Electric car stuff...
phobicsquirrel
Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
I think it is very ironic how GM made the EV1, and then helped destroyed it but here is the electric car industry once again, though I hope this time it sticks. The article is here http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/business/11electric.html. Personally I really want a electric car, would be a dream actually.
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Electric cars have a higher carbon footprint in their lifespan from production to destruction than most other cars. A Prius has more environmental impact than a Hummer reference this article and it's only a hybrid. Where do we get electricity from, well from the wall of course. Where does that come from, a power plant. In the PNW we have many hydroelectric dams but in much of our power anitquated nation we rely on coal. Coal is mined, then burned, only after being taken by diesel train to the power plant. The batteries in electric cars WILL fail eventually and where do those batteries go, well the local landfill of course. What's all this mean?
I know that "Green" companies have agendas just as malicious as the "Big Oil" and "Big 3 automakers" do. I know that they are in a power struggle for the profits from their technologies, just like the opposite side is. I just choose not to buy into the hype. Especially after the records of falsified emails to Congresspeople discussing the farse of "Global warming".
I warned you all I was opinionated, I'm just trying to not let it all out.
Phobic, I hope that you aren't offended by any of this as that's not the intention. As for me, I am looking forward to Hydrogen cars or even electric, but only if America's infrastructure will allow more Nuclear Power as it's less wasteful, cleaner, and more viable than coal or even hydro.
I don't know about pheebs but I'm not wanting an electric car for environmental reasons. It's just that I think they're really neat, sound pleasant and can go from 0-60 in what 3.9 seconds (tesla)?
i dont really have time to type it all out right now but i can at some point if anyone is interested in hearing it.
not to mention accessibility of the new fuel.
my thoughts have been on how to overcome these obstacles, rather that on what fuel it would be.
i feel that the government is actually standing in the way of cleaner energy.
really?
...with democrats in office?
yes!
right now the tax on oil and gas are a huge profit to the US government. why would they want to lose that?
this is part of the reason why a "carbon tax" is so popular with the Government. it would replace (to some extent) the money lost on less fuel usage.
the switch over would be difficult on the government front because of taxes and on the private sector front because of loss of jobs in the oil industry.
however, you could combat this with a sound fiscal policy to energy.
it would be a 15 year plan.
year one:
the government announces that any company that comes up with and proves a fuel that is cleaner and just as/more cost effective than Gasoline will get a tax break in the neighborhood of 5% for the remainder of the 15 year plan.
this new fuel ("X") will be the fuel used to power cars after the switch over.
Before year five (when fuel "X" is properly vetted):
the government will approach oil companies that do business in the US and tell them that Fuel "X" is showing promise. it is their job to come up with a distribution system. the first company to do so will get a tax break.
year five:
the government will give tax breaks to companies that distribute oil (gas stations and the like) for having the new fuel available at their service stations. this tax break will be up to 20% of the total tax burden they would have normally in proportion to the percent of service stations offering the fuel. (if 50% of their stations offered the new fuel they would get a 10% tax break, if 75% then 15%, etc...)
still year five:
auto companies would get a tax break up to 20% of the total tax burden by proportion of their fleet made up by these cars that run on the new fuel.
again, year five:
people would be able to wright off 50% of the value of the new "X" fueled car they paid for in that year on their taxes.
year 15: all tax breaks stop.
the taxes on oil companies go back to where they are. if all goes well, the new fuel will be at least competitive with gasoline. the demand will be high for it the technology will make them more efficient as it develops. Market forces will help with that.
there will still be taxes on the fuel "X" and they will be comparable to gas taxes now. the government, in the long run, wont lose out too much.
im sure there are holes in that plan (especially from a libertarians POV) but its a thought given how our government seems to run now. i really do hope its hydrogen combustion. electric cars creep me out. too quiet. i need engine roar. you get that in hydrogen combustion. not so much corporate "control" as corporate "self interest"
the oil companies have been doing fine as it is. whats the incentive to change?
as stated above, the government has something to gain from oil as well.