political football. You can criticize it as much as you want, and there are valid criticisms to be made, but by sinking the Volt we are putting our country behind once again when it comes to hybrid vehicle technology and all related technologies. Europe and Japan will outcompete us in this market, and that is bad for our economy. It is a lose-lose scenario to try and kill the Volt at this point, since it kills any chance the GM will ever build a better, cheaper version in the future. It has it's flaws, but it still could be a viable product if less politicians got involved.
I am comfortable with burning coal for electricity for the present, but the coal industry's "clean coal" lies are a farce. What do you think of "clean coal"?
As for the Volt, America is only harming itself by using the car as a political football. You can criticize it as much as you want, and there are valid criticisms to be made, but by sinking the Volt we are putting our country behind once again when it comes to hybrid vehicle technology and all related technologies. Europe and Japan will outcompete us in this market, and that is bad for our economy. It is a lose-lose scenario to try and kill the Volt at this point, since it kills any chance the GM will ever build a better, cheaper version in the future. It has it's flaws, but it still could be a viable product if less politicians got involved.
I don't have a problem with burning coal as well, and yes burning coal now is cleaner than it was 20 years ago. Same with burning any type of fossil fuel.
Things are changing, but for the average person right now, the technology is still too expensive. I imagine that will change soon.
What america needs is to get rid of the backwards legislation restricting diesel engines. Our emission standards on them aren't making thing any cleaner but they do succeed in keeping fuel efficient diesels off the market and way more expensive and less fuel efficient.
used to be filled with smog? please leave the city and stare at it from outside.
Amen. It's happening, but only very slowly.
Yeah but it still has the ridiculous equipment that does nothing but add costs and kill fuel economy that the world market CRD diesel's don't have and those burn perfectly clean. All the manufacturers are bringing over their models they only sell in Europe but the problem is they aren't bring the best feature which is the diesel engine. (the european models gas engines usually suck compared to the ones they offer in the US as a large percentage of people get the diesel) The rest of it is sometimes better sometimes worse depending on the model.
The new escape (kuga in Europe) is definitely not a better value than the one it replaced, its way more expensive, uglier, and less utilitarian. The ground clearance is less as well.
Ford has a lot of good things going for them but they are successful now because of the current escape, current fusion, and several other models which didn't come from Europe. They now are doing this One ford plan where they want to replace all the US models with European models and the replacements are not always better but they have been each time much more expensive. The focus price went up several thousand as did the escape (which currently is doing so well because its a great value and doesn't look like a jellybean on wheels like everyone else in the class). The biggest mistake of all though is discontinuing the escape hybrid. Its the best selling american hybrid right now because its the most useful of them all. I love ford a lot but their decisions lately have been a little questionable, see 2013 mks/mkt.
It has everything to do with taxes. Europeans tax gasoline (petrol) more heavily than diesel. Here, it is not really cheaper to run a diesel, at least in a broad sense. It works in certain niches, but not generally.
Ground clearance on the Escape is largely irrelevant IMO. Most SUVs, even full-sized models, never navigate anything taller than a speed bump. Even Subarus have more ground clearance than the current Escape.
I think most European Fords are better than their American counterparts. The Focus, the best small Ford in years, was not designed in the US but in the UK.
I think Americans have a huge sense of entitlement. Our car and fuel prices are artificially low, and we hold to the unreasonable notion that we can somehow keep it that way forever. I think the reality is just getting used to higher prices, buying smaller viehicles and driving less.
The diesel grand cherokee in europe gets 28 mpg in the city. There gas v6 version here gets 16 in the city. Chrysler plans to bring the diesel here for the 2013 model year. EVen with the slightly higher diesel price here the extra fuel economy far outweighs the slight price hike per gallon.
The diesel grand cherokee in europe gets 28 mpg in the city. There gas v6 version here gets 16 in the city. Chrysler plans to bring the diesel here for the 2013 model year. EVen with the slightly higher diesel price here the extra fuel economy far outweighs the slight price hike per gallon.