Great Improvements in Fuel-Economy Standards Are a Double-Edged Sword
Here’s an article that speaks to the vast improvements in fuel-economy standards for our cars and trucks that we’re in the process of achieving. I’m sure a great more could be said about this graph that maps all this out over the last few decades, but two facts stand out to me:
An obvious one: That our cars in 1987 got better gas mileage than they did in 2007 is absolutely deplorable.
A slightly more subtle one: The rapid improvement in gas mileage occurring today, while something to celebrate, puts a damper on the migration away from fossil fuels – something that we most certainly need to accomplish. For example, today’s car-buyer who may be considering an alternate fuel vehicle, perhaps an EV, needs to consider the modest savings in fuel given gas consumed at the rate of 50 MPG, vs. the far more onerous cost of gas consumed at 25 MPG — the prevailing average just a few years ago.
Craig,
So what you are saying is that you don’t like the fact that cars that run on petroleum based fuels are becoming more efficient, because that may dissuade some people from buying cars that run on coal and are much worse for the environment.
I don’t see the logic in your complaint.
You and I disagree on this, but I believe that we are, indeed, headed in the direction of electric transportation, and that the short-term issues associated with the production of electrical energy from coal are soon to be trumped. Only time will tell. I’d be willing to bet I’m right, but, if I’m still here on this planet at all, I’ll be a very old man when we can finally settle the bet.
Craig,
I actually agree with you that the issue with the electricity generation will eventually be solved, but I’m certain that I won’t live long enough to see it.
I’m far more certain that a vehicle sold this year will not live to see it – which means that every minute of usage from an EV bought or sold this year (or the next two or three decades for that matter), will always result in net additional damage to the environment rather than net additional good.
More efficient vehicles, in most cases, begin doing net good within a year of switching from older and less efficient models. So the implementation of more efficient vehicles helps the environment immediately, and continues to help every day the vehicle is operational, while the purchase of EV’s hurts the environment today, and will continue to do so every single day the vehicle remains operational… A fact that is certain to continue for decades.
Bet or no bet… You’re on the wrong side on this one.
*shrug*
That said, we’re both still working towards the betterment of the environment, we still agree – in broad terms – on the basic path that humanity must take… and we still are on the same side politically on both issues. I still count you as a friend, I hope for your success, and
and hope you count me as such as well… But there’s no possible future in which a Tesla S sold today doesn’t cause significantly more damage to the environment than a Lexus ES 300h or a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid… and the luxury gasoline vehicles will cost ~$40,000+ less (AFTER consdiering fuel costs) – freeing up that much additional money to invest in wind farms or solar fields.
The same is true if you compare a Chevy Spark to a Toyota Prius sold today – the gasoline vehicle will absolutely result in less damage to the environment, and lower overall costs for the purchaser – who could then pursue other more effective climate change mitigation strategies.with the extra money.
If this will always absolutely be the case for a vehicle sold now, why would you wish the more polluting, more expensive vehicle be sold now?
I am always happy to see fuel economy get better. I am unhappy to see that all cars are not made to burn biofuels. In the case of gasoline burning cars, making them burn ethanol is a simple matter of a couple of hundred dollars worth of hose and fittings, which most cars come off the assembly line with already today, and a small alteration to the computer controlled mixture profile. I have friends who do this. In the case of diesel burning cars, it is the same making sure there is proper fuel hose which, again, most cars come with standard these days. Otherwise diesel cars will already burn biodiesel with no further modifications. Yet if you purchase a diesel burning vehicle in the U.S. it comes with a label at the fuel filler cap that says “use of more than 5% biodiesel in this vehicle will void the warranty” and these are the same cars that come from europe where they burn biodiesel with no problem. The only thing this label does for me is insure I will not buy a vehicle that is still under any kind of warranty. Of course diesel engines love to turn generators but I have yet to see a diesel or biodiesel burning hybrid or a hybrid that will burn ethanol for that matter. There is no mechanical reason for this so I can only conclude that there are political reasons for this. I think there are hands in pockets here.