Comments on: Expert: Expect More Than 100 Hybrid and EV Models in U.S. by 2015

By: mathetas

mathetas — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:21:30 +0000

Very exciting time indeed... Well, stated, Shines.

I am very hopeful that in ten years the overarching concept of what a vehicle means to Americans will change, too. I'd like to see the same motivation and flare in advertisement shift from the 450HP muscle cars to 450 miles per charge cars--so to speak. Getting excited about saving fuel and caring about the environment is a requirement for true change within our society of bigger, better and faster.

For this movement to truly become effective, the ideals of our culture with respect to transportation must also change. If one allows the argument to remain within the confines of dollars and cents, the hybrid concept will never make sense in the short term, and neither will any system of mass transit. The short term will be somewhat of a painful sacrifice, but in the end, it will be well worth the pain. Transportation is a global problem with a need of global involvement. Who knows, this could be one of those issues upon which even feuding countries can find common ground.

By: Shines

Shines — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:13:51 +0000

Caffeinekid – I think you’ve had a bit too much caffeine. The ‘pipe dream’ as you call it is already being fueled by the manufacturers themselves. The economy is a global one and once it recovers, the cost of fuel is going to go up. The US has reserves in oil shale and the landscape to produce solar and wind energy. We will have plenty of challenges, but the manufacturers seem to understand that we have to move away from combustion fueled vehicles to electric or fuel cell vehicles. It is pretty cool to be alive and watch as the process of change takes hold. Sure much of our manufacturing as been transferred to China and India – and Mexico and elsewhere. The US needs to stay competitive or be left behind. Americans are not blind to what is happening. We know we must meet the challenges.

By: caffeinekid

caffeinekid — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 13:27:01 +0000

With so many decent paying jobs permanently lost as a result of our current paper printing contraction or having gone to cheaper Red China, India and the like, who exactly is going to 'fuel' this pipe dream? The insolvent government?

It is sad that more people really haven't "gotten" what has happened. I say, give them time. It won't be long now before it is on their front porch as well. This tide is a rising one.