CARazed

Just to be upfront, I think electric cars and plug-in hybrids. This post is in response to the folks that think hydrogen cars have a future. To be honest I was shocked to see this post on AutoblogGreen today; I thought they were the good guys.

#1 Commercial hydrogen usually comes from natural gas.

The vast majority of commercial hydrogen comes from processing natural gas. This is because it’s cheaper and easier to extract hydrogen from natural gas than through the electrolysis of water. [source]

But lets say for a minute that we were going to get our hydrogen from water. Why would we use that electricity to extract hydrogen? Why not just use it to charge up the electric car? Oh right… Energy company profits would be at risk.

#2 A new national hydrogen infrastructure would be needed.

To build a national infrastructure of commercial hydrogen filling stations would take decades and would probably rely on the current natural gas pipelines like Honda’s Home Energy Station [Official Site]. Why not stop using fossil fuels and stick solar panels on out homes instead? Oh right… Energy company profits would be at risk.

In Honda’s defense they have also been testing a solar powered system to make hydrogen from the electrolysis of water. Honda seems to be way ahead of the curve and have their irons in many fires. Smart people at Honda.

#3 The largest proven natural gas reserves are in Russia and Persian Gulf.

The largest natural reserves of natural gas in the world are located in Iran and Russia. [source] Why the heck would we want to choose to experience, peak oil, peak coal, and then peak natural gas. Why not start building the world’s largest renewable energy system right here in our own backyard? Oh right… Energy company profits would be at risk.

Conclusion

I’m really happy that Obama has assembled the team of smart people he has. Decisions like the DOE cutting way back on Hydrogen is incredibly smart.

Hydrogen fuel cells are sexy sounding technology for a fossil fuel sourced fuel. Eventually when it’s possible to make vast quantities of hydrogen from the electrolysis of seawater and the electricity used to make it comes from renewable sources (solar, wind, wave, hydroelectric) then the real green promise of Hydrogen might be realized. But this would take decades so it makes a lot more sense to stop throwing tax dollars away on it.

If the energy companies are so hot to see hydrogen happen let them pay for it. Haven’t we let them raid public funds long enough with their pocket presidents and oil wars?

Electric cars, while not super sexy today, are a better long term solution and plug-in hybrid technology is here RIGHT NOW! Plug-in hybrids are the best transition technology because for local trips they never have to fire up their gasoline engines. Who knows maybe someone will figure out a flex-fuel plug-in hybrid too… now that would be cool. Battery and charging technology is also advancing very quickly making quick-charge electric cars a more likely near-term possibility.

I’m not on anyone’s payroll and I write what I think. What you see here are my humble opinions. If you take a little time and do the research yourself you’ll see I’m right. In the end we can make it all happen by simply voting with our dollars. Choose to buy a new car when they deliver a car worth buying. I’m holding out for at least 100MPG.

Read an opposing opinion by the CEO of a hydrogen pipeline and storage technology company.

Read why Google supports Plug-In Hybrids

This is a step in the right direction. Beginning in 2012 fuel economy standards will begin to improve. They will increase by 5% a year to a fleet average (cars/trucks) to 35.5 MPG by 2016. Some people this is is too much too fast but then you have people like me that would like to have seen this happen years ago.

The other thing that seems obvious about Obama is that he’s very focused on keeping America stable and moving forward. For example the only reason for so much government involvement in the repair of the economy is clear evidence that he thinks stability and security are more important than concerns of increased government control.

My guess is that he’s implemented these new standards because he knows, better than you or me, that we’re going to be in deeper trouble if we continue our reliance on oil. If anyone knows when we can expect peak oil it’s the President of the United States, (and the Saudis of course).

If consumer demand isn’t enough for the auto makers to change their products then the government must step in, which is really too bad too. I personally hate big government but even I must admit that when the vast majority of people are too busy consuming to notice the bigger problem, and corporations are too busy staying alive any way they can, someone has to step up to the plate and make some strategic decisions to help us avoid certain disaster.

I personally don’t need a fuel standard like this. I hardly drive anywhere anymore and if I were to buy a new (or new used) car I’d get the most efficient vehicle I could.

Read more at Treehugger.com

Read an oposing opinion at Jalopnik.com

The Aptera Typ-1 is now expected to hit the roads 2010. Technically licensed as a motorcycle, due to it’s three-wheel configuration, the Aptera Type-1 is super light weight and will get amazing fuel economy while still being a very safe vehicle to ride in due to it’s high-tech composite body. You can reserve an Aptera online today with a $500 deposit. Photo credit Aptera Motors.

Bob Lutz gives 60 minutes a tour of the upcoming plug-in hybrid from General Motors, the Chevy Volt.

AutoblogGreen, quoting from an interview GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz had with the Seattle Times, recently reported that the upcoming electric car from Chevrolet will cost a little more than previously reported, but not too much more. The car is still on target for a 2010 release.

Luckily auto industry lobbyists are working hard to get a larger new car buyer tax credit for cars like the Chevy Volt. They are pushing for the $7,000 ballpark, which would make it much easier for some to buy a car like a Volt. I think it’s kind of ironic that in this case lobbyists are doing something that benefits car buyers too. Their job is usually to help influence government policy to the benefit of the companies in their industry, but in this case a tax credit for green cars helps both buyers and auto makers. Nice win-win if you ask me.

In the same Seattle Times interview Lutz said that he expected 25% to 50% of new cars built between 2020 and 2025 would be electric, powered by electricity stored in batteries or generated on-board by hydrogen. This means he’s saying within 2 years we’ll have viable electric cars available from major auto makers and in 12-17 years a very large number of cars on new car lots will be electric.

Considering the shape the economy is in, and how few people have money to buy ew cars anyway, this seems like even more reason to make your next new car a super efficient electric car, plug-in hybrid, or range extended electric cars. These cars are just a few short years away. Hang onto your car now. If you need a more efficient car buy used. Wait to buy a new car until at least 2010.

I have the feeling GM and the other big auto makers got the picture at the Detroit Auto show. It seems that GM has created a new group to focus on Hybrids, extended range electric vehicles and batteries. See this official announcement for details on the new group. GM has also released new that they will be showing off two new trucks at the upcoming Chicago Auto show.

Pictured is the Denali XT, a duel-mode hybrid gas-electric truck that can drive on batteries and/or a gasoline motor. Besides the fact that it looks like a Honda Ridgeline was accidentally let into the Chrysler 300 cage resulting in a strange genetic mutation, this new truck looks pretty cool. Strange but cool. The exact details and fuel economy ratings are not yet public but it will be built on a unibody subframe giving it car like handling like the Ridgeline. The engine will most likely be a v8 or 6 cylinder that can eat e85 or gasoline. GM is even playing with technologies that shut down 4 cylinders under light loads.

Amazing that on Feburary 1st they announce a new group to build cars and trucks like this and at the same time. Odd that these cars are revealed right after the independent, silicon valley backed, auto makers show real progress in electric and plug-in hybrids. Almost seems like maybe they had this technology in their back pocket and were simply waiting until they had a business reason, like a competitor, to announce their presence.

But I digress into conspiracy theories… back to reality… because this is great news, no matter the catalysts for this sudden change. To see the big auto makers announcing advanced hybrids is wonderful news. It would be even better if they could also be plugged in, but I suspect any car or truck that has enough battery power on board to sustain a few dozen miles of travel on electricity could easily be converted to be a plug in hybrid.

As details of these new GM vehicles is available I’ll post more.  This is also more reason to wait to buy a new car until 2010 or so, when you’ll be able to buy a 100 MPG car and now maybe a truck too. We’ll see, but the evidence is mounting that this will come true.

There are mixed messages coming from GM about the timing of when the Chevy Volt will hit the market. But 2010 looks likely. If you watched the movie Who Killed The Electric Car you’ve heard the theory that GM and the oil companies conspired to kill EV1. We’re not going to debate that either way but if GM delivers the Volt they might just make up for any bad blood those rumors and theories might have created.

From the press material the Volt sounds like the perfect transition vehicles, from the all fossil fuel world we live into today to the all electric zero emissions vehicles of the future. In a nutshell it’s a plug in hybrid with the ability to run full electric for about 40 miles and then rely on either a small generator or small engine to extend its range up to 640 miles. GM is also thinking of using E85 or biodiesel as fuels for the on-board combustion engines.

We can’t wait to see the car on the road. This would mark a significant step i the right direction for all auto manufacturers. Comments?