America looks for alternative car engines Jan 19th 2006 From The Economist print edition VISITORS to the Detroit Auto Show this week will have seen some unusual presentations alongside the regular razzmatazz of concept cars and new models. With America distraught about the security of its oil supplies, and petrol prices stuck well over $2 a gallon (more than 50 cents a litre) for the past year, the once-neglected term fuel economy has re-entered the country's vocabulary. It is not, however, an American firm that has led the change.… (goes on to talk about Toyota and the Prius)... see: http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?...y_id=E1_VQDSGQQ This is "premium content" but you can get temporary access to the article. Basically it repeats some of the complaints about hybrids not living up to the EPA #s and the additional "$2000 -$3000" cost. It also makes a case for diesels in the US, which is fine, though it neglects to mention that it is more expensive (by at least 30 cents / gallon where I live), stations are few, you can't buy them in some states, and they get no tax credit.
Diesel is 30c/gallon more expensive here, too, but it doesn't seem to stop people from buying the filthy things. Cough. :angry: But I suppose that's only a 4% difference - you're talking about a 15% difference.
Before the gase prices went up it wasn't uncommon to see prices around $1.49/ gal or less then they suddenly shot up to over $3/gallon last fall, and its still hovering around $2.40. Thats more than 15%
Uh huh. Higher diesel prices have been making the trucking industry (and therefore the watchers of economic indicators) very nervous for a good bit. Diesel is, essentially, the same as heating fuel. Thank goodness we've had a mild winter!
While diesel has more Joules per Liter and diesel engines have fewer parts, diesel particulate matter is a carcinogen. "Clean diesel" is an oxymoron. Time is overdue for constructive alternatives - away from hydrocarbon-based fuels.
Diesel and petrol switch places as the most expensive by season, depending on heating oil demands. The only reason diesel cars have as strong a presence in Europe as they do is because of lesser taxes. Not in dispute is their filthy emissions, and diesel's somewhat higher energy density. Diesel is not a panacea for the world's accumulating problems with fossil fuels.
It's odd that the reviewers seem to pick out hybrid fuel economy as a primary flaw. The averages reported on this site and greenhybrid.com seem to contradict that as an issue. Both Prius and HCH2 owners seem to be averaging about 48mpg and are happy with driving a much cleaner car. Our main problem so far is not with the hybrid, it's with the ergonomics. The right rear blind spot is really hitting us as the biggest adjustment so far. It's very unsafe, but unfortunately, there really is nothing we can do about it.
