The Green Machine That Could Be Detroit

[pstans]

Sometimes things make too much sense for them to happen.


http://nytimes.com/2005/07/24/business/yourmoney/24cont.html

July 24, 2005
The Green Machine That Could Be Detroit
By DANIEL AKST

IMAGINE that you are running a domestic automaker. Rising gasoline prices threaten your lucrative S.U.V. sales, a glut of car-making capacity promises ever more competition, and burdensome union contracts limit your ability to cut costs. Then there are the Chinese. They're beginning to put together the parts they've been making for years, and sooner rather than later, whole cars from China will arrive at scarily low prices.

What if one of them decided to break from the pack? What if a major automaker decided to reinvent itself as the world's first and only green car company, producing only hybrid, clean-diesel and other high-efficiency vehicles? Not Birkenstocks on wheels, mind you, but enjoyable, functional cars that get great mileage.

Consider the advantages. Such a company could drive down the cost of producing hybrids by attaining economies of scale. It would be ready- nay, eager - to comply with stringent clean-air rules wherever they were imposed. It would be positioned to exploit the federal mandate for low-sulfur diesel fuel, which will open the door next year to cleaner-burning diesel engines. And it would no longer have to compete as much on price, because consumers have shown a willingness to pay more for more efficient cars.

But the beauty of your venture is that it can also appeal to meat-eating S.U.V. owners. To them, you sell self-sufficiency, patriotism and the war on terror - the satisfaction of telling foreign oil producers to take their oil and drown in it. And your motto can still be "Do the right thing." Your vehicles will certainly have cachet. After all, hybrids are already de rigueur for some movie stars and their imitators in Los Angeles. Imagine having the brand that encapsulates enviro-chic all over the world. This is marketing that money can't buy.

[Old and In the Way]

1. What if NASCAR, instead of glorifying HP and speed,

promoted effeciency, instead? Imagine a race circuit dedicated to rewarding the best fuel efficency/technology that squeezes MPG's instead of BPH? Where a race is won by managing fuel consumption or even electrons?

I mean, how patriotic would that be?

[JRob]

2. don't hold your breath on that one...

[delete_bush]

4. Far too patriotic for the "patriots" to understand,

and no high speed crashes to look forward to. Similar to voting for someone who is an advocate of peace vs. war, makes it difficult to invade and blow up other countries.

Destroying things is manly, and repukes are manly men. Except of course when it comes to putting their own padded asses on the line.

[Nobody]

6. This happened already

Car and Driver did a piece on the Honda Insight where they participated in a 200 mile race sponsored by American Honda Motor Company. Read about it here.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/19991013/press001206.html

Car and Driver won with an astounding 121 MPG. A typical trip won't get you quite as good mileage, but you can still do better than anyone else on the road.

The prize was 5000 dollars to donate to the charity of the publication's choice.

[suneel112]

7. NASCAR Cars are definitely efficient

With NASCAR, Efficiency wins the race, since efficiency means less drag and more power going to the actual acceleration of the car. And winning is everything to racers. The thing is that to operate at 220 mph, the car needs a large engine to cover the huge force of drag (it is related to the Square of velocity) and a streamlined body to reduce the drag. However, people won't drive at 220 mph on the Interstate (hopefully), and a huge engine isn't needed. A big engine needs more gas just to stay running, even at low speeds, and that is why NASCAR automobiles are inefficient. At 220 mph, they are extremely efficient, but not at 30 to 40 mph.

[Old and In the Way]

8. You miss my point. It's all about the fastest to get to the finish line.

Within certain constraints, it still about maximizing power (true, with the least amount of fuel) over distance.

Why not promote engines with, say, 100cc's of max displacement? Or that limit total gas to say, 5 gallons/500 miles? Develop the constraints to award the fuel efficiency, but still make the winner the first to cross the finish line.

We should value engineering goals that conserves fuel rather than maxmizing HP today. Probably not as manly or exciting, but certainly more important on our future transportation priorities.

[Dogmudgeon]

10. That would be an interesting race

I know it's fashionable for many DUers to scorn NASCAR, Southerners, and "Rednecks", but if you actually know a few racing fans, you'll see that they aren't all a bunch of brain-dead macho jagoffs. In fact, I'd say that the average NASCAR fan isn't a whole lot different than the average baseball fan.

If NASCAR was to sponsor fuel-efficiency races, they'd get plenty of turnout as well as a huge amount of press. If there is a prize to compete for, a sport can be promoted around it. A competition including automotive engineers and professional drivers would bring in the traditional NASCAR crowd as well as the higher-income environmental enthusiasts. Such a cross-section of spectators being drawn to a sporting event that contributes to scientific, environmental, and technical progress should be a marketing dream come true.

Maybe someone here should suggest it to the governing board of NASCAR.

--p!

[Lefty48197]

3. I nominate Dodge

go for it.

[halfcourttrap]

5. Simple As Algae,,,,

You are very right about Detroit completely reinvigorating it self with a manufacturer(s) that pursue these avenues of potential...but far and away the most logical and pragmatic seems to be Bio-Diesel...

Let's not forget that Volkswagen and Mercedes and a slew of other European auto. manufacturers have been on the ball with Diesel refinemnent, and especially quick-accelerating "Turbo Diesel" engines. I think Detroit is a little scared to step into this realm, because they feel they will be "2nd Rate" initially in regards to the quality and manufacturing infrastructure that Europe has already in place for diesels...So they feel that if they throw a lot of money into that area and promote Bio-Diesel...THen the people that they appeal to with the idea will go out and buy an already reputable "Diesel" manufacturer with a good track record (VW, Mercedes, etc.)...then again Chrysler and Mercedes are one in the same... so maybe there are flaws in my theory...but there is much more to it than the manufacturing standpoint.....

Anyway...to read about the ease of use and total overall benefits of using Bio-Diesel, and to see it in action (lots of people already use it, even brew it themselves, is mind blowing!)

But think about this the most
The single best source for Biodiesel is ALGAE! It is often over 50% oil content by volume. The oil acts in the same way that oils from other typical Bio-D crops like rapeseed, soy, peanut, hemp, etc...But Algae contains often 2 to 3 times more Oil then even those by volume!...It is easy to grow nearly anywhere in America (especially Desert climates, and can also act as A filter for Nitrous Oxide spounting power plants by simply venting the exhaust into sitting water "pools" that grow the algae.. this supply of "pollution" then becomes a catalyst for Hyper-Growth of Algae!

IF you want the full skinny on Algae and its potential (and have a little while to read) check out this article

http://www.biodieselamerica.org/site/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf

Besides Europe many other countries are moving ahead of us on this, and we are going to be left making the "Yugo's" of diesels here if we don't get with it soon....even Brazil puts more emphasis on this area (and CHINA too)... I know GW likes to make mention of Bio-D (& other alternatives) when he gives his little cheerleader routines...but he doesn't put a simple concise plan on the table..and when something is based on something as basic as algae and seeds, it surely cannot be all that difficult! (My math says Federally...$250 billion over 5-8 years, and we will be set for a LONG LONG TIME!) ($5 billion per US state to develop accelerated growth algae pools at colleges and universities throughout the country) THEN THE FUEL COMPANIES BUY IT FROM THE SCHOOLS WHOLESALE FOR WHO KNOWS $. 75 -$1.00 A GALLON!.....

ps...dont get me wrong hybrid electric, hydogen, etc based manufacturing development is needed also, but none of those options are as Pragmatic and easy of a shift overall than a Large-Scale shift to Diesel/Biodiesel....

Hey and don't forget...a shift to Bio-Diesel does one main thing (It does not interrupt trade, and really how do u think prices on the shelves would be affected for everything else if truckers/shippers have steady, cheap diesel supply?
Pave the way for the future now...it is simple...just demand it! and in the case of Biodiesel ...heck, grow your own if they don't listen!

[Dogmudgeon]

9. Lee Iacocca?

He's been an ornery ratbasstid in his day, but he seems to have his head on straight when it comes to contemporary energy issues.

--p!