Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Big Dog's Boom Boom Room -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (164909)	3/3/2012 1:59:16 PM
From: 7 Years	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 206184

CNG trucks and cars are coming, as are electric cars, but, as I see it, it will be a supply and demand, and technology issue as we go forward. Everyone is aware of the benefits to our climate/environment. Business would not take this on if there was not a benefit for them - subsidies, etc - but this is not newsworthy, so let's play up the theme of the day. It is also a convenience issue. Where are the filling stations, are they where we want them? Truckers are not going to take a route that is not economical unless compensated - increase in cost to goods transported? Does the average consumer care if it doesn't impact on one's wallet and lifestyle - MHO is no. This issue also goes to the general public transportation requirements as well. For the consumer, electric car recharging, how long, what is the cost. Fifty dollars for a tank of gas and 15 minutes versus charging time and cost. The Chevy Volt commercials - 35 miles on the electric charge then over to gas - cost benefit must be considered here. Initial subsidy to purchase is a one shot deal, here today and gone today. Hybrid cars give 40 to 50 miles per gallon depending on which country you are in (US gallon versus IMP gallon - wish they would standardize this to litres per). Volkswagen and others have been delivering high mileage cars just using gas and diesel as well for some time. North American makers are finally getting the picture some 40 odd years after the Japanese entered the frey. Battery replacement for hybrids after 7 to 10 years is going to be an issue going forward, expensive - what do we do with the old, but for those that can - replace/buy new before that date, let someone else take the hit. One issue is infrastructure needed to support these new vehicles as they criss cross the continent. There will always be a requirement for gas/diesel operated vehicles because of location, pure economics. The greatest benefit to any of this is competition. The big three were told many years ago by the Japanese that the north american population want fuel efficient, well built cars (wouldn't say the first Hondas and Datsuns were very well made - remember the Skoda). This was not taken to heart until recently. Bring on the new technologies, let's see what happens when the price of these new technologies take off and the old technologies decrease. Could there be a shift back to the old? There were technologies developed back then as well that increased fuel efficiency (not many, but a few). These were quietly bought and went the way of the Dodo bird. Is it possible to see this happen nowadays, a good discussion topic. North American car (and truck) manufacturers still have us thinking that 30 MPG is good - look at the ads on TV. Had this back in the seventies/eighties, not much progress since then, or is it that we are only supposed to drive an average of 15k miles a year (insurance estimates - in Canada its 12K kilometers per year) and therefore doesn't matter? Are we going to become a less upwardly mobile community like we were in days gone by - who knows. I digress, just an observation on the info in your post, and a layman's thoughts on the matter. Like what is happening, but there is still a long way to go. Cheers