Chevy has Green Car Vision

[Moby]

I would love to see my tax dollars go to this type of technology as opposed to going to Pakistan for not finding OBL. Maybe cut the budget for something else going over seas and focus a few dozen billions here.

After spending billions on future tech like this wisely I have to think that we could be free of oil.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autoshow_top_homepage/415;_ylc=X3oDMTE1ZW85dGs3BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwL XRvZGF5BHNsawNncmVlbi1jYXI-

Chevrolet Equinox WASHINGTON, DC -- The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell has been honored with Green Car Journal’s Green Car Vision Award™, the first time the auto enthusiast magazine has recognized limited production vehicles for their forward-thinking technologies. The award, which recognizes a vehicle that best “envisions the road ahead,” was presented at the Washington Auto Show by Green Car Journal and GreenCar.com editor Ron Cogan.

Featuring General Motors’ fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion system, the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell won out over the BMW Hydrogen 7, Honda FCX Clarity, Phoenix Electric SUT, and Toyota Prius Plug-In.

The Equinox Fuel Cell offers the ability to start and operate in sub-freezing temperatures, overcoming one of the fuel cell’s major challenges. It is also designed for a 50,000 mile service life. Cleanly integrated into the Equinox crossover platform, the fuel cell powertrain is engineered to be a real-world driver. While showcasing what many expect to be the automotive powerplant of the future, the Equinox Fuel Cell is also planted firmly in the present. It’s designed to meet U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and offers StabiliTrac, front and roof rail side-impact air bags, four wheel ABS, and OnStar as standard equipment.

GM is producing over 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles and placing them in consumer hands as part of the world’s largest fuel cell vehicle test fleet. This process has already begun. The ambitious program, dubbed “Project Driveway,” is part of GM’s ongoing fuel cell development that started more than 40 years ago with the hydrogen fuel cell powered Electrovan. Over the past four decades this development has featured such high profile fuel cell concepts as the Hy-wire, AUTOnomy, Sequel, and the recently announced Cadillac Provoq.

Project Driveway will take place in metropolitan areas on both coasts including New York City, Washington DC, and in California, chosen in part because these locations offer good access to hydrogen refueling facilities. The Equinox Fuel Cell has an estimated range of 200 miles between fill-ups and a top speed of 100 mph. Observant motorists will notice something missing from the rear of the car: in place of usual exhaust pipe are four slots in the rear fascia that dispense this vehicle’s only emissions … water vapor.

Along with the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell, the following nominees were considered for the Green Car Vision Award™ because of their considerable forward-thinking technologies.

[Cat slave]

Now, thats good news. As long as its built here from USA sourced parts!
Could this be a turnaround for GM?

[Moby]

It's too expensive and tax incentives would be needed for the car to be affordable. If the country wanted to be off foreign oil we'd invest in this type of technology. Deep down we don't.

Our defense department can't even make weapons without foreign parts. We started buying chips for guidance systems from Japan years ago.

that has to be good for national security

[Bill]

I don't mind fuel cell technology.

But it's nuts to be promoting fuel cells, which will take 30 years to reach maturity, when we need an electicity based solution right now.

This is just "feel good the experts are taking care of the problem" propaganda from the oil companies.

Jeez - if we're going to make hydrogen from natural gas, and drive around with tanks of compressed hydrogen in our cars, why not just make natural gas cars?

[Smurf-Herder]

It's too expensive and tax incentives would be needed for the car to be affordable. If the country wanted to be off foreign oil we'd invest in this type of technology. Deep down we don't.

Our defense department can't even make weapons without foreign parts. We started buying chips for guidance systems from Japan years ago.

that has to be good for national security

Just for balance, here are a few green ideas from the military.

80,000 Army Fuel Cell Vehicles by 2013
http://www.nesea.org/greencarclub/forums/showthread.php?postid=263

Army’s Diesel-Electric ‘Aggressor’ Vehicle Could Be Iraq’s First Hybrid
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4217017.html

Army Unveils First Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System for New Combat Vehicles
http://www.frontline-news.com/articles/august202007/hybrid_army_82007.php

First laser test conducted using recycled fuel
http://www.gizmag.com/military/4/

[Bill]

First laser test conducted using recycled fuel
http://www.gizmag.com/military/4/

Slick. To my knowledge, nobodies used lasers in combat as a weapon to put energy on target before, it will be very interesting to see if they get any of these testing systems online.

[Smurf-Herder]

Slick. To my knowledge, nobodies used lasers in combat as a weapon to put energy on target before, it will be very interesting to see if they get any of these testing systems online.

http://www.defense-update.com/directory/THEL.htm

It's the funding needed to deploy them.

[Moby]

Having fuel efficiency in the military is certainly nice but don't US citizens use far more fuel? What happens in peace time?

[Cat slave]

Wouldnt it help to give tax incentives for companies to stay in the US and
develop these new technologies and heavily tax the import of outsourced
products so it wouldnt pay to make them elsewhere?

People are slow to give up familiar patterns and ways of doing things. Its
probably more the oil companies fight it than anything. Sorry, if this was
already addressed.

[Moby]

Wouldnt it help to give tax incentives for companies to stay in the US and develop these new technologies and heavily tax the import of outsourced products so it wouldnt pay to make them elsewhere?
Yes but then small American companies would have an advantage over huge companies such as Walmart. The small company simply can't pay the politicians enough :(

[Smurf-Herder]

Having fuel efficiency in the military is certainly nice but don't US citizens use far more fuel? What happens in peace time?

That isn't the military's problem. Just showing what they're doing on their end.

Like Kermit says, "It ain't easy being green!"

[Smurf-Herder]

Wouldnt it help to give tax incentives for companies to stay in the US and
develop these new technologies and heavily tax the import of outsourced
products so it wouldnt pay to make them elsewhere?

People are slow to give up familiar patterns and ways of doing things. Its
probably more the oil companies fight it than anything. Sorry, if this was
already addressed.


That would be too logical. In fact taxes are probably a good part of why companies relocate overseas. We're too interested in sticking it to the rich, than saving the economy.

[Moby]

We're too interested in sticking it to the rich, than saving the economy.
How so? I'm interested in an explanation of this. The trickle down economics rewarded the rich heavily and didn't work this time around at all.

[Bill]

That would be too logical. In fact taxes are probably a good part of why companies relocate overseas. We're too interested in sticking it to the rich, than saving the economy.

How come europe is doing so well then?

With your model, the US is doomed. Arguably, we deserve to be doomed.

You want fries with that?

[Smurf-Herder]

How come europe is doing so well then?

With your model, the US is doomed. Arguably, we deserve to be doomed.

You want fries with that?

The last time I checked (last year) Europe as a whole had higher unemployment figures (in some cases close to 10%) and annual growth approximately the same as the US. You have the latest figures?

[Cat slave]

How so? I'm interested in an explanation of this. The trickle down economics rewarded the rich heavily and didn't work this time around at all.

The so hated rich did not have anything "trickle down" to them. They made
theirs and it helped me make mine. And trickle down
works. Ask anyone who has started a business. Business generates income
for others in the form of jobs, goods and services. Im not talking about huge corporations, Im
talking about capitalism in its pure form. I started the first professional pet
sitting business in Nashville back in the early eighties. I had clients of various
income levels. The working class people traveled less often but the professionals traveled frequently supporting my business, hotels, air lines,
dining rooms, etc. and thats "trickle down". They made money, I made money.
The more they made the more they spent. Hurray! Worked for me! And
works for a lot of people. I love trickle down!

[Frankg]

The only way to independence is to outlaw all SUV's, HUM-V's , Harley Davidsons' , Mucsclecars, ....virtually anything that consumes more than 30 mpg and goes over 55 mph

[Cat slave]

That would "ground" old Al wouldnt it?

[Bill]

The last time I checked (last year) Europe as a whole had higher unemployment figures (in some cases close to 10%) and annual growth approximately the same as the US. You have the latest figures?

Read the article about hegemony I posted.

Europe's technology is ahead of ours, the euro is crushing the dollar, europe's influence has never been higher while ours has never been lower.

Nobody is clamoring to ally with the US, while around the world countries are signing important business contracts with the europeans and the chinese.

I'm sure there are many places here in the US where unemployment is over 10%, so I think you're playing games with figures and whistling past the graveyard.

We already have the lowest corporate taxes of any major country - where has that got us? If it wasn't for all the defense spending and government support of industry this past 7 years, our economy would be even worse off than it is - and now the bill for all the borrowed money us coming due, and we've moved our productive base, the source of real wealth, out of the country.

But we'll see - if your "Cut taxes, subsidize the defense industries, and borrow - foist the costs onto the next generation" strategy is a winner, then tomorrow we'll all be dancing hip deep in money, right?

We've invested thirty years in "Borrow Big and Trickle Down" - lets see -maybe we won't have to pay it back - unlike me - when I borrow, I have to work hard, make even more money than I borrowed, and pay it back.

We'll see if your "Tax the middle class and the children, not the rich" policy works.

[Bill]

Oh yeah - Europes trade balance - varies from month to month but is often positive. Europe exports about as much as it imports.

Europe is actually making money many months.

Unlike the US, which bleeds billions every month.

http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/060821101859.r7yvkrw9/

Not that you care about that. You don't care that the US is falling behind, as long as nobody taxes the rich, just the middle class, those lazy bastards.