PBS Nova "Car of the Future" tonight!!!

[ericbecky]

If you guys need any special access to exhibitors at Hybridfest to do interviews, etc, let me know and we can work it out.

[ebacherville]

Honda proved that 50mpg cars were doable in 1984 with the CRX.. thats was 24 years ago!!!!! we should be seeing 100mpg cars today.. on the road in your garage.

[larrydag]

Originally Posted by ebacherville

Honda proved that 50mpg cars were doable in 1984 with the CRX.. thats was 24 years ago!!!!! we should be seeing 100mpg cars today.. on the road in your garage.

Here's a link to Aaron Golds (cars.about.com) that answers that very question.

http://cars.about.com/b/2006/05/12/w...-mpg-honda.htm

Aaron has a good point that based on government safety requirements and the minimal customer expectations for new cars they have become more inefficient. As you can read from Ecomodder's forum alot of modders are taking out the customer goodies to gain efficiency. The tougher thing is finding out ways to make cars just as safe but not inefficient. I'm not sure I agree with Aaron's point that diesel is the way to go. I tend to think electric is the future.

[thebrad]

Originally Posted by larrydag

Here's a link to Aaron Golds (cars.about.com) that answers that very question.

http://cars.about.com/b/2006/05/12/w...-mpg-honda.htm

Aaron has a good point that based on government safety requirements and the minimal customer expectations for new cars they have become more inefficient. As you can read from Ecomodder's forum alot of modders are taking out the customer goodies to gain efficiency. The tougher thing is finding out ways to make cars just as safe but not inefficient. I'm not sure I agree with Aaron's point that diesel is the way to go. I tend to think electric is the future.

Roll cage and six point harness with HANS device.
However, most people couldn't be forced into that kind of system.

[ebacherville]

I dont even like the seat belt laws.. forcing any one to conform is bad in my book..

However id love to see nice light cars with 6 point harnesses and a passenger cage.. And im all for the market providing airbags everwhere etc..

Also i think dieselis the wave of the future, and electric has possibilities if they can get ranges up into the 500 mil range then you could long distance travel with them .. 600 miles a day isalli need to sit in a car ever.. or ill take a plane..

Force by law is a no no but the market will demand what they feelis needed, and air bags are on of those things, dodge took the reigns on that one and now its hard to even find a decent used car without one.

[thebrad]

Originally Posted by ebacherville

I dont even like the seat belt laws.. forcing any one to conform is bad in my book..

However id love to see nice light cars with 6 point harnesses and a passenger cage.. And im all for the market providing airbags everwhere etc..

Also i think diesel is the wave of the future, and electric has possibilities if they can get ranges up into the 500 mil range then you could long distance travel with them .. 600 miles a day is all i need to sit in a car ever.. or ill take a plane..

Force by law is a no no but the market will demand what they feelis needed, and air bags are on of those things, dodge took the reigns on that one and now its hard to even find a decent used car without one.

I don't care if other people wear their seat belts or not, just as long as they die and take their brodozers with them.

Still curious why there isn't a "diesel hybrid" I am guessing it has to do with the heat necessary to keep diesels efficient (I think it could be remedied by a heater pack applied to the block or the oil pan, that's powered by the car's 12v while the car is in hybrid mode... then kicks over to ICE when the engine temps drop too low) or because of the emissions? Who really knows, we'll see what this new market brings.

[Chris D.]

They have diesel hybrid city busses..

I think that if they made diesel hybrid cars and trucks, it would be game over

Those new Hybrid SUV's (Suburbon, Tahoe, ect.) cost upwards of $90K!!!!!
My neighbor went to look at one and went laughing off the lot..

[thebrad]

Originally Posted by Chris D.

They have diesel hybrid city busses..

I think that if they made diesel hybrid cars and trucks, it would be game over

Those new Hybrid SUV's (Suburbon, Tahoe, ect.) cost upwards of $90K!!!!!
My neighbor went to look at one and went laughing off the lot..

All the city buses I know run on CNG and GM Hybrids were never a viable option.