T Mac
02-02-2008, 06:27 AM
Two technological trends, both unimaginable a year ago, dominated the recent auto show in Detroit, the premier showcase for carmakers worldwide. One was the U-turn in the past decade's headlong pursuit of horsepower and size. The other, less apparent but possibly more significant, was the industry's wholehearted embrace of biofuels.
While carmakers wait for better batteries, gas-electric hybrids remain stuck in the slow lane -- and risk being overtaken by other technologies.
The third iteration of the Toyota Prius, with lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged from a socket at home as well as from the brakes and engine on the road, has been delayed again. Lithium-ion cells pack a far greater punch than today's nickel-metal-hydride batteries, but they continue to display explosive tendencies.
This summer, Honda will start leasing its clever fuel-cell car, the FCX Clarity. But judging from the limited numbers being made available and the steep $600-a-month leasing fee, the Clarity must be considered more a market-research exercise than an actual rollout.
In the meantime, with the global economy slowing fast and oil continuing to nudge $100 a barrel, carmakers worldwide are having to retool their wares in a hurry so as to appeal more to people's pockets than their fantasies.
Click here (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/348823_biofuelonline28.html) to read the entire article from SeattlePI.com
While carmakers wait for better batteries, gas-electric hybrids remain stuck in the slow lane -- and risk being overtaken by other technologies.
The third iteration of the Toyota Prius, with lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged from a socket at home as well as from the brakes and engine on the road, has been delayed again. Lithium-ion cells pack a far greater punch than today's nickel-metal-hydride batteries, but they continue to display explosive tendencies.
This summer, Honda will start leasing its clever fuel-cell car, the FCX Clarity. But judging from the limited numbers being made available and the steep $600-a-month leasing fee, the Clarity must be considered more a market-research exercise than an actual rollout.
In the meantime, with the global economy slowing fast and oil continuing to nudge $100 a barrel, carmakers worldwide are having to retool their wares in a hurry so as to appeal more to people's pockets than their fantasies.
Click here (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/348823_biofuelonline28.html) to read the entire article from SeattlePI.com