A Simple, Fool-Proof Plan That'll Save Our Economy (hydrogen and hybrid vehicles)

New York Post ^ | 10/19/04 | John Crudele

[NewJerseyJoe]

”Booz Allen Hamilton, the consulting firm, reported last week that vehicles using so-called hybrid technology could make up 20 percent of the overall new car market by 2010 and 80 percent by 2015.

Washington needs to speed up the transition to this first generation of fuel-efficient cars while we wait for hydrogen vehicles to be perfected.

October 19, 2004 -- BOTH President Bush and John Kerry have plans for the U.S. economy. So do I — only mine is better.

Kerry wants to raise taxes on the wealthy and magically all our problems will end — until, of course, rich people find the next tax dodge.

The president thinks things are getting better every day and a little reform of the educational system plus a quick repair of Social Security will make things just about perfect. Politicians like to talk in simple terms. It makes their message clearer.

Simple solutions usually don't fix complex problems like our nation's trade deficit (a near-record $54 billion in August), or the budget deficit ($413 billion in 2004), or the potential insolvency of the Social Security system sometime in the future or our economy's stubborn inability to create a reasonable number of good-paying new jobs.

In this case, however, there Is a simple solution.

Oil is the problem. Reducing our dependency on foreign oil — or at least making the financial markets think we are cutting back — is the solution.

How? By developing a credible energy policy that doesn't take decades to see results.

[NewJerseyJoe]

For some time, I've echoed John Crudele's comments. If we need to stop relying on foreign sources of energy, why do we give tax breaks for gas-guzzlers but not for hybrid vehicles? (Yes, I am one of that rare breed: a right-wing conspirator who doesn't like SUVs....)

[camle]

uh... many states do give tax breaks to hybrids, despite the fact that many regular cars realize better mileage. If you take the total cost of hydrogen cells, it is far greater than gasoline. until it comes down drastically, it'll never work.

[cripplecreek]

I'm all for alternative energy sources etc, but I can't help but wonder who will subsidize the cost for me to by one of these magical oxygen farting machines?

[taxcontrol]

The MATH in this article is strictly fuzzy math.

[DrDavid]

Where is the energy to make hydrogen going to come from? Burning oil, coal, natural gas or nuclear?

[Fierce Allegiance]

Put your faith in hydrogen!

[pikachu]

I keep wondering what the fall out of these hybrid cars will be 50-100 years from now. The automobile was seen as a way to cut pollution in citys like New York because they did not leave 25 pounds of horse dropping each day, did not urinate on the street, did not require tons of hay, and did not bite.

I can just imagine the news from 2055, "Now that the hole in the ozone has permanently sealed, we are slowly sufficating from hydrogen-car by products. "

[Oblongata]

" (Yes, I am one of that rare breed: a right-wing conspirator who doesn't like SUVs....)"

I'm a right wing conspirator who likes SUV's, But I'd like to see a fule efficient hybrid SUV even more. A Hybrid SUV deprives the middle east of more oil than a hybrid micro-mini.

[BOOTSTICK]

Hybrid cars are a poor consumer choice. First they do not get the MPG's they tout , more like 20% less. Second a consumer would have to drive the typical hybrid some 20-30 years to make up the outrageous price of these cars{ almost 2 times the typical gasoline mini car}. Third the manufacturers of Hybrids have stated that they have a usable life of 8-10 years, and a battery replacement can be near $6000. making the hybrid a poor option for purchase as opposed to lease, since the trade in value of a hybrid car that has not yet had a battery replacement will be near nothing. No used car dealer would want a used hybrid on his lot that had not had it's battery replaced, since it could never compete with gasoline mini cars that need no $6,000 tune up.

[snooker]

Well as I see it we could install a cork thingy in everyone arse and have a coin slot operated knob on it with a hose attached. When you fart, you can't let it out unless you go over to a collection station, put in a quarter which allows you to turn the knob and go --- ahhhh. Don't pay, it's not gonna be pretty.

We can use the funds collected to pay for a hydrogen based fueling infrastructure for the new hydrogen cars.

PS:Farmers would be required to use a similar device on all their cows.

[Oblongata]

"Put your faith in hydrogen!"

Funny how people complain about the dangers of driving around with a tank of combustible hydrogen in the trunk, when they're already driving around with a tank of combustible petroleum in the trunk.

[nina0113]

We taxpayers are subsidizing them here in Virginia. You can drive on the HOV lanes alone if you have one, saving you several hundred commuting hours a year, and paying your tolls to your lender instead of the state.

[stylin19a]

The clean-fuel vehicle tax deduction was originally scheduled to phase out starting in 2004. Vehicles bought in 2004 were eligible for a maximum deduction of $1,500, and those bought in 2005 were eligible for a $1,000 deduction. However, the "Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004" has extended the $2,000 deduction through 2005.
The Feds will reduce this to 500.00 in 2006, after which it will be phased out.

You can go here: http://www.ccities.doe.gov/vbg/progs/laws.cgi

and select "all states" to get a list of state's with incentives.

[mcg1969]

I definitely think that the elimination (or, at least, significant reduction) of our dependance on Middle Eastern oil is a valid strategic national security issue for the United States. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this and I think they all ought to be engaged: expanded domestic drilling, stricter fuel efficiency requirements, sponsoring of R&D towards higher efficiency, and sponsoring of R&D towards alternate fuels.

Hydrogen definitely fits in there somewhere. The Hindenberg photo is funny but far from an accurate reflection of reality.

[aaCharley]

Here is an article from MIT Technology Review
HYDROGEN HYPE
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/blog.asp?blogID=1603

With a link to more on the same.

Only requirement is to erect 1,000 nuclear plants to generate the energy to create the hydrogen.

[Law is not justice but process]

"Put your faith in hydrogen!"

You make a good point, but would it have turned out better if the Hindenburg had been full of gasoline?

[mcg1969]

Hybrid technology is definitely improving. The new Lexus mid-sized SUV is coming out in both a hybrid and a gasoline version. The hybrid will actually have better peformance than the gasoline version, with higher mileage to boot. Now THAT's a hybrid I would consider. Indeed the torque profile of an electric motor would be great for foul-weather driving.

[mcg1969]

You make a good point, but would it have turned out better if the Hindenburg had been full of gasoline?

Well, it would have never left the ground, for one :)

[truth_seeker]

"(Yes, I am one of that rare breed: a right-wing conspirator who doesn't like SUVs....)"

I don't much care if you "like SUVs" or not.

I want my freedom to drive one. They come in many flavors, including the new Lexus RX 400h which will be a hybrid.

GM has hybrid coming on fullsize pickup line, which is virtually the same as SUV line.

Ford will have hybrid on Escape small SUV.

Leading commercial technology is Honda and Toyota. Too bad big American car companies are so technologically weak/inept and risk averse, that they cannot do better.