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Archive for May, 2009
Carbon schmarbon: It’s foreign oil dependency, stupid
Author: admin
Does global warming resonate with America?Today, most Americans – most of Main Street – believe that hybrid cars are “strategically” important to the United States. Yet, most of these Americans have real doubts about global warming. So, how do most Americans reconcile this bit of irony?
Foreign oil dependency.
According to recent data, most Americans believe hybrid cars are “strategically” important because of foreign oil dependency, followed by saving auto jobs. For most Americans, global warming is not a reason to buy a hybrid vehicle.
Yet, Democrats, when discussing the issue of the oncoming auto revolution, always frame this conversation around global warming. Around carbon. Around cap and trade. Main Street, however, does not agree with Democrats on this issue.
Of course, once America also believed ’separate, but equal’ was a fair policy until the government led America out of that insanity. So, the government leading the people, rather than the people leading the government, is sometimes a necessary evil.
Nonetheless, why not more of a focus on ending foreign oil dependence? Inevitably, ending foreign oil dependence would have a positive impact on global warming. Moreover, ending foreign oil dependency, like beating the Russians to the moon, is something almost every American could rally behind. Foreign oil dependence is the thread that can sew unity amongst the workers, industry, and and the government.
Ultimately, inevitably, American tax payers are going to risk as much as a few hundred billion on the US auto industry. Why not leverage this investment into a national campaign to end foreign oil dependency? Besides if you bring average Americans into this movement, it will probably be easier to work cap & trade legislation through Congress in the background.
Audi A8: First spy shot with D4 body work
Author: adminAudi R8: Audi says no to electric debut in Frankfurt
Author: adminAudi Q5: A perfectly formed soft roader
Author: adminVW Jetta Sportwagen: Facelift coming this fall
Author: adminVW Eos: White Night special edition
Author: adminTime to have the brakes checked!!
Author: admin
Can you bring your vehicle to a sudden stop safely? A visitor to the Arrive Alive website sent an email with the attached photo of incorrect placement of traffic signs. I could not help smiling despite knowing that this is a potentially dangerous “road condition” – which I believe has since been addressed by the traffic authorities!
It also reminds us that sometimes we might need to bring our vehicle to a sudden stop – and to have our vehicles properly maintained and the brakes checked!
Also view the new section titled Road Traffic Signs of South Africa.
FOTA Submits Entries For F1
Author: adminWell, we can now all breathe a sigh of relief. FOTA, the Formula One Teams’ Association, has signed conditional entry to the F1 2010 season. The Association includes the teams that were previously holding out of signing due to the £40million budget cap, but this seems to have been somewhat placated by a £100million cap for 2010 (with a lower cap the following year).
The FIA of course can continue to move the goalposts, to change the the rules under which the teams play the game. Apparently, they now have until 12th June to decide to confirm intentions, but I can’t see anything changing from here. The FIA simply can’t afford to have so many big players step out of the game. Perhaps, in light of the cap not being initiated for 2010, we’ll see new teams enter the fray in 2011.
20 percent hybrid by 2020?
Author: admin
Ford better get ready to increase its hybrid productionIn just a few years, shoppers of Honda hybrid cars will face a tough decision.
Should they buy the cheapest and smallest Honda hybrid, the Fit or the larger Honda Insight? Or, for those not interested in hatchbacks and desiring a little more passenger space, the Civic hybrid might be better . Then again, maybe some Honda hybrid consumers won’t care about size, but instead prefer something sporty like the CR-Z sports hybrid.
So, why is Honda going hybrid crazy? Well, perhaps they’ve seen JP Morgan’s latest hybrid prediction. By 2020, according to JP, hybrid sales in the US will reach 19.4 percent of the new car market.
Shoot. If gas prices pull another 2008 in the next few years, I’d say that JP is underestimating the hybrid market. In fact, the way that Honda is ramping up its hybrid efforts, I wouldn’t be surprised if Honda was hybrid-only by 2020.
Now, US automakers, that’s a whole other story.
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