What 'big auto' thinks about fuel efficiency

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by menaus2

People's mindset is focused on hp, safety, and styling.

Neither really excludes fuel efficiency.

Aero design was once very hot.
Anyway, I wonder who is deciding today's styling, because most vehicles certainly aren't made to my liking.
Especially Nissan is building utterly ugly cars.
Their Juke really has to be a joke ! And a bad one at that !

[wdb]

While battery replacement costs may (or may not) currently be the straw man of choice, the fact is that lithium-based battery technologies face a daunting fact: there's only so much of it to go around. As the popularity of that particular technology rises, so will the price of lithium. And so will the price of the tech.

Sad to say, but battery technology is still the major stumbling block to electric cars. (I can't tell you how much I salivate over the prospect of an AWD, 1-motor-per-wheel, fully electronically controlled, Subaru WRX STi.) But the fact remains that, in BTU-per-pound and BTU-per-dollar terms, gasoline kicks a serious amount of butt.

Moral: invest in aero - or battery tech startups.

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Aero design was once very hot.

Well, design that was considered to be aero-looking was once very hot. Most of those old "streamliner" cars actually had pretty hefty amounts of drag...

-soD

[redyaris]

Originally Posted by menaus2

One of my favorite quotes sums it up well: "It's not the problem that's the problem, it's how you think about the problem that's the problem". People's mindset is focused on hp, safety, and styling. Not only is FE on the bottom of the list, but people's preconceptions about what matters in a car runs against what's necessary in car comprehensively designed around FE. Big Auto is in the money-making business, not the trying to change people's minds' business. High energy prices might make people reconsider their priorities.

I agree with most of what you say except the part about big auto ...not being in the trying to changing peoples minds buisiness... with government lobbying and add campains I think they may be in the changing peoples minds business too.

[menaus2]

Originally Posted by redyaris

I agree with most of what you say except the part about big auto ...not being in the trying to changing peoples minds buisiness... with government lobbying and add campains I think they may be in the changing peoples minds business too.

Well no doubt big auto has an amount of influence ($) they can throw around. I'm just saying they aren't going to go out of their way to try and challenge the historical norms of our "car culture" when low FE is more profitable. Whenever the feds want an increase in mpg, the way the big autos frame their arguments is telling.

[TheEnemy]

Nissan leaf 24kwh approx 100 mile range

3.3kw on board charger, approx minumum time for full charge 6-8 hours.

220 outlet = 15A

To charge in say 10 min 144kw charger, at 220v = 650A

Wont be taking the kids to grandma's for cristmass unless she lives close.

Great commuter though,