The Cellar - View Single Post

Undertoad · 01-09-2002, 10:28 AM

We are on the way already. In 1990 fuel costs were 8% of the GNP, now they're 3%. I don't have any source or context for this statement as I heard it in passing. Also Russian and Mexican sources are gearing up which will lessen the importance of the Mideast.

The truth is that such innovations don't come from government "investments" anyway -- as the article points out, the only two automakers with hybrid vehicles on the market are Honda and Toyota, who didn't have anything to do with earlier "initiatives". The market, as always, is driven by demand and any political changes only confuse the matter. After the last serious oil crunch there were scores of bills in the legislature concerning synthetic fuels and alternative energy, and 20 years later we are still driving internal combusion engines fueled with petroleum.

The truth is that a lot of these technologies are just barely out of reach. If gas prices were to double and stay there, you'd see hybrids and fuel cells and hydrogen and natural gas and all sorts of of other things in short order.

01-09-2002, 10:28 AM	#3
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	We are on the way already. In 1990 fuel costs were 8% of the GNP, now they're 3%. I don't have any source or context for this statement as I heard it in passing. Also Russian and Mexican sources are gearing up which will lessen the importance of the Mideast. The truth is that such innovations don't come from government "investments" anyway -- as the article points out, the only two automakers with hybrid vehicles on the market are Honda and Toyota, who didn't have anything to do with earlier "initiatives". The market, as always, is driven by demand and any political changes only confuse the matter. After the last serious oil crunch there were scores of bills in the legislature concerning synthetic fuels and alternative energy, and 20 years later we are still driving internal combusion engines fueled with petroleum. The truth is that a lot of these technologies are just barely out of reach. If gas prices were to double and stay there, you'd see hybrids and fuel cells and hydrogen and natural gas and all sorts of of other things in short order.