Comments on: Two Non-Hybrid 50+MPG Cars We Cannot Buy In America. http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/03/05/two-non-hybrid-50mpg-cars-we-cannot-buy-in-america/ Sustainability, Environment, Progressive Politics, Peak Oil, Going Green. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:40:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Keith G http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/03/05/two-non-hybrid-50mpg-cars-we-cannot-buy-in-america/#comment-31500 Keith G Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:44:48 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/?p=2294#comment-31500 @Bryan and David - that's the insanity! Driving a 28 year old car, not being able to take advantage of any of the advances in safety, handling, emission controls, ease of maintenance, creature comforts, just because the car companies can't manage to produce a car that gets better gas mileage than they did back then? Granted, you'll never have to buy another car; but you'll be stuck driving, what, a 1984 Ford Escort for the rest of your life? My mother is similarly blessed/stuck with a 1985 VW Jetta Diesel, for the same reason. It shouldn't be this way. @Bryan and David – that’s the insanity! Driving a 28 year old car, not being able to take advantage of any of the advances in safety, handling, emission controls, ease of maintenance, creature comforts, just because the car companies can’t manage to produce a car that gets better gas mileage than they did back then? Granted, you’ll never have to buy another car; but you’ll be stuck driving, what, a 1984 Ford Escort for the rest of your life? My mother is similarly blessed/stuck with a 1985 VW Jetta Diesel, for the same reason. It shouldn’t be this way.

]]> By: David http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/03/05/two-non-hybrid-50mpg-cars-we-cannot-buy-in-america/#comment-31393 David Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:24:02 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/?p=2294#comment-31393 Bryan - be happy you have 6 of them to last you a long time! Bryan – be happy you have 6 of them to last you a long time!

]]> By: Bryan http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/03/05/two-non-hybrid-50mpg-cars-we-cannot-buy-in-america/#comment-31390 Bryan Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:33:56 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/?p=2294#comment-31390 I have been driving my Ford Escort DEISEL for 28 years now and it gets 60 MPG. I can't understand why I my next new car will not do twice the MPG as this one!!!!!! I do own six of these little cars, so I might not have to get a new car in a while, although I would like some of the comforts of a modern buggie. I have been driving my Ford Escort DEISEL for 28 years now and it gets 60 MPG. I can’t understand why I my next new car will not do twice the MPG as this one!!!!!! I do own six of these little cars, so I might not have to get a new car in a while, although I would like some of the comforts of a modern buggie.

]]> By: Keith G http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/03/05/two-non-hybrid-50mpg-cars-we-cannot-buy-in-america/#comment-27988 Keith G Mon, 16 May 2011 14:35:26 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/?p=2294#comment-27988 Regarding Chris's post on the 15th, Chris, it's the rare gasoline engine that weighs 1500 lbs!! Especially the compact and efficient ones used in the hybrid cars. They're actually just a couple hundred pounds, plus the "peripheral" equipment, cooling systems, fuel delivery systems, exhaust systems, power transmission systems, much of which would still be needed with other types of power systems. Fully electric cars are not necessarily lighter than gasoline powered cars, because their battery packs are also quite heavy. Hydrogen cells are very promising technology that everybody is watching and waiting for, but they're clearly not "here" yet, and it's a little premature to say that their power systems will be necessarily lighter than the equivalent gasoline powerplant. So while your thought of each of us having our own hydrogen plant in our garage and being less reliant on foreign oil is a definite goal (unless you're part of the Bush or Cheney families!) and a noble one, that's only going to be a small fraction of people. I for one live in an apartment, that's not an option for me. There will need to be a fuel distribution network established, just like the "gas stations," in order to accommodate the new fuel types. It's all coming, it's all happening. I think the main thing is for each of us to remember our goals. Don't get seduced by the 130+ mph speeds, the luxurious top grain leather seating, the 500 watt sound system and the overbearing road presence, at the expense of good fuel economy! Regarding Chris’s post on the 15th, Chris, it’s the rare gasoline engine that weighs 1500 lbs!! Especially the compact and efficient ones used in the hybrid cars. They’re actually just a couple hundred pounds, plus the “peripheral” equipment, cooling systems, fuel delivery systems, exhaust systems, power transmission systems, much of which would still be needed with other types of power systems. Fully electric cars are not necessarily lighter than gasoline powered cars, because their battery packs are also quite heavy.

Hydrogen cells are very promising technology that everybody is watching and waiting for, but they’re clearly not “here” yet, and it’s a little premature to say that their power systems will be necessarily lighter than the equivalent gasoline powerplant.

So while your thought of each of us having our own hydrogen plant in our garage and being less reliant on foreign oil is a definite goal (unless you’re part of the Bush or Cheney families!) and a noble one, that’s only going to be a small fraction of people. I for one live in an apartment, that’s not an option for me. There will need to be a fuel distribution network established, just like the “gas stations,” in order to accommodate the new fuel types.

It’s all coming, it’s all happening. I think the main thing is for each of us to remember our goals. Don’t get seduced by the 130+ mph speeds, the luxurious top grain leather seating, the 500 watt sound system and the overbearing road presence, at the expense of good fuel economy!

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