$10 per gallon gas

[NorthSideSox72]

And do what? Mandate price controls so that countries stop selling it to us or so that demand shoots right back up? Cut the $1 a gallon that you're paying in taxes on that $7 tank and let the roads you need to drive on fall apart? Go back in time and bury more algae so that the earth produces more oil?

I assume that he means something like subsidies. Or maybe windfall taxes on the oil companies. In any case, you'd have to cut down services dramatically or raise taxes, or both, to do anything meaningful.

 

Better to push hard as hell on alternatives, to decrease demand and get us away from foreign oil.

 

[mr_genius]

Better to push hard as hell on alternatives, to decrease demand and get us away from foreign oil.

 

Definitely. We also need greatly improve battery technology so when we do get alternative energy sources more available we can juice up cars with this energy.

[Balta1701]

Definitely. We also need greatly improve battery technology so when we do get alternative energy sources more available we can juice up cars with this energy.

We are probably about 2 years away from GM having the Chevy Volt on the market, which should be able to do the goal of being rechargeable overnight and being able to run 40 miles per day on batteries, covering most of people's travel demands. It'd be like going 100 miles per gallon or more in terms of the carbon released (depending on the exact source of the electric) and more like several hundred MPG in terms of costs to the consumer. In terms of Toyota and Honda, I honestly don't know. There are companies already out there that are converting Priuses in to those sorts of plug-ins.

[mr_genius]

We are probably about 2 years away from GM having the Chevy Volt on the market, which should be able to do the goal of being rechargeable overnight and being able to run 40 miles per day on batteries, covering most of people's travel demands. It'd be like going 100 miles per gallon or more in terms of the carbon released (depending on the exact source of the electric) and more like several hundred MPG in terms of costs to the consumer. In terms of Toyota and Honda, I honestly don't know. There are companies already out there that are converting Priuses in to those sorts of plug-ins.

 

I really think the batteries need to be more powerful than even that. I'm thinking about a breakthrough like using an barium-titanate powder driven ultracapacitor system rather than electrochemical batteries. At least get something that is a big improvement over the battery technology we use now.

[NorthSideSox72]

We are probably about 2 years away from GM having the Chevy Volt on the market, which should be able to do the goal of being rechargeable overnight and being able to run 40 miles per day on batteries, covering most of people's travel demands. It'd be like going 100 miles per gallon or more in terms of the carbon released (depending on the exact source of the electric) and more like several hundred MPG in terms of costs to the consumer. In terms of Toyota and Honda, I honestly don't know. There are companies already out there that are converting Priuses in to those sorts of plug-ins.

You don't have to wait that long (Volt) - Tesla's Roadster comes out this year, and their sedan next year.

 

And those 2nd gen hybrids that Toyota and Honda are working on, that are close to 100 mpg territory, are a year or two off.

 

[Balta1701]

You don't have to wait that long (Volt) - Tesla's Roadster comes out this year, and their sedan next year.

 

And those 2nd gen hybrids that Toyota and Honda are working on, that are close to 100 mpg territory, are a year or two off.

Tesla's roadster costs $153,000.

[mr_genius]

And those 2nd gen hybrids that Toyota and Honda are working on, that are close to 100 mpg territory, are a year or two off.

 

100 mpg would be big

[BigSqwert]

Tesla's roadster costs $153,000.

In Europe.

 

Costs about $100k here. The sedan is supposed to be in the $50 - $70K range. Their 3rd line will be around $30K.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors

[NorthSideSox72]

Tesla's roadster costs $153,000.

I didn't say *I* was getting one. I just figured you rich dudes could afford one.

 

Of course, look at what they built - its not meant to be a cheap car. 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, and more importantly, a 220 mile range (4 to 5 times the range of the Volt). The business model, which is smart, is to release the high end car first to generate more revenue, then use that to produce the more reasonably priced versions. The store and factory are in LA, by the way.

 

Their sedan, scheduled for production in their new ABQ plant, I think is going out next year. Its supposed to be a lot cheaper, but, still not cheap.

 

[EvilMonkey]

I would think that for me, the electric models would have to get over 100 miles between charges, and not take all night to recharge. Oh, and also cost less than $153,000!

[NorthSideSox72]

I would think that for me, the electric models would have to get over 100 miles between charges, and not take all night to recharge. Oh, and also cost less than $153,000!

That will take a few years, I'd bet. For this year and next, you can either pay a lot ($100k, or maybe $50k next year) to get 200 miles, or pay less (whatever the Volt will cost) but get only 40.

 

After a few years, the technology will allow the two to meet.

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

I would think that for me, the electric models would have to get over 100 miles between charges, and not take all night to recharge. Oh, and also cost less than $153,000!

 

This is the one for you and me both then!

 

Miles Autiomotive

 

If they can pull it of it will be unbelievable.

 

 

[Balta1701]

This is the one for you and me both then!

 

Miles Autiomotive

 

If they can pull it of it will be unbelievable.

The problem with that description is that it's an electric-only car, which means that it's only good for short range commutes. If you ever wanted to drive across the state or anywhere else, you either have to fly or you take several days. That's the big benefit of the Chevy Volt or similar vehicles...you pull off the first 40 on the electric system, and if for some reason you need to go 45, 50, or 200 to visit grandma, you still can.

[EvilMonkey]

This is the one for you and me both then!

 

Miles Autiomotive

 

If they can pull it of it will be unbelievable.

The top one looks ok. As long as it would get me to and from work, and be bigger than the smart twofour, it would work.

[Balta1701]

Americans drove less in March 2008, continuing a trend that began last November, according to estimates released today from the Federal Highway Administration.

 

“That Americans are driving less underscores the challenges facing the Highway Trust Fund and its reliance on the federal gasoline excise tax,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Jim Ray.

 

The FHWA’s “Traffic Volume Trends” report, produced monthly since 1942, shows that estimated vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on all U.S. public roads for March 2008 fell 4.3 percent as compared with March 2007 travel. This is the first time estimated March travel on public roads fell since 1979. At 11 billion miles less in March 2008 than in the previous March, this is the sharpest yearly drop for any month in FHWA history.

DOT PR.

[Rex Kickass]

The Smart car for the US is kinda horrible. Automated manual transmission apparently is really really jerky, and the mileage is worse than my Scion in the city.

 

 

[OilCan]

Meh...where's my Harley?

 

 

Regular Gas, Luling TX = $3.89/gallon.

Up 30 cents from last month.

[Steve9347]

Meh...where's my Harley?

 

 

Regular Gas, Luling TX = $3.89/gallon.

Up 30 cents from last month.

4.15/gallon is on the low side out this away.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Gas has dropped roughly 7 dollars since last thursday to 128/barrel yet prices are still going up...

[NorthSideSox72]

Gas has dropped roughly 7 dollars since last thursday to 128/barrel yet prices are still going up...

i can't tell what you are trying to say here... 128/barrel looks like an oil price, not gas. And gas prices, if you mean what you see at the pump, are always lagged behind oil price changes. Plus as we hit summer, the gas mix changes, and gets pricier for that reason as well.

 

[southsider2k5]

Gas has dropped roughly 7 dollars since last thursday to 128/barrel yet prices are still going up...

 

It was actually over $9 for oil (I am guessing that is what you meant) at the lows for the session. But that looks like it might have been a buying chance, because all of the sudden the rally hats are on, and we are up over $3 from that low point.

[Cknolls]

I think oil could pull back to 123.70/barrel, and possibly as low as 112.85 from the recent 135.09 highs.

[southsider2k5]

I think oil could pull back to 123.70/barrel, and possibly as low as 112.85 from the recent 135.09 highs.

 

A sell off isn't out of the realm of possibility after the run up it has had over the past week and a half or so. Hell the long term chart looks like a classic bubble.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

i can't tell what you are trying to say here... 128/barrel looks like an oil price, not gas. And gas prices, if you mean what you see at the pump, are always lagged behind oil price changes. Plus as we hit summer, the gas mix changes, and gets pricier for that reason as well.

 

 

Yeah i meant oil. It was just kind of venting b/c when oil prices were rising gas prices at the pump were going up sometimes 5-10 cents per day and now that the price falls a little bit, the gas stations around me have all gone up 2-6 cents more since monday despite that.

[Chisoxfn]

100 mpg would be big

The problem with the 2nd generation Prius is that 100MPG hype is just that. I've read numerous articles that the 100MPG ratings are based on an outdated rating system and the reality is your talking about a 46-60 MPG automobile. Again, that is great mileage, but it isn't a significant improvement over the first generation.

 

The better idea is to start getting these rolled out in all the product lines to the point that the companies can reach economy of scale which lowers the payback period of these vehicles (as a lot of hybrids still aren't wise fiscal purchases for those that don't plan on keeping a car for 5 or 6 years). In addition, I don't want a f***ing Prius, so if I have the option to get that sort of milegae in a car I like, good. GM does this with the Hybrid Tahoe, but again, it is so much more than the standard one.

 

I think Hybrid will be the gap until we develop good battery power and at that point, we won't need filling stations or anything (we'll have batteries which can power a vehicle for hundreds of miles at a time and take very little time to recharge). Again, this is a bit into the future, but a lot of the capabilities are there.