US Big Three Auto Companies Commit to Making Cars That People Don't Want: But One Japanese Company Realizes the Tomfoolery of it all

Townhall ^ | 01/10/2023 | Steve Moore

[Hiddigeigei]

"something better developed like ‘hydrogen’ power cars."
It takes energy to produce the hydrogen.

[MachIV]

I wouldn’t mind having a 323 hatchback if I could get it with a manual transmission and no turbo.

[telescope115]

I hear ya…

[Fai Mao]

We had a 323 with the wrong engine. Instead of the 1.5L it had a 1.8L dual ohc 16 valve job. We traded it because my wife cannot drive a manual. Holy cow.was that thing a fast little car.

We had 121 in HK but those were not sold here.

Then a CX5 on Guam and the CX30 in Houston

Never had a problem with any of them

[dvan]

"something better developed like ‘hydrogen’ power cars."

It takes energy to produce the hydrogen. Quite true along with any other fuel.

[Elsie]

That's because the DHMO chemical was only used in very few locations in VWs.

[Elsie]

I can’t even FIND the sparkplugs in my new GC!

[Elsie]

Anyone still remember those articles that suggested that automobiles can be used on roads AND on rails?
Once you do that, you can look to use power in the rails.

I do!

[central_va]

Once staunch allies, auto makers and oil companies are now enemies.

[Elsie]

Take it from water?

[central_va]

You mean like Donald Trump!!!

[Elsie]

AMEN

[yelostar]

How will they keep up with the demand for hydrogen ?

They are years, if not decades away from being commercially viable for the consumer market on a large scale, if they ever are.

Currently fossil fuels like natural gas are used to produce the hydrogen used in the fuel cells.

Powerful interests have decided that the internal combustion engine is not the future. Consumers and market forces no longer determine these things; pressure is put on governments - who mandate to auto manufacturers via fuel economy and climate requirements; and offer incentives to produce non-ICE vehicles. It's a fixed game.

[yelostar]

Let the market ( that is, we the people collectively ) be the judge of that, not bureaucrats sitting on their desks.

Agree.

[Scrambler Bob]

I could sure go for a fresh model of the 1969 Volkswagon bug, or van, or both, or a choice of one of the other cheap cars that used to be on the market.

I just want a simple, cheap car, pay a few thousand, start it and go, roll up the windows, get out to raise the antennae, replace the water pump myself.
= = =

They can’t make a simple, cheap car anymore. Even a copy of a VW bug.

The DOT safety regs and EPA emissions regs make even a small car approach the cost of a big car.

[ansel12]

I miss the days of buying $50, $60, $100.00 junkers, buying used tires, putting red tape on broken taillights, but at least having an endless supply of cars available.

[stevio]

The red tape on taillights, gave me a chuckle. Oh, the good ole days.

[mdmathis6]

Hah!

[ansel12]

I was happy when I had a car with truly, completely trashed paint, and a buddy got me to paint it with left-over house paint, a paint roller and a brush.

It worked passably well.

[newbie 10-21-00]

The name of the current president of the Toyota car company