I've never been much of a car person. I drive a 1999 Nissan Sentra and usually, when people ask what kind of car I drive, I just say "A black one". I get flat tires regularly and this summer my air conditioning went out. For years family and friends have suggested I look into getting a new car, but as long as it gets me where I am going, I'm okay with driving a car that is a decade old. That is, until recently.
It started when the US car companies found themselves in real trouble. I began finding myself drawn to commercials offering no interest financing and other great deals designed to lure people like me into the showroom. Then I began seriously considering it when I heard about President Obama's "Cash for Clunkers" program. Today I heard news that might just push me over the edge and into the dealership.
GM is now marketing the Chevrolet Volt, a rechargeable electric car that will get 230 mpg! That is more than four times what the Toyota Prius gets. The Volt is powered by an electric motor and battery pack. The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet. The Volt will cost roughly $40,000 and will be available in 2010.
Now, $40,000 is way out of my price range for car, but it did get me thinking. Will my next car be electric or a hybrid? Is there really any other solution? And what does that mean for the American big three auto companies? Will my future children laugh when they hear mommy used to drive a car that used gas? So my question to you this week is "What do you think of electric or hybrid cars? Are they the wave of the future or just a modern day fad? How do you think this will impact the American auto makers?" Answers are due no later than Monday, August 17th, 2009.
My dream car is a mint green Toyota Prius, but to be honest, it's because of how it looks. :-) But I like that it's a hybrid, I would feel like I'm contributing to something so much bigger than I am. I think hybrid and electric cars are a good idea. The only bad part about that electric car is the electric bill...but 230 mpg will save lots of money on gas. I believe they are more of a wave of the future because they are healthier for the environment. A lot of cars produce fumes and smoke, which is bad to breathe and bad for the environment. As long as American automakers jump on the bandwagon, they could be successful. If they weren't expensive, I believe they have the potential to be snatched up at an increased rate. They look good and have good mpg.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Kristen Rice
I like the idea of an electric car, I kind of want one. The main worry I have with electric is what do you do when the battery goes bad. Will they replace it? How much will it cost? How do you dispose of them? Will the batteries be disposed of properly? What happens if one is leaking acid? Does the engine still need oil? I have tons of questions, but I still have questions about gas motors too. I hope it's not a fad. I know it will be hard to pull some people away from their gas automobiles. I hope that the big three will see this and be afraid of it. Then they will make some which will decrease the price of the electric automobile. I just hope they last because we have done enough harm to planet Earth.
ReplyDelete-Zach Karnes
I think hybrids are a fad, but i think they are a good fad. that being said I think they are a good fad that will bring on even more eco-friendly cars with more solutions to what ever problems the hybrids and the electric cars will have.
ReplyDeleteI think these new cars will have a huge impact on american auto makers and i also think they will have a huge impact on jobs in america good and bad and i think the american auto makers for the time being are really going to suffer until durastic changes are made like the 2010 chevy volt.
I think the idea of electric cars sound awesome. I would want to tell people, " I drive an electric car." I think it's a great alternative to gas cars. Since gas is a big cause of pollution, I feel electric cars would make a huge impact, positively, on the environment. The only negitive side, if your battery runs out, will there be frequent "Battery Re-charge Stations" placed throughout the different states?
ReplyDeleteBeing that my family is in the car business, we watch news about the industry pretty heavily. I think hybrid cars are just a stepping stone to what cars will become in the future. At first, I think, they were a ploy to get the "green" people to buy cars; but they became a lucky idea when the gas crisis hit about a year ago. People act like the Volt is some new thing. There is a documentary about the older electric cars, that I believe was called, "Who killed the Electric Car?" There is a car in Europe that is a electric diesel hybrid that gets close to 200mpg, and that's at an average speed of 114mph. (don't quote me on this numbers exactly.) The only reason this is an issue in America is that they no longer have a choice on what they build. The government has a stake in two of the big three and will make them do what they want and Ford will have to do it to inorder to stay in the market.
ReplyDelete-Nicholas Alexander
I wouldnt mind driving a hybrid or an eletric car. It's better for the environment and has better gas mileage. I do believe that these cars are a wave of the future. At the rate of gas prices going up and then going down,these new efficent cars seem to be the answer to a few more dollars in your pocket. If I had the money i would invest in a hybrid or electric car. This would probally change the American auto makers ideas on product and build. It might even close down businesses or open more jobs to better and mass produce these products.
ReplyDeleteI not sure about the hybrid(because, I only have basic knowledge about them), but the electric car sounds like the wave of the future to me. It offers convience and efficientcy through it's various features; such as: AC power, and a battery pack for back-up power. Now of course like anything else, there will be extra cost with such great ideas as this like: replacing the battery pack once it dies for good, and proper disposal or fines for illeagal disposal, but these things are to be expected. Finally, I do believe that we won't be as dependant on oil for gas as we have been in the past.
ReplyDelete-Richard
Personally, I don't really care for either. I think both hybrid and electric models are cool and all but I have never really thought of myself buying one. Especially with the intense price range companies are asking for these "Eco Friendly" vehicles. Part of me is for helping our world out by cutting down pollution but when it comes down to it, I just want a car that runs. Do I think it's a fad....not really. I don't hear about too many people buying them or wanting to drop the cash for one knowing that the body design isn't that amazing. I also don't think that they are the wave of the future, unless companies start taking over other companies and as a result- will shrink into five smaller companies in the whole world. Then maybe, our choices in vehicles would change. This would impact America because foreign Motor companies like Toyota or Honda could ultimately take over and replace our American companies that struggle to make stable cars. If that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteActually these electric cars and hybrids are just a small part of a bigger concept. They are the building blocks to what "cars" will be in the future. We probably won't even call them cars anymore that's why I put quotations. We will have flying cars and actually we have them now. We have cars that run on nothing but air. We have cars that can even make their own fuel. Also we can even go as far to say that cars of the future won't even have to have a fuel source to be driven. Magnetic cars. Series of magnets in the car and the road surface are used to propel the car along the road. Or magnetic engines.
ReplyDeleteBut no I seriously doubt good ol' petro cars will ever go out of style or out of sight. I have two cars. A 67' Camaro and a 02' Eclipse and I will never buy a car that I can't hear.
Well I feel both ways toward this isssue. I was raised to be a tradional American. The idea of owning, driving, or even having a foreign car parked in our driveway was completely out of the question. My grandfather worked for Chryser for over 20 years and my great-grandfather worked at Ford for over 30 years. It was just part of our nature to by American made cars. I like the concept of having fuel efficient cars, but I believe in supporting the "Big 3". If/when the "Big 3" start making fuel efficient cars (electric or hybrid) then I may consider buying it, but I just feel like my grandfathers both worked so hard their whole lives at the Chrysler and Ford dealerships and I just couldn't turn my back on that and buy a foreign car.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is up the automotive industry whether this is a"fad" or becomes a long term trend. I understand at first cost will be high until more people purchase the electric/hybrid cars. But with the state of the economy cost now over cost later is a main factor in car purchases.The idea of electric cars have been around for a long time but I don't think that with oil companies making record profits and having lobbyists in Washington that many changes will take place.I think right now they see profits as more important than the overall environmental issues. The American automotive industry always seems to be the laggards in the trends and I don't see much hope for them anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteI think that electric or hybrid cars arent just a fad. The way people are living is changing and "going green" has to do with our environment which our cars are effecting. Our way of living is changing so our cars have to also. People may not like the idea of the new cars or may not be able to afford them, but I think people will adapt to the changes in hyrbids and electronic cars.
ReplyDeletei really don't know much statistically about savings in dollars, or environmental factors that are involved in gas, versus electric cars. I really believe that cars run on gas will eventually be obsolete at some point in the future, however long that may be.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I really like the idea of eco-friendly cars becasue I am a hige proponent of anything that will make a difference for the environment. I drive a traditional, gas-guzzling '96 Cavalier that causes me problems than it is worth but right now I can't afford anything new. My next car, I have decided, will be a hybrid. I do, however, want to do my research before I get anything because I want to read all the fine print that I am sure is there. I believe that it is the responsibility of us all, the auto industry included, to make an effort to conserve our earth. If it pays to spend a little more initially on the car itself but the savings on gas is great, shouldn't we all maybe consider the idea? I do think that if the governement wants us to consider buying more eco-friendly cars, then there should be a slight decrease in the price because they can be rather expensive. Maybe that is something that can be considered by the car makers so we can all afford something helpful for the environment.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that hybrids are a fad. I do believe that they are overpriced and it is more difficult for your 'average Joe' to afford. I also believe that cars that run on gas will be obsolete in the future because our way of life is changing and we are becoming more aware of environmental and economic issues. I believe that the American car companies are in so much trouble because they have not adapted to these changes. Foreign cars have taken over the market and if companies like GM had adapted sooner they may not have gone bankrupt.
ReplyDeleteI do however drive an American made car. I drive a 2009 Ford Focus. I, however, carefully considered all my options when purchasing a new car. If I could have afforded an electric or hybrid I would have, however, it is not either of those. I considered important factors such as price and gas mileage when purchasing. I believe I made a good choice for my budget.
I think in the future, just like computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices, the prices of hybrid and electric cars will drop with supply and demand and will eventually become the everyday norm. You're children will look back and laugh when they hear that 'mommy used to drive a car that used gas.'
I believe that hybrid and electrical cars are a great idea and will help to save our environment. As of now these cars are obviously going to be expensive, but as they become more and more popular the price will eventually go down. I think that sooner or later car manufacturers are going to have to turn to making these kinds of cars.
ReplyDeleteI believe there are several valid points and questions being asked about electric and hybrid cars. I personally think that they are a great alternative to the gas car. But there are a lot of unanswered questions like those stated above, what kind of service can you expect, what do you do if your battery runs low or goes bad, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest problem is the cost, it's a great way to move away from gas cars, but the price makes it difficult to transition, and I also see obstacles that will slow the transition from gas to the hybrid. "Tucker A Man and his Dream" He had some great advanced ingeniuty in the car making industry, but look at what the big 2 did to him. Until corporate greed can be dealt with in the manner it should, we will never progress into better alternatives if it means dipping into the pockets of those in control.
I do like the idea of hybrid cars. Don't know for sure if I can see myself driving one. I'm a little leary though on the fact that it not only runs on gas but it also runs on battery. What are you supposed to do if the battery is running low and other things. They are definitely more eco-friendly cars and that's what I like about them.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a good idea and great for the environment. When it comes to the big 3 I say screw them, they never should have gotten that bailout money aanyway, what should have happened is, our government should have split that money between every legal U.S. Citizen 18 and over, that would have been more than $700,000 a person!! Now what would you do with that money? Pay off loans, buy a house, and buy a new car. In return, the citizens would then bail out the corporations and the public gets bailed out. The way they did it, the corporations got bailed out and the public had to take one for the team. So in closing, yes I like the idea opf hybrid cars, and I hope it hurts the big 3 businesses.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hybrid cars are a great idea. Everyone should own one. Or an electric car. Gas just emits things into the ozone that you can't take back and plus gas is a non-renewable resource. I mean what happens when we run out of gas... I'm also all for electric cars, That would be a great alternative to anything we already have.
ReplyDelete-Heather R. Davis
I think we have to spend more time and money on developing hybrid and full electric technology. Why wait until it is too late? All the manufacturers have prototypes, why not get them to the public where the cars can begin the process of being bettered.
ReplyDeleteMy mom has a Camry hybrid. She loves it, it is a great car. It rides better it never gives her any problems and it was reasonably priced for what it is. I drive a dinky little 2-door hyundai accent and her car gets better mpg than mine does (her's is a large 4-door car). I think people are taking it as a fad but I don't see why it shouldn't be a wave of the future. It would solve a lot of world wide economic and environmental problems, even if just the majority of the population had a hybrid car.
ReplyDelete-Casey Frederick
I personally like the idea of electric cars but the real issues is not how many miles you will get in a tank but how long will it take to recharge. We need to think of recharging stations instead of gas stations in the future to get the ball rolling. I feel that American car dealerships are still behind and they continue to fall because they are not up with their competitors.
ReplyDeleteAlicia Jacobs
i believe that these are the new wave of the future. gas is a nonrenewable resource and we are just now figuring out how to get around that and still get where we need to be. it's just us advancing as a race and eventually these cars will blend into our culture. and as for american auto makers- they're going to have to adapt and fast because we, as americans, have an intense foreign interest and thats where they're at, electric and hybrid cars
ReplyDelete-Josh Hollandsworth