2011 Car Of The Year???

[saggs]

And that's my point exactly... that vast majority of people live in populated Urban areas and drive less than 150 miles a day.  I never said an electric car would fit everyone's needs.. just the majority.  I don't think people in rural areas quite understand the concentration of people in the cities.

I understand, I've lived in big city and the sticks.

But are you telling me that people in the city never take a driving vacation of more then 200 miles?  How do they go visit Grandma in Wyoming or Montana for the holiday's?  The way I figure even with an electric for buzzing around town, most would still want a second car that they can drive 800 miles a day in.  

All in all I still think the Diesel hybrid idea is the best.  Straight diesels like the VW Lupo can do 75+ mpg, so why not hybrid it and get 100+ mpg??  The lack of super economical diesel cars available in the US is one thing that drives me nuts.   How come Ford can sell a diesel Focus, or Fiesta in Europe, but not here? (actually I know the answer, but it would get "see rule #14")

[Tigger29]

I understand, I've lived in big city and the sticks.

But are you telling me that people in the city never take a driving vacation of more then 200 miles?  How do they go visit Grandma in Wyoming or Montana for the holiday's?  The way I figure even with an electric for buzzing around town, most would still want a second car that they can drive 800 miles a day in.  

All in all I still think the Diesel hybrid idea is the best.  Straight diesels like the VW Lupo can do 75+ mpg, so why not hybrid it and get 100+ mpg??  The lack of super economical diesel cars available in the US is one thing that drives me nuts.   How come Ford can sell a diesel Focus, or Fiesta in Europe, but not here? (actually I know the answer, but it would get "see rule #14")

When gas is $5+ a gallon, it would be cheaper for them to rent a car for that once or twice a year they may take a trip.  There's no telling how high gas prices will be once Battery technology matures and Electric cars prove themselves.

[icepac]

The emp from the zombiepocalypse will make old mechanically injected diesels popular again.

I've got one that's either going into my infiniti M30 (nissan leopard) or into a 240sx (better aero).

[dedalos]

The emp from the zombiepocalypse will make old mechanically injected diesels popular again.

The sad part is that this statement makes a lot more sense than some of the posts in here 

BTW, CAP go get some coffee fast.  I just used my card at Starbucks so prices should be going up ASAP.

[soda72]

No Luv for the poor volt, environmental liberals call it the 'Volt hoax' because it can also operate as a hybrid when additional power is required thus allowing it to use its gasoline engine to assist the electric motors.  On the other side conservatives dislike it because it's an electric car that is very expensive and the government has to put out incentives for anyone to buy it.

I like the concept of the volt.  It's right in line with how Americans expect to use their car.  If it has gas in it it will 'go', no range anxiety.  If I forget to plug it in no problem as long as it has gas, it will go.  But critics are right when they say it's to expensive.  The list price is $41,000,  that's way to expensive when you can buy a $16,000-$20,000 economy car that gets decent gas millage.  Unless gas jumps up to $30 a gallon you're not going to save any money. So what's the purpose of buying one?  I guess you can take confort that more money will end up going to Korea instead of OPEC, plus you can pat yourself on the back thinking you've done your part to save the environment(which really isn't true). Unless the volt price drops under $26,000(without government credits) I don't see how it will be successful.

As for the leaf, it may be cheaper than the volt but there are going to be people who will still need a second car that runs on gas.  If you have to purchase another car because the leaf doesn't meet your full needs it might actually be cheaper to buy the volt where you can have a one car solution. 


Pure electric cars like the leaf still have to many limitations.  Limited rage, charging takes serveral hours, battery life span is to short, and their very expensive to replace.  The technology has been getting better but I don't think it's quite there yet.

[icepac]

If the toejam hits the fan, might be interesting to have a car than can power an entire house if needed.

That said, where are the diesel hybrids?

[camnite]

wondered that myself, its not like the technology hasn't been tested. heck, they've had diesel electrics for almost 60 years now. tell me that can't swap over.


use an izusu diesel hooked up to a couple generators then run them to 4 motors on each wheel. this solves the situation of batteries as well as shock to the engine, but also gets you very good mileage

[RTHolmes]

my guess because diesel engines are heavy.

[camnite]

how many kw does it take to get a vehicle up to 60 in 12 seconds. say vehicle ways 3300 lbs.

[CAP1]

The sad part is that this statement makes a lot more sense than some of the posts in here 

BTW, CAP go get some coffee fast.  I just used my card at Starbucks so prices should be going up ASAP.

i know you're just gonna try to make light of this.....but read up.

States that allow for cash or credit option are "the norm and not the exception," Kloza said. At $4 a gallon, American Express collects 12 cents a gallon or more in processing fees from a sale by a motorist who uses an American Express card, he added.
from here.......

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011105010345

[RTHolmes]

Amex has always had ridiculous merchant charges, thats why they're generally not accepted in europe (plus historically they used to take months to settle accounts adding an extra hidden cashflow/borrowing cost).

[CAP1]

Amex has always had ridiculous merchant charges, thats why they're generally not accepted in europe (plus historically they used to take months to settle accounts adding an extra hidden cashflow/borrowing cost).

 yea i know. discover is almost as bad. i don't accept either. virtually anyone with an amex card also has a visa or mastercard.

[Shuffler]

Anything that requires a government incentive means it cost every American. That is where the money comes from. Whenever you see and electric car going down the road you can bet the owner received money out of your pocket.

Of course that is not just with cars.

If electric cars work for you.. great. It just does not fulfill my needs even at the most basic level..

[68Wooley]

Bear in mind this was 'world' car of the year. A lot of Euro and Japanese journalists would have voted on this. With $10/gallon gas, shorter average commutes and enormously congested cities, the Leaf makes more sense than when viewed in a purely US context. That said, I still think if you are going to vote this way, the Volt is a greater technical achievement and far more practical solution given where we are right now.

My solution to rising fuel costs is to cycle to work and I'm lucky enough to be able to do so. I don't care if it costs $70 to fill the car if the tank lasts a month.

[CAP1]

Bear in mind this was 'world' car of the year. A lot of Euro and Japanese journalists would have voted on this. With $10/gallon gas, shorter average commutes and enormously congested cities, the Leaf makes more sense than when viewed in a purely US context. That said, I still think if you are going to vote this way, the Volt is a greater technical achievement and far more practical solution given where we are right now.

My solution to rising fuel costs is to cycle to work and I'm lucky enough to be able to do so. I don't care if it costs $70 to fill the car if the tank lasts a month.

 better and probably almost instant solution to rising fuel costs.....it's a 2 part solution.

 1)remove oil from the stock market.
 2) eliminate the roadblocks, and start drilling here. even just the announcement that we are considering this will drop oil through the floor.