Is McCain's battery prize really that dumb?
And the X-Prize was worth only $10 millionWhen I first heard of John McCain's battery prize and tax credit for EVs, I wasn't impressed. I wanted tax credits for today's hybrid vehicles. Others, such as Cars.com have called it hype, and the DetroitNews even called it dumb. Barrack Obama called it a gimmick.
Ironically, Obama has ethanol contests planned, and I'm pretty confident there isn't a bigger "gimmick" than corn-based ethanol.
Still, the X-Prize inspired many to risk lives to achieve back-to-back suborbital space flights that many claimed impossible - all for just $10 million. For a small start-up, the potential of a $300 million dollar prize could be quite alluring. And, let's be honest, the US auto industry has been stuck in the box for decades, such a battery prize could help a small company compete against this in-the-box mentality.
Granted, a battery prize is not comprehensive energy policy - not by a moonshot - but isn't a little competition better than just the handouts that have gotten us nowhere in the past?
Labels: Hybrid Vehicles, lithium battery, x-prize
posted by Dahcredyns at
7:31 AM
6 Comments:
Imagine a Detroit paper thinking a idea that'll hurt the Big 3 as a "dumb idea". I wonder if the writer is familiar with the EV1.
If Eestor's (of Texas) claims about their "ultracapacitor" prove true, they may already have it in production before a newly elected President McCain could even get the prize established. It could win by default as a "done deal". Then they could drive to D.C. in their new ZENN to claim the prize. Of course that is a big IF!
howard,
i was thinking the same thing as i read the editorial.
considerable tax money went to the big 3 via tax dollars to help develop vehicles like the EV1 and hybrids and look what the Big 3 have to show for that investment.
dn-
and its not just eestor, there are countless companies out there 'thinking outside of the box'. many of those companies were motivated by prize money, particularly, the auto x-prize.
aside from motivating companies, i think contests can also help excite consumers and change perceptions about what the automobile is and what it can be - it doesn't have to be just huge gas-guzzlers in America.
that's obvious now, but had there been more open-mindedness and innovation a couple of decades ago, the US economy would be unstoppable right now.
I think what makes McCain's "prize" dumb is the lack of focused goals.
The phrase "..exceeds every current technology.." was what I heard reported from several sources. That is such a vague, unfocused goal that I find it hard to believe that anyone would believe they could collect.
That's why it is perceived as a political gimmick - "shooting from the lip", rather than a serious prize like the X prize.
Well, call me jaded, but I think the whole thing is a gimmick. Ultimately, since the President doesn't legislate, all he/she can really do is set a direction and provide an outline. The details are always worked out through Congress. Thus, most political statements are gimmicks geared for the 30 second soundbyte because they largely mean nothing in terms of real world legislation.
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