Energy use is fun!
In light of the energy bill which doesn't really accomplish anything, I thought I'd bring your attention to an interesting commentary brought to my attention by ATL's Finest. It focuses on why Detroit hasn't become a hotbed for alternative fuels for automobiles.
Pretty much, it says some American auto maker should recognize there is money waiting to be made by investing in hybrid technology and other cleaner--burning alternatives. With people more willing to pay higher prices for hybrids - I know my wife and I are considering doing so when we purchase our next car - it seems the time is right for a major U.S. auto company to jump right on in.
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.
It's interesting stuff. Check it out.
Pretty much, it says some American auto maker should recognize there is money waiting to be made by investing in hybrid technology and other cleaner--burning alternatives. With people more willing to pay higher prices for hybrids - I know my wife and I are considering doing so when we purchase our next car - it seems the time is right for a major U.S. auto company to jump right on in.
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.
It's interesting stuff. Check it out.
posted by Jmac at 8:30 AM
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