Tesla Roadster: See no exhaust pipe! 0-60 3.6 seconds! Cost $4 per 240 mile charge to run!
I think the whole aim of the car industry has been to keep us on oil – and so for years they have been suppressing any and all viable alternatives. While we advance in leaps and bounds in computers and technological industries — aside from the outer cover and some new electronics – cars have virtually stayed the same. In today’s technological world this is unacceptable.
Not surprisingly sympathy is thin on the ground for the Big Three automakers – and in order to survive they are going to have to decouple from the oil industry. This is where policy comes in – as the Bush administration has been all about oil – and how to get us all to spend more on it – he got his wish – but it was a bit like the king who touched his daughter and turned her into gold. Up until recently the whole aim was to make us believe – that we needed more and more of this oil – this coming directly from the addict-in-chief. The mindset is so bad – that at the RNC you had Republicans chanting Drill Baby Drill, because the thought of a technological way around the oil – is unthinkable to them. 50 years down the line they still see us using the same technology – needing roughly the same amount of oil. Palin – an oil addict and others like herself – first need to line up the belief that we need this oil and we can not do without it – for a long long time – then they place themselves in the position to be the providers of that oil. Even better than the measly cash that a guy would make as a lobbyist. This is like Beverly HillBillies’ cash – no wonder they are addicted.
But here is the trap for the car industry – The Big Three – Republicans are into little or no government intervention – their philosophy is bankruptcy would do them good – ironically the Drill Baby Drill – was for the hungry engines the Big Three were making – that they refused to modernize [in ways that inventors have done time and time agian in their garages] – more a Republican-conservative idea – oh the betrayal!
On the other hand the Democrats’ position – is that the Big Three have been too arrogant for too long – and they are actually holding up real progress – if you want us to bail you out – then we are going to have to see some electric cars, some hybrid/electrics and cars that are going to largely bypass the burning fossil fuels to run. The oil addicts should be getting really uncomfortable – but these are the same guys who are willing to let the car companies fail.
Alternatively, by letting the car industry collapse – the Obama administration can then divert more funds to the smaller car industry – which are willing to produce the cars of the future – like the Tesla.
Porsche (eRuf Model A) the first fully electric version of the car.
This whole bailout/loan deal with the auto-industry will hinge on what kind of plan these automakers will come back with in two weeks – we can only hope that it will not be a plan to help the oil industry – but one with a view of the future – that will instead help themselves and the people who will be driving their cars. I’m all for the fully electric SUV. Who says we have to make them small – just energy efficient. Today the best car batteries can take us 200 miles/300 km on a single charge – tomorrow 400 miles/600 km on a single charge? We may end up having to charge our cars once a week – today it cost 2¢/mile to run – tomorrow it might 2¢/10 miles? If the present car industry isn’t willing to do it – perhaps we need an alternative car industry.
Out Foxing Karl Rove 
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November 22, 2008 at 3:27 pm
dillimax690
Although cars use a lot of oil I don’t think that they’re the largest consumer of petro so your argument about the auto industry trying to keep us hooked on oil doesn’t fit. People in Asia and Europe have been paying $6- $8/ gallon since 10 years ago and they have yet to resort to the electric car. In any case let’s say you’re right, let’s give the BIG 3 bail outs and force them to build electric cars. What good does this do? I’d rather buy a gasoline Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, VW, Hyundai, Subaru or Toyota and none of them are asking for bail outs.
If we don’t bail them out we’ll lose jobs. We’ll be fine. We used to be the largest shipbuilding country in the world and now all those jobs have gone to Asia but we’re still here. England used to build Mini Coopers, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Aston Martin, etc. Now they’re all owned by Germans but they’re still being built in England! Bankruptcy is not the end of the world for the BIG 3.
November 22, 2008 at 5:47 pm
cole55
Yeah – but if you notice I did throw in an alternative – that if Obama/Dems allowed the car industry to flop – then they could divert funds to industries that are more willing to produce these cars of the future.
As far as Europe goes – I’m afraid everyone is crying at the pump!
Listen burning oil /petrol/gas in our cars is like lighting our homes with an oil lamp – remember those! Compared with the more efficient light bulb.
Click on the Tesla picture – and read the specs. You are looking at a car that does 240 miles/charge for approx. $4. How many people travel 240 miles in one day. A car that goes 0-60 in 3.6 secs. There is no comarison – these cars are more powerful than gas guzzlers – which are 80% inefficient.
It is much more efficient to burn the oil at the power station and turn that into electrical energy – plug our cars in and turn that into chemical energy – which could then keep our cars moving for 200 plus miles on a single charge – you can’t beat it.
There is no question that the car companies have been actively suppressing technology – over the years we have made incredible leaps in computer technology – but our cars have stayed the same – if nothing else it is embarrassing.
November 22, 2008 at 10:18 pm
dillimax690
The TESLA looks great but my money and most others would go to an unsubsidized Honda Accord. Point being is that we shouldn’t bail these guys out. You may be right in that companies like TESLA will supply an alternative means. To me it doesn’t matter just as long as they don’t request tax payer money.
I don’t get how car companies are supressing technology. Car companies build cars that people want to buy. It’s so obvious with the case of the Big 3. They’ve been building cars that people don’t want and thus they’re broke. It’s that simple.