I remember a time, not that long ago, really, when regular unleaded fuel was hovering just about $1 a gallon, and sometimes even dipping below the $1 mark. Good times. And we're talking just a few years ago.
So SUVs became this huge deal. Sure, they average 1 mile per gallon on the highway, and zero miles per gallon in the city but WHO CARES, because gas was soooooo cheap.
And thus the SUV market boomed, culminating in the most useless vehicle on the road: the Hummer. Nothing screams worthless status symbol to me worse than seeing a Hummer navigating a city landscape. I mean, seriously, COME ON.
And so now the price of gas is very high, higher than I can even remember. And there's this part of me that thinks, "even I could see this coming."
But, there's also a part of me that realizes that some good can come from high gas prices.
Until, of course, hybrid cars drive the price of gas back down, and everyone starts buying SUVs 2.0, and the cycle begins anew.
Yeah, it's a simplistic world view, but that's how I see things. I'm simple like that. Simple like Wanda Nara.
Posted by Ryan at April 25, 2005 11:51 AMI did a couple posts on hybrids and there overstated mpg.
While they do get more mpg than a regular car, they only get about 75% of what the stated mpg is on the hybrids.
Posted by: Machelle at April 25, 2005 12:56 PMHey, my Ford Escape Hybrid is averaging about 30mpg!
Posted by: david at April 25, 2005 01:00 PMMachelle, I haven't researched some of the claims of hybrids, but I think a trend towards more fuel efficiency is a good thing. That, and I think it's beyond time for us to find an alternative to oil. It would make me immensely happy to sail the last tanker away from Saudi Arabia and say "Sorry old chaps, but we've figured out a way to fuel our cars and heat our homes entirely through the burning of hair clippings."
Posted by: Ryan at April 25, 2005 01:04 PMI agree, we are to dependant on oil and need to find an alturnative.
In the future I think hybrids will be the way to go, but as for now they are not as great as everyone thinks they are.
Hey david, my regular Ford Escape is averaging 20mpg, all city driving. While the hybrid is more mpg, it's not as what most people imagine.
Posted by: Machelle at April 25, 2005 01:56 PMFord Escape Hybrid?! File under: things only an American could possibly think of. What's next, a Hummer Hybrid? I mean, if you are thinking about fuel efficieny, you could do worse than starting to drive cars that are no bigger than absolutely necessary to get the job done, which for 95% of people equates to the daily commute, some shopping, and the occasional trip to the relatives.
Case in point: my Ford Focus 1.9 TDI (apparently not availably in the US) is plenty big for us and does better than 45 mpg. And even before I switched to a car with a Diesel engine, none of my cars ever did less than 35 mpg.
Posted by: Gudy at April 26, 2005 07:59 AMJetta TDI (diesel) - 45 mpg is one of the few diesel cars availalbe in the US. Diesel hybrids fueled by biodiesel?
Posted by: klo at April 27, 2005 01:29 PMDiesel hybrids fueled by biodiesel?
This is one of those ideas that look really good on paper but probably don't fly if you give the numbers involved a close inspection. IIRC, even at 75+ mpg, which is what such cars should be capable of, we wouldn't be able to satisfy our demand for car fuel from bio diesel even if we plastered the required rape/corn fields all over the land. IOW, there's just not enough arable land available for growing things we can turn into bio diesel.
Posted by: Gudy at April 29, 2005 06:36 AM
Stumble It!
