Good MPG Target for Mass Market (Eco Rant)

[Natalya]

I think it was BMW that announced they want all-electric cars by I think 2025. I don't see other manufacturers thinking this way, but they are going to have to have major electric initiatives or huge increases in MPG if we want to do something about climate change. Transportation of course is only a portion of CO2 emissions, with industry and power production producing more. The climate doesn't really care though, all of our CO2 outputs have to go down, and this is a transportation forum so let's talk about cars.

Electric cars are often cited at around 100 MPG Equivalent. I wonder if they even get that because of the way people drive. Do people typically achieve EPA estimates for fuel economy for regular cars? If they do that's great because then we kinda know what each car does. But like do electric cars really get 100mpg? I mean they gotta be up there, but coal was burned to make that power so you know even electric cars need some kind of efficiency.

Green car reports says the Tesla Model X for example is rated at 92mpge, and the Nissan Leaf is 114mpge. Are people really going to drive well enough to hit either of those targets? I'm going for Hypermiler Supreme Nerd 2016 status in my Insight hitting 77 on a really terrible (for fe) commute and I'm just thinking like the kinetic energy I see people waste on a daily basis, there's no way anyone hits the EPA estimate of any vehicle. When I drive like the rest of the public my car dips below EPA.

One of the positives of electric cars is they will become more efficient as power generation becomes more green. So as you keep making renewables the CO2 per mile decreeases in an electric vehicle. This means electric is absolutely the way of the future. But in the mean time the fossil fuel industry continues to look for growth, and with low gas prices Americans and Canadians seem almost compelled out of fear to buy bigger gas guzzling cars for no reason.

I am fearful too, but my fear is about the climate. The climate doesn't care about our emotionally deficient human brains and our poor car-buying-decision making processes. The climate only cares about how much CO2 and methane we put into the atmosphere. Everyone needs to reduce their carbon footprint dramatically. Miami and San Francisco and NYC are going down, it's just a matter of time. But maybe we can save Oakland or Pasadena or Washington DC.

What kind of MPG and MPGE targets should we be setting to dramatically reduce CO2? What kind of changes in the car buying market do we need to look at? Should older less efficient cars be modified to get better MPG and kept on the road longer so we can burn less CO2 by not manufacturing new vehicles? Do carpooling schemes need to become more widely adopted? CO2 has gotta come down, doesn't matter how.

[cowmeat]

Electric cars are often cited at around 100 MPG Equivalent. I wonder if they even get that because of the way people drive.

It can happen, check my fuel log for the proof! 100 mpg is so far behind me I can't even see it from here, and I'm just learning to drive my EV

[oil pan 4]

We will be going into anothern ice age in 1,000 to 1,500 years. So worrying about global warming seems like a waste of time.

No matter what the developed world does we still have India and China. Even if the developed world went carbon neutral those 2 will still cause CO2 levels to keep going up.

We have far greater problems then the climate. "Climate change" appeares to be more of a distraction from the real problems then an actual problem that can be solved or fixed.

[Hersbird]

Wait a minute, can you promise we lose Miami and SF? because if so burning used tires is my new source of energy at my house. Maybe if we all pitch in we can also get DC, or was this a negative?

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

We will be going into anothern ice age in 1,000 to 1,500 years. So worrying about global warming seems like a waste of time.

I find it interesting that the top links in google are now 'climate skeptic' links:

Lawmaker Slams EPA Chief For Not Knowing Earth's CO2 Levels | The Daily Caller

The Earth’s atmosphere is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent other gases, including about 0.04 percent carbon dioxide.

10% of that is said to be man made, and transport as a whole produces 30% of that.

[oil pan 4]

That's why it appears to be a distraction.

HA! He doesn't know what the level is, just that it's bad.
If it's not a distraction then it's at least a scam, maybe both.

[Vman455]

If you bother to listen to or read the rest of the exchange, SHE (surprise--EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy is a woman!) is well aware how much CO2 there is in the atmosphere--400 parts per million; the congressman's question was deliberately worded in order to trip her up and get right-wing sites like the Daily Caller to scream about it.

[oil pan 4]

With so many lies to keep track of the truth can become hard to find sometimes.

[Xist]

I feel like we should try to make the world a better place, but some popular figures take things too far: "Bill Nye `the science guy' says in a video interview released Thursday that he is open to the idea of jailing those who deviate from the climate change consensus." Bill Nye open to criminal charges, jail time for climate-change dissenters - Washington Times

[AntiochOG]

Originally Posted by Natalya

I'm just thinking like the kinetic energy I see people waste on a daily basis, there's no way anyone hits the EPA estimate of any vehicle. When I drive like the rest of the public my car dips below EPA.

At least as we move toward electric cars and hybrids it means some of this energy will be recaptured and not turned entirely into brake dust and heat.

Maybe range anxiety will teach people to drive more efficiently too.