Comment of the Week: Gas prices

I totally agree we need to move away from oil as an energy source! And finally the automotive industry is responding with designs that are both fuel efficient and provide good performance and fantastic design. Not that I agree that often with Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger but we need hybrids, natural gas, and fuel cell cars that are not only effiencient but need to look good so people will want to drive them. Enter the Fisker Karma, a beautiful performance sports sedan that gets better gas milage than a Prius and does 0-60 in just 6 seconds.
http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/
The Chevy Volt looks promising as well. Now we just need to keep up the progress and start focusing on all those airplanes that are by far a much more significant consumer of crude oil than cars.

I believe there is a threshold that gas price will reach before people decide to switch to alternative fuel sources. I think people will be unhappy about rising prices and I agree that people’s expected fuel price will continue to rise in the future, but I believe they will forego other expenses. I think only when gas prices reaches to a level when the majority class of end users cannot afford and are not willing to sacriface other unneccessary expenses will there be a great demand for other alternative fuel efficient cars. Unless price retreat below that threshold which I don’t think it’s possible given the fact that demand is increasing, particular in countries like India and China.

Unfortunately the choice isn’t ultimately ours. With the technological advances maximizing crude oil production, current estimates suggest plentiful crude will cease being available within the next 10 to 35 years. It’s a finite source, and people don’t percieve just how dependent our current lifestyles are on petroleum (and moreso petrochemicals). In example, take a minute and think what your daily life would be like without just plastics, much less gasoline.

Hey Aaron, thanks for the honor and thanks for allowing a diverse discourse on the forum.

I just posted another missive in the original forum. To summarize part of it, there are alternatives available and they are available NOW. I am using many of them and I’m a white, middle aged business owning conservative Republican.

You can buy a used VW TDi and run it on U.S. grown Biodiesel (you can hotrod the hell out of it like I have too and STILL get great fuel mileage and a lot of fun to boot). You can order an Electric vehicle and make a point of telling your local car dealer you ordered one and won’t buy anything from them until they have alternative vehicles available. You can buy a Prius, though a TDi is WAY more fun! You can use compact fluorescent bulbs and LED lighting to save on energy. You can walk or ride your bike to get places. You can buy locally grown organic foods which taste better, aren’t grown with Petroleum based pesticides and aren’t transported thousands of miles with petroleum fuel. If you have some dirt, you can grow a little veggie garden with some natural fertilizers and show your kids where food actually comes from, save some money on food and save on the fuel it took to grow and transport same said veggies. You can walk to a place for lunch or bring your own to work instead of driving to the fast food restaurant which uses all same said foods transported from thousands of miles away. You can insulate your attic, turn your thermostat down, turn the TV and computer and lights off when you aren’t using them. If you use Oil to heat your home, you can use Biodiesel or Bio-Heat (a percentage of Bio-diesel) in your furnace. If your fuel company doesn’t have it, get together with all your neighbors and DEMAND it, it IS available and biodiesel sold in America is made in America. If you are building a new house, you can invest in solar and geothermal heat pump systems which draw heat from the earth and use spray foam insulation in the walls which is organic based and saves a ton of money on heating. You can put in a solar water heater if you get decent sun exposure. There ARE alternatives and they ARE available NOW. Some take an investment, some require you to change habits. Each one listed saves you from using some petroleum in some way. But until everybody steps up to the plate and actually starts using them, it is all just hand wringing and lip service.

kevin like i said in the other forum, your solution of having everyone go out and buy another car, new or used to get better gas mileage is one not economically feasible for those of us that aren’t middle aged and business owning. Plus I know my parents don’t have the money to go out and buy new bulbs which are more expensive and new heating and other housing elements. not everyone can just write a check for a vw tdi new or used. plus i hate how everyone talks about how the prius is gods gift to this earth. not saying im against alternative fuels. quite the contrary. i am an mechanical engineering student wanting to work for an auto maker. however when looking at the enviornmental aspects of how much damage the prius does? yes you are using less gas but the car doesn’t last as long, if it breaks its going to cost a bit more to fix and the battery, like all batteries doesn’t last forever and you need to buy a new one. so i feel like in the end im better off just driving my 30 mpg passat rather then getting a few more after spending a few thousand to get the car in the first place.

Stafa, while I can see your point, surely most can do SOMETHING. A little thing is better than nothing and eventually all the little things add up to a big thing. I’m certain that a mechanical engineering student can appreciate that. By the way, best of luck with your studies.