ART005

Fuel Systems Solutions Conceptualizes a Better Energy Policy

Deweyp, here is some HPEV battery info right here on seekingalpha:
seekingalpha.com/autho...

On Jun 12 07:32 PM Deweyp wrote:

> You are right, I'm just a hard working grunt in the auto industry
> who heats his house with fuel oil, but I have an electric plug in
> my garage.

Fuel Systems Solutions Conceptualizes a Better Energy Policy

Hello 396040,
The benefit is in redistributing the energy portfolio at a net benefit to the nation and probably the world. Illustrating more of what you question:
1. The limited market that can use a 30 mile/day PHEV will see their operating cost go way down compared to gasoline. Nuclear and Coal likely main source. Remember PHEV applies as much to bicycles and scooters as it does to cars.
2. Where nat gas market is strong those drivers will see their $/mile costs drop by almost 50%. For instance OK, TX, WY, MT, CA, others? Their less gasoline use benefits the other gasoline users just as with PHEV.
3. Geothermal Heat Pump HVAC can help offset some increased Nat Gas use with real savings.
4. Solar Hot Water at even the residential level is at least break even with Nat Gas, and much better than propane and elec.
5. Commercial scale energy alternatives usually can't match coal and nuclear but they help maintain a ceiling on the other energy prices to help keep their use more affordable. Wind, Solar Heat Elec., Geothermal Heat Elec. all provide elec. at under $0.10/kWhr.
6. Throw in more conservation education and it can be substantial. All we need is perception that oil prices won't always go up to run the speculators off. Right now the message is $100/bbl and then $200/bbl are guaranteed in the future. When that is believed it becomes selffullfilling (sp?) due to speculation.

On Jun 12 02:14 PM user396040 wrote:

Fuel Systems Solutions Conceptualizes a Better Energy Policy

Deweyp, I don't think you have a technical background:
1. Natural gas cars do exist. Fueling systems exist.
2. Adding regenerative braking to a natural gas car is not a technological hurdle.
3. PHEV (plug-ins) are a huge unknown based on world supply of battery materials, operating range, life/cost cycle, charge rate capacity, weather sensitivity, and all around market demand. The market/gov has to decide if PHEV are going to be light productive vehicles unable to meet current crash standards or PHEV will meet crash standards and give up most benefits of elec. car technology.
4. Almost 10 years ago practical analyst called for the bankruptcy of GM based on simple revenue vs. income charts. Union reps held their positions encouraging outlandish compensation and Execs. signed the contracts to keep the place going long enough for them to collect a few more years of million dollar salaries. The whole thing was a predicted scam publicized 9 years ago. Sorry you didn't get the memo! Details above in NakedJayBird.
5. GM had a 40 years head start on U.S. automarket. They blew that and everything else. Don't tell U.S. families paying their bills what social engineering now has to be done for U.S. auto industry to pretend they haven't destroyed themselves. U.S. auto industry doesn't build Nat Gas cars because they think they don't have to. Me thinks they doth protest too much!!
6. When you try to justify the value of an industry that killed itself, each auto worker you describe in your first post should ask themself would they pay themselves the rate to do the work for themself the rate they were being paid? The same applies to alot of U.S. workers.

On Jun 12 01:10 PM Deweyp wrote:

> Michael. I see 3 problems here.

Fuel Systems Solutions Conceptualizes a Better Energy Policy

The $4,500 gift you mentioned is similar to the typical $6,000 given to homeowners installing residential grid-tie solar panel systems that generate elec. at around 4 times the cost of typical technologies. The gift never has to be returned. There are even complete used systems on the market, presumably removed from homes.

On Jun 12 11:19 AM nakedjaybird wrote:

> Duh! So as well as directly bailing out the autos, etc., with our
> tax dollars, we have an additional $4,500 tax dollar gift to specific
> individuals up-trading autos to help bail out the autos. Spread the
> wealth.

Fuel Systems Solutions Conceptualizes a Better Energy Policy

15,000 mpg should be 15,000 mpy. Seeking Alpha should provide a 15 minute editing window.


On Jun 12 10:18 AM ART005 wrote:

> All the CAFE talk seems useless to me. If someone wants a 45 - 50
> mpg car they can buy it today. My 1997 Accord gets 30 - 33 mpg cruising
> at 75 - 80 and comfortably seats 4 with a big trunk. 12 years old
> with better mileage than is the future CAFE. I have a hitch and utility
> trailer for big hauls from Home Depot. It does it all. It's worth
> under $5000 and costs a 15,000 mpy driver $1200/yr for gas. There's
> not much room in those numbers for gov improvement.
>

Fuel Systems Solutions Conceptualizes a Better Energy Policy

All the CAFE talk seems useless to me. If someone wants a 45 - 50 mpg car they can buy it today. My 1997 Accord gets 30 - 33 mpg cruising at 75 - 80 and comfortably seats 4 with a big trunk. 12 years old with better mileage than is the future CAFE. I have a hitch and utility trailer for big hauls from Home Depot. It does it all. It's worth under $5000 and costs a 15,000 mpg driver $1200/yr for gas. There's not much room in those numbers for gov improvement.

There's a CAFE discussion that it contributed to GM bankruptcy. As GM declined, CAFE required it to build little cars that it lost most money on while holding its own with SUV and bigger. Without CAFE GM could have left the little car market and limped along longer in big vehicle market.

Fitzman, your idea is a big step forward. Serving every market with Nat. Gas vehicles should not be a necessity. It will work very well where it can work and will grow based on its success. Nat Gas car drivers are paying around $1/gas equivalent.

One more thing. Nat. Gas conversions used to be very popular and accessible. Then EPA got involved and took over which cars could be converted and the cost went way up. I'll think you'll find a conspiracy theory there.