Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 06:34:28 -0400 From: "Nutmegger" <nutmegger_7717nopsamo.com> Subject: Re: GM to increase SAAB lineup
"Walt Kienzle" wrote::: > > Why don't they really start looking into fuel alternatives? You hear a > > little bit here and there, but I keep wondering....what are they waiting > > for? > > <And, I don't mean those electric hybrids either> > > If you take electric out of the equation, I offer two reasons: 1) We still > have a lot oil in the US that we haven't used (up) yet - yes, right here in > the USA, not Saudi Arabia, so there is no point in putting much money into > something more expensive that nobody would be willing to buy when we can get > more mileage out of existing technology. That's part of the problem! The US refuses to look ahead or plan for the future. This is a point into putting money into it for the good of our world. We shouldn't let consumers dictate standards, the gov't could offer tax cuts for people who consider such or put funding into such research. 2) The unspoken secret is the > apparently cool alternatives, like Hydrogen Fuel Cell, still get the > hydrogen from the hydrocarbons of natural gas, so you still aren't using a > renewable resource. I've heard snippets of info about this. >If they could extract the hydrogen from water, I would > go for it right away. Now that would be cool. >Even the other interesting alternatives, like CNG and > LPG use renewable resources, but offer advantages in performance/longevity > and lower emissions, and these are popular with owners of large fleets that > can install their own fueling systems. Maybe owners of large fleets should be required and/or offered incentives to switch. >But public fueling stations are rare > and hard to find; home fueling systems are expensive and there aren't too > many sources for them either. What did they do when cars were first invented? >Fuelmaker.com is working on a lower priced > system, but it isn't available yet. Car manufacturers offer a selection of > CNG or LPG factory equipped vehicles, but once again, it is too much cost, > inconvenience and too little benefit for the average consumer to have an > interest. And that, exactly is where the problem lays, and it is time for our gov't to take more of a stand on this. I'm sick of this "money talks" stance of our nation.
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