Paul Killinger

The Plug In Vehicle Scam

We are confronted by a variety of very serious life-changing problems right now, not the least of which is the affordability of energy. Those of us who would like to see a MEANINGFUL effort on the part of our elected representatives to address this have been disappointed thus far. Remember, NO nation in the history of civilization has been economically viable without fully utilizing its OWN energy resources.

The Plug In Vehicle Scam

Yes, Searcher, it would be wonderful if our politicians (of all stripes) left their Hucksterism at home. Unfortunately for us, that's all they seem to know or care about in the nation in which we now live.

The Plug In Vehicle Scam

A-Palmer,

You're going to get your wish. True EV's are ideally suited to your needs. All you need do is fork over $100K to Tesla or $50K to GM for a Volt when they come out and you'll be in business. Meanwhile, you may wish to opt for a Prius hybrid that costs $25K and gets 50 MPG.

The point is once we all make alternate transportation choices, which will differ according to our individual needs, we can begin making a serious dent in OPEC's stanglehold on us. And it won't take all that much to do it. If we can reduce oil consumption by just 10-15%, that will seriously limit their cartel's dominance.

The only remaining problem is no one in Washington has figured this out yet.

The Plug In Vehicle Scam

Let's talk for a moment about the true costs of building a CNG/LNG transportation infrastructure. First off, of the thousand or so CNG refueling depots now in existence in the U.S., all were built without public financing. And Boone is moving along in his LNG quest with no federal funds, either.

But let's say for the moment that the feds were to contribute to speed up the pace. What would be wrong wth that? This would surely generate MANY MORE REAL JOBS than the Green ones being bandied about by the Know Nothings in Washington, not to mention the ridiculous trillion dollars being spent by B-O & Co. in so-called Stimulus, which is replete with projects like updating skating rinks.

And what's more important to our future economy and well being? Getting rid of the yoke OPEC has around our necks, or rewarding one's political supporters? Insofar as those now running Washington are concerned, we've already learned the answer to that.

The Plug In Vehicle Scam

Wisdom,

While I concur with your thesis about the threat, or lack thereof, presented by global warming, I have a question about your second point. How is it that you arrive at the conclusion that NGV's are less efficient than oil for operating ICE's?

The Plug In Vehicle Scam

Michael Fitz,

I believe you've hit on the REAL car of the future. Now or later, it's eventually inevitable.

Lead Acid Batteries: How Cheap Beat Cool at Google

Pardon me if I try to simplify this as regards the current status of real world automotive technology, but doesn't that essentially leave us with the Prius and the Fit?

Energy Storage: Chrysler - A123 Alliance Likely to Spark Interest in Sector

We'll get to see how many such units Chrysler actually sells (maybe if they're still around, that is). As of this writing they don't have a road-tested vehicle to put their new untested batteries into yet. Then there are the still the minor matters of price, utility and reliability to overcome.

We can also build an interplanetary spaceship, you know. But we may be waiting a couple hundred years to figure out how to make the damn thing fly. On the EV front, so far we have the Smarts, the Tesla, the Baker and the EV-1. We're still waiting on how to make them work in the real world, too.

Lithium-ion Batteries: 9 Years of Price Stagnation

As regards investing, this may give a bump to Ford and the remaining viable automotive suppliers.

Lithium-ion Batteries: 9 Years of Price Stagnation

On the subject of legislation, it is worthwhile to note there are bills NOW coming up for votes on both sides of Congress that would deeply subsidize consumer purchases of new high mileage vehicles (similar to the current mortgage subsidies for homebuyers) built in the U.S. Since there are few true EV's for sale yet, their passage could result in millions of more ICE's plying our roads for the next decade or longer. It appears the necessity of saving our nation's existing auto industry today is pre-empting our President's desire to wean us off foreign owned energy resources at some point in the future.

Li-ion Batteries and How Cheap Beat Cool in the Chevy Volt

Keith,

EV's are built with small secondary gasoline engines in case you run out of electric power. But don't worry, we'll need plenty of tow trucks for the vehicles themselves.

Li-ion Batteries and How Cheap Beat Cool in the Chevy Volt

When tech met silicon chips it worked out great.

When tech met banking it worked out not so well.

And when tech meets government there's no telling what the outcome will be, but it most likely will not be pretty.

Li-ion Batteries and How Cheap Beat Cool in the Chevy Volt

John,

I thought I was sugar coating it.

When I look outside, however, I can't help but see the disastrous results of the fed's previous forays into our economy.

It's getting more and more like the Twilight Zone out here.

Li-ion Batteries and How Cheap Beat Cool in the Chevy Volt

Sounds like a new version of the Baker to me.

Oh, they'll get to using lead-carbon batteries alright. Right after the first few explosions are dramatized on 60 Minutes and a Corvair-like book (eg. Nader's Unsafe at Any Speed) comes out.

Just remember who's pushing this nonsense down our throats when it all craters. The same folks running the post office, Social Security and Medicare and regulating Wall Street.

Indeed, it's the VERY definition of insanity.

Energy Storage Incentives Approved by Congress

John,

When questioned on the subject of wind energy transmission and storage devices, Boone Pickens has repeatedly stated that these problems are already manageable. Since this gentleman is anything but an "All Hat" Texan, precisely what types of devices is he referring to when he makes this statement?