Comments on: California congressman wants to give $1 billion to American auto company that develops first 100 mpg gasoline-only car

By: Jessica Trau

Jessica Trau — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:18:08 +0000

1 billion is far too much. Besides the consumers would be eating something like that up. Furthermore it’s still dumb that it’s gasoline only rather then say a hybrid or something.

By: Mekhong Kurt

Mekhong Kurt — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:12:56 +0000

Here's the comment I just made over at The Hill's story:

I could clap for this bill with both hands IF it included a deadline. As it is, it just says the prize will go to the first manufacturer to make a vehicle powered solely by fossil fuel that achieves 100mpg and sells 60,000 units. Develop by when? sell by when? 2050?

As it now stands, I suspect this bill is aimed at trying to give the GOP some badly-needed street cred regarding improved energy efficiency as November's election draw ever nearer.

I will give it credit for being a start. Now, change it to include deadlines and MAYBE I'll take it seriously.

For now, I won't clap at all, since I could bring myself to use only one hand to do so.

By: John Frykman

John Frykman — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:58:52 +0000

If it’s such a good idea, why do the taxpayers need to fund it with a billion dollar prize? This is one of the stupidest ideas to come out of California in a long time. And stupid ideas come out of California by the hour.

By: Paul Scott

Paul Scott — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:40:24 +0000

Good point, but it’s easier if we just internalize the external costs of oil. Let’s start with the $80 billion in military costs protecting our access to the world’s oil. That works out to 55 cents/gallon. Talk about a subsidy! If you add in some of the cost of the Iraq war, the taxes can get very high. Then there are the costs of thousands of Americans who die prematurely from the effects of the pollution from internal combustion. Add some more for the massive environmental degradation from the extraction, shipping, refining, distribution and burning of that oil and all of a sudden the federal government is able to pay off much of its debt and still provide money to mitigate the problems caused by oil.

By: Paul Scott

Paul Scott — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:35:39 +0000

Battery packs for the Volt and LEAF are warranted for 8 years/100,000 miles. These are well made batteries that will last a long time, then buy a new pack and go for another 8-10 years.

By: Paul Scott

Paul Scott — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:34:17 +0000

Wrong on all points, Damon. There’s plenty of documentation on the availability of the various elements needed for EVs, just use the google.

I’ve been driving EVs for 9 years and powering them with kWh generated from the sunlight falling on my roof. My electric bill averages about $100 per year for both my house and car. I haven’t gone to a gas station since 2002 and I’ve driven 102,000 miles since then – all on sunlight. My EVs have needed virtually zero maintenance.

By: Paul Scott

Paul Scott — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:30:41 +0000

Richard you describe a crude example of the very sophisticated Chevy Volt. It’s a good idea and is being sold all over the country. You should go test drive one, they’re great!

By: Jason Wrinkles

Jason Wrinkles — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:19:55 +0000

Republicans are dumb

By: Richard Wills

Richard Wills — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:58:51 +0000

why not put a motorcycle engine in place of a regular engine and have the output shaft drive a generator to power electric motors on the rear wheels and a 15 gal. gas tank all that is being run is the cycle engine and you get about 80 miles to 100 miles to a gallon…

By: Henry Kim

Henry Kim — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:30:31 +0000

Isn’t CA bankrupt!!

By: Damon Schmitt

Damon Schmitt — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:53:43 +0000

Batteries are a dead end, and thus are electric cars. The Prius line alone already sucks up a huge portion of our current (global) rare earth metals production, and opportunities to increase production are slim and very costly, in terms of energy, manpower, and ecological disruption.

Batteries for small electronics = good
Batteries for vehicles = bad

By: Stefaan Van Damme

Stefaan Van Damme — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:25:37 +0000

Time to make decent batteries … they can fly to the moon and beyond, but a battery for a smartphone barely last 2 days … Give that reward to a decent car-battery

By: Damon Schmitt

Damon Schmitt — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:40:41 +0000

1 billion is a tiny tiny drop in the federal budget. That is ~$3 for every man, woman, and child in America. How can that not be worth such a boon to civilization?

By: Haewon Kim

Haewon Kim — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:48:37 +0000

That would be a billion well spent. Repeal the bush tax cuts for the wealthy, duh

By: Jessica Trau

Jessica Trau — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:16:03 +0000

1 billion is far too much. Besides the consumers would be eating something like that up. Furthermore it’s still dumb that it’s gasoline only rather then say a hybrid or something.

By: David Ni

David Ni — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:03:27 +0000

Where are they going to get that 1 billion?

By: Victor Velazquez

Victor Velazquez — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:59:44 +0000

Gasoline again? Go electric people.