Hybridize or kill trucks and SUVs
A hybrid pickup truck from GMCan plug-in technology turn trucks and SUVs into fuel saving monsters? I guess that depends on your definition of good fuel economy.
Google's REChargeIT program converted a number of Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrids into plug-in hybrids. The Prius averaged about 93 mpg, but on city trips it averaged as much as as 115 mpg. The Ford Escape hybrid, on the other hand, averaged about 50 mpg, and that's a relatively small SUV.
The fact is, is that the fuel economy of most American trucks and SUVs is insanely pathetic. Yet, trucks, for instance, are the top selling vehicles in America, and turning these vehicles into plug-in vehicles is far too cost-ineffective today. Nonetheless, something has to give.
Either Americans have to give up these vehicles, or US automakers need to dramatically increase their fuel economy, and they need to start as soon as possible. So, why not some kind of government carrot and stick that forces US automakers to convert all trucks and SUVs into hybrid vehicles, while offsetting the price difference for the first few years? Also, as battery technology develops, many of these hybrid pickups could be converted into plug-in pickups.
Ultimately, can we really expect the US auto industry to survive without forcing great change? Moreover, shouldn't that change begin in the sector most important to US automakers?
Labels: Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:39 AM
7 Comments:
Yup, that sounds good. Setup up a hybrid credit for trucks. I would even be happy with canceling the car hybrid credit (that game is over) and focusing on hybridizing trucks. GM's two mode hybrid system is complete and just needs economy of scale and further investment to bring costs down. Is Ford hybridizing any trucks? Will their Escape hybrid system work for bigger trucks?
Dahc, what do you think about this program?
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/27/chrysler-submits-448m-plan-to-build-electric-vehicles/
"Chrysler has submitted a series of plans to the U.S. Department of Energy intended to speed up the development of plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars and trucks under the DOE's Transportation Electrification Initiative and Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiatives. Under the terms of these initiatives, Chrysler and the DOE would each pay half of a total investment of $448 million.
If approved, Chrysler says it will build a new-vehicle electrification technology and manufacturing center at an unnamed location in Michigan that would have the capacity to produce 20,000 vehicles per year. The initial programs would focus on building 100 plug-in hybrid versions of the Dodge Ram pickup truck along with 100 plug-in hybrid Chrysler Town & Country minivans. Further, 165 fully electric Town & Country cargo vans would be used by the U.S. Postal Service for daily mail service."
I don't know. I read about this last night, then again this morning, and I've been contemplating a post ever since.
Still, I have to admit I have very little faith in Chrysler at this point. Moreover, 20,000 vehicles per year? Such a program will take many years to recover costs. Honestly, this seems almost like a bad joke to me.
Check out my latest post. Toyota and Honda are slowly prepping up a small car hybrid war amongst themselves and US automakers aren't even in the game or close to being in the game.
Personally, I just don't know that I believe that GM and Chrysler are really ready to compete in the automotive revolution.
6'8", 290#
That's not exactly Prius-size and the Tahoe is just too expensive right now to make any sense.
How about a $40k hybrid Ford Expedition? I'd be first in line.
john -
well, i'm arguing that we should incentivize such hybrids so that they cost the same as non-hybrids. this is the segment that has been the Big 3s bread and butter. thus, to me, it seems it should be segment that the government spends more time trying to help the Big 3 with.
i don't drive large vehicles, but I'd completely support such a tax incentive. most on the green side would not because they would prefer just to pretend people like you don't exist. i just want to keep it real and move forward.
It's not that people like that don't exist..but what they want is completely retarded frankly.
We need to take big steps not baby steps...just so as to not offend "big guy big truck type" egos.
They've had their way since start of the oil industry. And now that the squeeze is on, they act as though they've been restricted in their activities and choices when it's been the other way around all along.
I'm frankly sick of it.
Noz -
For me it's not an "ego" thing... I just can't get one fit inside any of the current hybrid models. I'm sure you're under 6'2" and can thus easily drive any car, but I'm 6'8" and have a limited selection.
Anyways, let's get a full-size hybrid vehicle on the market for less than $40k, that's my point. Either that, or I can strap two Mini's together and ride on the top.
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