What are the car companys doing?

Question

I've noticed many cars on the internet labled as "green cars." However they have such a huge price tag. What is going to be done to make greener car more affordable? I understand that the market will not be saturated with green cars until at least 2010 or is it 2020? Are they going to start making the 18wheels green too, or is that even possible?

Are their options for those of us who have older cars to pass the gas station more often? Will the cars that are electric, or hybrid or E85 go down in price soon, just like computers over time have gotten more affordable?

Answer 1

yes. with fuel prices going up, the demand for green cars will also rise and this will lead to a reduction  in price. It's just economies of scale in play here. right now there is'nt such a great demand for them, in time the technology will also improve so you will get a better car for a cheaper price. 18 wheel haulers can be made to run on hydrogen gas as some bmw's do now. when there is no more fuel, they will have to find alternatives.

Answer 2

those companies are bought from those stupid gas companies. Honda had green cars being sold, but they took them back "i wonder why". wink wink.

Answer 3

As the auto industry steadily offers more alternative powertrain/fuel options to consumers, buyer preferences will continue to shift the market in the coming years, according to our firm's research and manufacturers will have to make efforts to produce more fuel efficient vehicles and diversify the range of options.

Currently, Toyota, Honda, Ford and Nissan have the most models that earn our firm's Top 30  green rating (based on our  firm's Automotive Environmental Index, which factors in fuel economy, low emissions  and  study data).  One-third or 10 of the 30 greenest models are hybrids including the popular Toyota Prius.. The remaining 20 are gasoline-powered models. Many are --although most are compact models. Some of the best gas sippers include the Chevrolet Aveo, Pontiac Vibe, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Matrix, Yaris and Corolla in addition to the Nissan Versa, Honda Fit and Civic, VW New Beetle and MINI Cooper.

In the near future, you might also consider one of the clean diesel models that will be introduced this year or next year. Some 10 different diesel options were announced at the Detroit auto show in January and 5 concepts were powered by diesel engines.  Most of the new diesels are from German automakers because in Europe more than one-half of the vehicles sold are diesels. Diesels will add at least $2,000 to the vehicle’s sticker, which is less than the extra cost for a hybrid. They also will cut your fuel bill by between 25% and 40%, according to many reports. GM recently showed off an ultra-clean V-8 diesel that should arrive around the same time. VW, Audi, Nissan, BMW, and Chrysler also have versions in the works. For more information about alternative fuels and powertrains in addition to articles, car reviews and previews and quality ratings, please visit JDPower.com.

Answer 4

18 wheelers have been running green for a while with bio diesel.

Willie neilsons tour bus runs on vegetable oil.

Diesel engines are easy to run green.

they originally were designed to run on vegetable oil by a man named Diesel.

Answer 5

Big rigs have taken a step towards being greener as of last year.  Diesel was reformulated to have lower amounts of sulfer in it.  The old diesel can no longer be sold.  You'll notice a sticker on diesel pumps at the gas station.  

As for electric cars, we have to be aware of where the electricity comes from.  If the electricity is produced by burning coal or natural gas, then we aren't really any greener.  All we've done is transfer the site where the fossil fuel is burned.  

I promote hydrogen as the only true green fuel.  When hydrogen is burned, the by product is good old water.

Answer 6

"GREEN Cars" are misleading.

Look at the manufacturing process that a "Green Car" has to undergo...

For one thing, the nickel for the batteries is mined in Africa, at the expense of many environmental issues. Then the nickel is shipped all over the place to eventually end up in CHINA at some factory where it is turned into batteries - and we know of China's pollution issues.

Then the stuff gets shipped here (all wasting transportation fuel)...that's just one thing, and the cars have lots of other plastics, etc that dont' make them 'green' at all.

E85 gas is a bit cheaper, but it also has less energy available  in it than a similar quantity of gasoline. So  you will pay a BIT LESS for E85 BUT your fuel economy will drop by 20-25%!

These 'flex fuel' cars are just a 'stopgap' measure that does not really address the issue of dependence on foreign oil.

Consumer Reports recommends that due to the HUGE price difference between a "hybrid" or flex fuel vehicle and a straight gasoline powered vehicle, BUY the gas version.  The difference in price means that to get your investment back  you'd have to drive the flex fuel vehicle for many many ears to make up the difference in price between the E85 and gasoline.

And what IF all cars go electric? MOST of our electrical power in this country is produced by burning COAL. So how is that any GREENER???

They are using a marketing gimmick and buzzwords to get your $$$.

Answer 7

Not all green cars are expensive. A new Honda Fit is about 15,000, and so is a Nissan Versa. Both are very economical & low emissions. Hybrids are not oging to be cheap anytime soon because of the cost of the batteries. Until a new technology comes out for better/cheaper batteries, they will always be more expensive. If your older car is economical already, just keep it tuned up, tires properly inflated, oil changed frequently, and use crusie control as much as you can.

Answer 8

Counting their money like fat rich people