Solved: Cheap, clean and safe commuting
What would it take for you to consider one?
The key to transportation?
For $10,000 you can buy this two seat plug-in hybrid that, thanks to carbon fiber and advanced safety software, is basically safer than almost any vehicle on the road today. Even better if you plug-in every 50 miles, it’ll only cost a couple of dollars per week to fuel. Of course, at 85 mpg using gasoline doesn’t cost that much more.
Ready to buy?
OK. All my numbers are made up, and I’ve added extra specs and capabilities to the Lumeneo Smera electric car, a vehicle that would probably top $30,000 if sold in the US. But that’s not the point.
The point is, what will it take for Americans to reconsider the box we call our car today? If my specs and price were real, could such a vehicle impact US auto sales? Would you buy one?
People do care very much about the price of gasoline in my opinion, Tom, but we don’t really think about yearly costs I don’t believe, at least on average. My wife almost drives until fully empty because she hates to spend money on gasoline. Yet, I’d bet that if we went out shopping for a new car, the yearly cost of gasoline wouldn’t be on her radar. She’d worry about that later. We want to look cool or hot first, thinking is secondary when consuming, as new car buyers, we get caught up in the glitz and glam. Gas isn’t something we worry about until we have to actually fill up.
However, and to answer your second question, most would probably say that gas is too expensive, while I would say it is obviously too cheap.
Nice posting LarryG. You can always be counted on to bring up some additional good discussion points. I really like the statement about:
“Younger people tend to not think about how much gasoline costs on a monthly or annual basis as much as they care…”.
I think you might be right on target with that statement. I had never thought of that aspect of it before.
Tom G.
re: pushing air…. indeed…. and the other 49% is carrying iron ( steel, plastic, tires, etc)… and the 1% ? that would be YOU.
Two people in a conventional car usually can top one person in a Prius – for efficiency.
How many folks care about the cost of gasoline?
more than you think. My wife and a bunch of other people will drive 10 miles out of their way to save 3 cents a gallon…
80% of the population are OPPOSED to increasing gas taxes even a penny or two per gallon even though in most places the gas tax has not been increased in a decade or more.
too cheap? ha ha ha ha ha…
perhaps when people can pump 20 gallons of fuel for $20.
Most people hate like heck to fork over $30, $40, $50 for a tank of gas that they know – is expendable.. and easily expendable..
Unlike some, I am of the opinion that many people figure out how much they can afford to pay in monthly gasoline expenses and adjust their habits accordingly.
Younger people tend to not think about how much gasoline costs on a monthly or annual basis as much as they care about how much it costs when they gas up. (perhaps a bias on my part).
People who care about annual gasoline costs will trade that number off against the cost of the car and most of them will not pay more for a car that has a good MPG rating if they can buy an equivalent car for less.
They’re actually pretty practical and they don’t buy technology just for technology sake.
How many folks know how many cylinders and cubic inches their car has – or care?
how many folks know how to convert liters to cubic inches?
how many cubic inches is a 2 liter engine?
Did you know: “50% of avg. cars energy is used pushing air out of the way at a rate of 55mph” [from Aptera]. It’s a lot worse at 70 mph by the way [Tom G].
How aerodynamically efficient is the vehicle you drive? Or do you even know how efficient your vehicle is; or do you even care?
Here is a good question to ponder. What percentage of the American population do you think really care about the cost of gasoline?
_________%
In your opinion is gasoline currently too expensive or too cheap? A simple ‘to cheap’ or ‘to expensive’ answer will do, LOL
__________________yes/no.
Let’s see if we can have some fun with this. How about buying two, get out the resin and catalyst and join two together. Wow, a new car; 4 passengers, crash worthy, gets 42 mpg and does 0-60 in only 12 seconds [I added that, LOL].
Yes I know what you are probably thinking to yourself; Tom, you need to stop smoking that funny smelling stuff you can by in California, LOL.
But is all of this fabricated nonsense really so far from the truth? Trying going to http://www.aptera.com and many of your dreams might just come true. Of course it’s not a typical looking 4 passengers automobile but it is a start.
Tom G.