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Automotive News & Views Will Green Cars Be Exciting To Drive And Enjoyable To Own?
312 messages, Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 1:15 PM
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Replying to: fezo (Jan 29, 2009 1:56 pm) The future will likely bring us vehicles for the masses like Nanos, Wildfires, G-Wiz, etc, all with electric or other alternative power, all limited to an emasculated nanny-imposed speed, all tracked 24/7 by a massive group of public sector observers to make sure nobody is doing anything wrong. A Prius will seem like an S-class in comparison, and a Camry Hybrid will be like a Rolls. Globalization, oh yeah!
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"You simply can't get any more vanilla than a Prius, Civic Hybrid, Camry Hybrid. The very image looks vanilla if you just close your eyes. But that being said, it looks like that is where we are going and I don't think it is very high on societies worry list." Maybe, but shouldn't the auto industry worry about this? People don't trade their refrigerators or furnaces for new ones until they break, but most people trade their cars more frequently than the life expectancy of the vehicles. This despite the fact that cars are less of a status symbol for most people than in the '50s and '60s. If people come to regard cars purely as transportation appliances, sales will slump even more than recently, and remain on a permanently lower plateau. Auto enthusiasts also have reason to be concerned with cars becoming appliance-like. |
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Jan 29, 2009 5:22 pm) Off topic but look at the American view of the future depicted in movies. There is no science to this but we see a future where everything is automated and the same or every thing is broken but the same. We in this forum are a percentage of a percentage point when it comes to caring about what we drive and why. In the 70s to early 80s one of the most popular vehicles on the road was the Mini-van. In the mid 80s to the late 90s the SUV ruled the road. There was a time when 50 percent of all new vehicles sold in the US were either SUVs or Pickup trucks. The ford F-series was the best selling vehicle in the world and it was just about exclusively sold in the US. They sold more F- series trucks than Toyota and Honda combined sold Camrys and Accords. None of them were drivers cars and yet that is what people bought. People movers sell because people are less concerned with how they get somewhere than they are about getting there. Otherwise how would anyone explain a ugly car like the Prius even selling in the US? Knowing this is what the public thinks about how they get places why should the auto manufacturers worry? To some it is depressing but it is more than likely a view of the future. Think with your head and not your heart and you will see the answer to the question in this forum. will enthusiasts be dissapointed? Sure but the public will never notice and the manufacturers are already impacted by the economy far more than all the enthusiasts in world could ever effect them. For a several billion dollar bailout they will make just what the government wants them to. Our new vehicles will be designed by committee and we will not be asked for our opinion.
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Replying to: fintail (Jan 29, 2009 1:06 pm) I'm thinking a coal fired steam car would be good to drive through the eco terrorist neighborhoods. Or maybe an old diesel Frito Lay box van painted with all kinds of epitaphs denouncing the brave new World CA is trying to force on the citizens.
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Replying to: boaz47 (Jan 29, 2009 6:46 pm) |
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I might be willing to at least test drive this one.  80 mph top speed, electronically-limited. 153 mile range and only 5 hours to charge back up. It will no doubt have the "quick re-chargers" popular with all-electric manufacturer's, that will enable 80% re-charges in only a half-hour(one of these will be a must for me, I would pay for one as an option if that's what it takes). The Pininfarina-Bollore LeBlue car, used as a test mule for the new B0 pictured here, is fitted out with the same lithium-polymer, steel-encased, battery system. It has gone 120,000 kilometers, needing no maintenance in that time frame, nor any repairs of any kind. Bollore of France has worked on that battery system for 15 years and has confidece that it's rock solid in delivering reliable performance. I'm more than mildy interested in this 4-seater. It has solar panels on the front grille and roof to soak up our Arizona sun and deliver the energy down to the powerpack to add more propulsion power. |
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| Interesting, but how much will it cost to buy and maintain, and how will it drive, are questions I'd like answered before I get too excited. Also, the 80 mph top speed wouldn't be a deal breaker for an urban runabout, IF the purpose of this limit is to extend the car's range per battery charge. If the purpose of the speed limitation is a "big brother" feature, however, it would be a major deterrent for me. | |
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on top speed. I know the test mules similar powerpack is holding up well, no fires, loose wires, etc. For a price comparo, I had to really dig in to the internet system. I found an article on the LeBlue cars, the predessesor to the B-Zero. It was going to sell for $23,000USD. Obama is talking of a $7,500 rebate to Americans buying "green" cars. I would expect pricing to be around $24,000, give or take a peso or dollar or euro here or there. It's the $7,500 rebate that makes it all the more attractive to me. I read some reviews on the LeBlue's driveabilty. Quiet comes to mind the most, but, it is a small 4-seater and I would not expect much cushiness in it's ride. A tight package, it would handle something like a Smartcar, I would think. The lack of maintenance required for the LeBlue test mule is appealing and refreshing. I have given it much time and consideration. I must say, the small car offers so much that my critical eye is being held open by this car's possibilties much more so than it's potential liabilities. Pininfarina-Bollore is sending some B-Zero's over to three U.S. markets(one of them being Los Angeles)in 2009 and then the first main shipment is coming here in September of 2010. So this is not a concept, it's all for production, and the U.S. is an important part of the market strategy for them. I'm all eyes and ears, dudes.
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Replying to: iluvmysephia1 (Jan 30, 2009 6:41 am) |
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Replying to: fintail (Jan 29, 2009 4:21 pm) Of course, don't expect the globalist elite to be driving Nanos and Smarts, etc. They'll still be thundering across their privately-owned interstates and turnpikes in Hummers and Maybachs while flattening us peons in our eco-friendly loser cruisers. 
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