Should it cost the world or cost the world ??

Question

I have noticed there are more and more "green" cars on the prodution line lately, some of them would look more at home at a fairgorund but some of them look amazing...and when looking at the stats they are greener than grass....brilliant ! but why does it cost a fortune to buy one of these? I think if they were cheaper to buy and run people would by them just to be thrifty ....so save the world verses cost the world ????

Answer 1

They cost so much because they cost that much to produce, which consequently means that its not really any better for the world to drive them.

Answer 2

There are several reasons.  1. They cost more to make. 2. They are still in development phases and not in mass production.  3. Anything called "green" costs more, it's just market hype to get more money from gullible people who are willing to spend more if they think they are "doing something" for the planet.  4.  The inertia of auto companies tied to building IC engine powered cars. 5. The PC elites don't want ordinary people to drive cars. [That is Ernie, who doesn't think people should drive cars and should all live in cities with public transportation.] [And Patti Ja the Socialist who hates for Capitalist people to be able to afford cars, because we should all live in equal poverty together.]

The answer is to build a hybrid which costs only a bit more than a regular car, yet is less polluting.  A steam-electric hybrid which operates as a plug-in electric vehicle so you can go 25 miles out from home and back on electricity and use no fuel.  That accounts for about 80% of your driving.  For the other 20% the steam engine would power a generator to recharge the batteries as you drive and you would only have to stop long enough to refuel, not hours to recharge.  Steam engines are very efficient, light, durable, safe and lower in pollution too.  With minor modifications they can also be made to use any liquid or gaseous fuel.  Any petroleum product, vegetable oil, ethanol, methane, propane, natural gas, liquified coal, synthetic fuels or even hydrogen if it ever becomes practical can be used and with lower emissions.

Answer 3

IT COMES back to the adage that you get what you pay for.

you can buy something cheap and tacky or the more tasteful the better and more expensive.

Answer 4

Cars should simply cease to exist; specially if you can count on a good public transportation system. I drove all my life; I always depended on cars, until I moved to a city with good public transportation, and never thought about having another one again; specially now!

Answer 5

i am no expert but i believe the problem is technology - just like with any electronic or new device they cost ALOT when they come out. (example DVD players now cost $35) so as the technology improves and it becomes more commercially veasible for the companies to build the cars, the cost may go down

Answer 6

it should cost the world

Answer 7

They are expensive because it is new technology and is not yet enjoying the economies of scale afforded by conventional cars, These companies have to make a buck like anyone else.

They are not that green anyway, have you been sucked in by the sales pitch? On your bike matey...

Answer 8

business 101 design a product, calculate ALL cost. engineering, tooling, production, inventory,marketing, H. R., etc. Then divide this by the number of units you expect to sell add a markup and there's your unit price.  Unless you have a plan for government subsidies they'll be expensive for a while till they catch on same as every other new product.

Answer 9

yes but with Capitalism the main squeeze of so many countries...then you are just whistling in the wind

Answer 10

Greener cars are more expensive to compensate for the cost of the development of new technolgies as opposed to simply improving already existing propulsion technologies (i.e. standard petrol and deisel engines). Furthermore infrustructure to support these new forms of propulsion costs billions to install as in hydrogen fuel stations etc, this cost has to offset somewhere to make the idea viable. To add to this consumers are apprehensive to purchase newer technologies which again has a knock on effect to cost as fewer units are actualy sold. ironicaly greener cars may not necessarily be greener in the long run as disposing of them once they have ended service can be tricky due to the metals in ther batteries etc. The actual transportation of parts and the production of the cars themselves produces tons of pollution no matter how "clean" they may actualy be to run?!