The future

[OneWithWood]

If this is how Obama and co. think GM is going to turn the corner, GOOD LUCK!

This was a pretty good post up until you threw in the misinformed political jab.

For the record, GM execs are still running GM on a daily basis.  That includes R&D.

Please leave the politics to the restricted topics board.

[moonhill]

back to the original topic, If a segway costs 5K how much is this thing from GM going to cost? for 5K I can get a top of the line mountain bike, or a gas scooter that will both be more fun and practical to get places on. The only reasonable use of a segway I ever saw was a man who had a serious back injury that limited his walking, he used it to go everywhere he used to walk. But still for 5K you could call a lot of cabs.
My ford focus only cost 9k new, if GM even can make the price equal to a compact car, then they have lost all but the most gridlocked cities.
If this is how Obama and co. think GM is going to turn the corner, GOOD LUCK!

If there were millions of the segway type vehicles being made they would be comparable to the cost of bicycles and small cheap cars. It is hard to compare such things as the equation is not all there.   As a talk show host says " I hope" GM "does fail,"  the interesting part will be the reincarnation of GM, and the future of the whole automotive industry.  Is that true failure or a step in a new direction?

Watching a segway maneuver through a crowd is an amazing undertaking, zig, zag, zip and way you go.  The crowd was almost at a standstill and these segways and riders came and went through the masses, it was quite impressive.  So my short experience with the segway is not the same as yours, rowerwet. 

Tim

[Ron Wenrich]

The Department of Energy has slashed their hydrogen fuel cell spending by 59% to $68 million.  Seems like the future is set for electric cars that get 40 miles per charge.

[Ron Wenrich]

So, they raised the CAFE standards today to 39 MPG for cars and 30 MPG for light trucks by 2016.  Do they have that kind of technology?

My guess is that they'll be pushing electric cars to get the MPG up on them.  I wonder if they take into account the amount of fuel used to make electricity?  Cars will also have smaller motors, be built smaller, and carbon fiber to reduce weight. 

Light trucks are going to be a lot tougher.  My 4 cyl Toyota only averages about 22-23 MPG for the year.  On trips, I can get 26.

[moonhill]

Are those average numbers?  If they make available a small car that gets 65 mpg they could still have the large luxury cars and allow them to get into the mid 20's?  I don't like them mandating such regulations but I do know there are very efficient vehicles available in other countries but they are not allowed in the US.  I would like to see that change in the future.  There is such technology, it comes in a small package, I don't mind.  Right now my bum around car is a 1995 Geo Tracker, it get a lousy 24 miles/gallon.  I am planning a VW diesel swap, I am hoping for 40 mpg. This is in the near future for me as cash and time is short right now, things are looking up. 

Tim

[SwampDonkey]

I get 32 mpg in my RAV4. My Alero I sold, I was getting 42 and it was 6 cyl. Keep in mind these are imperial gallons (4.54 litres) versus US gallons (3.86 litres). So, my RAV is  probably similar to Ron's Tacoma. I remember 32 mpg in the 2000 model I had, Imperial gallons that is. The 6 cyl Tacoma is a real gas guzzler, thankfully we can get the 4 cycl again in Canada. The new models however are a mid-sized truck which means more weight and not as compact as the older ones.

[moonhill]

Here is one, a race car made up with renewable components, the steering wheel has carrots in it.  If you click on the dots on the car it will tell a little about that part, it is under The Project and then under the Car.  It is diesel, by the way.  Could this be in the future?

http://www.worldfirstracing.co.uk/

Tim

[Ron Wenrich]

Those numbers are supposed to be fleet averages.  Its supposed to save something like 1.8 billion barrels of oil, and reduce 940,000 metric tons of CO2 from the air.  The problem is that they aren't saying over what time frame.  In reality, its pretty small.

I'm trying to convince my wife to buy a VW TDI.  Mileage is supposed to be around 29 city and 41 highway, and they have an ad on TV stating that they got 58 MPG.  I've always been able to beat the stated mileage.  They run about $24k, which is a little bit high.  Our Saturn has 125,000.  I understand there is still a tax credit for buying these diesels.

[fishpharmer]

Not sure what the future holds, except fuel will cost more.

I am with you Ron on the TDI.  My wife has a Honda that has 185000 miles and still going strong.  She is due a new car.  I want her to get a TDI sportwagon.  She doesn't want a TDI or a wagon.  Maybe a regular TDI Jetta.   

[SwampDonkey]

I see a lot of VW TDI's on the road here and also large amount of Toyota Matrix and RAV4's and Corollas. I mean lots. Their pricing on those Toyota's have not changed in 3 years. I sure like mine, I can go anyplace.

[Ianab]

I agress SD, cars like that are very popular here in NZ.

My 97 Corolla only gets about 35mpg, but it's not exactly the economy model. 4 x throttle body, 8,000 rpm redline, 170 hp... From a factory standard 1600cc non-turbo engine.

So they can get resonable economy from an engine that performs like a 1970s race engine, and thats in a 12 year old car.

Safety, it has airbags, crumple zones, ABS brakes etc. If you get run over by a Semi, then you are mushed no matter what you are driving. Give me the ABS, good handling, and some decent acceleration to keep me out of trouble. 

The technolgy is there, it may cost a few more $$ than the cheapest budget car. But thats because you will want a trick engine with variable valve timing and maybe a turbo. That way you get the economy at medium RPM, but the power at higher revs with the turbo etc.

Ian

[Hilltop366]

Batteries have come a long way in the last few years, but this was one guy's take on them, I seen on TV last year talking about electric cars.....

He said there are three types of liars....          Liars
                           Da*n Liars
                     and      Battery manufactures

[moonhill]

It seem they have called the Puma a flop, or at a flopped publicity stunt. 

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/107261/dumbest-moments-in-business-2009-midyear-edition.html?mod=career-leadership

Tim

[beenthere]

moonhill
That isn't the only interesting bits of news on that liberal Yahoo's summary of events so far this year.

[moonhill]

Yeah, I get a kick out of the yahoo page, I am always thinking "what are their goals for the day", or " what perspective are they getting across", spin is one way of looking at it.  Who funds Yahoo?

Tim

[glgdiggs]

It is interesting to me that in a discussion of the future the real energy problem of depletion is not mentioned. It now appears as always in hindsight that the maximum production of conventional crude oil occured in May of 2005 at a production rate of 74.8 M/bd, while all liquid fuels production maxed out at 84 M/bd in July 2008. GM as the whole American economy felt the pressure from rising energy prices. It may be hard to remember but oil was traded in the $14 dollar/bl range only 10 years ago, that means at todays prices we are seeing a 500% increase, and last summer it was a 1000%. I have been looking at this problem for 12 years, and have concluded that there is no technological solution that will substitute on a EROEI basis for the oil depletion problem.