[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.

[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.

[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.

[WildTurkey]

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?

Gas-guzzlers get hit with a gas-guzzling tax. It is paid when you buy the car. I don't know about hybrids but electrics get a tax credit.

[cdrw]

My understanding of the economics, based on foggy memories of an article in IEEE Spectrum, is that hybrids do not generate less pollution than gas efficient straight combustion (such as small 4 cylinder cars of today). It also doesn't seem that they achieve that much better mileage.

The reason they came to this conclusion is that one must consider the amount of pollution generated by all the electric plants that have to burn oil, coal ... to produce the power to charge the batteries. The hybrids are more efficient in specific markets but when considered for the country as a whole they aren't there yet. This is because of the great amount of electricity still produced by burning oil and coal in the country.

The IEEE article was about two years ago so the info could be dated by now. Just my 2 cents worth ...

[buwaya]

Its a fallacy to think that the US will be in any important way less vulnerable to the petroleum market if it alone displaces petroleum imports.

The US is grafted into the global economy, and the real danger isn't one of oil shortages or high prices in the US, but of secondary effects of these problems on the rest of the world.

The world as a whole will not be able to afford the investments to switch. Petroleum will not go away.

The cost of converting to a hydrogen-cycle will require massive and uneconomic (if prompted by artificial policies like tax credits, etc.) US investments. These will have a negative effect on US growth and also therefore on global prosperity.

So what is to be done ?

I say let the markets handle the problem. If there is too little oil around, prices will rise, prompting investment in the most cost-effective alternatives that the market will find. Then prices will stabilize, probably for a very long time.

[kidd]

The article makes no mention of hydrogen cars.

Hybrid cars are available now. They don't quite make sense economically, but as technology and choices improve and gas gets more expensive - its getting closer.

Hydrogen cars will never gain wide acceptance. Never. The internal combustion engine, although comparatively inefficient, is nevertheless far more robust, responsive and inexpensive.

[maestro]

A Simple, Fool-Proof Plan That'll Save Our Economy (the building of hundreds of new domestic REFINERIES)

/sarcasm

[oilwatcher]

Energy ping.

[Hanging Chad]

This hydrogen 'plan' is neither simple nor fool-proof.
But, lucky for us, John Kerry probably has a plan...