Ford Focus Hated. Who did not see this coming?

[IslandTractor]

Do you know about google? Google Chev volt $12.50 gas and you'll get several reports. The one I saw was on Breitbart.

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OK, I tracked it down. The report came from the Lundberg Letter, a private research firm that basically does work for the petroleum industry. I have to ask you however to reveal the methods they used in coming up with the $12.50 gas price point as one needs to subscribe ($$$$) to the report in order to see anything but the headline you quoted. I'm sure you must have reviewed the methodology to insure it was unbiased.

After all, why would one expect biased reporting on alternative fuel vehicles from an organization that serves the petroleum industry exclusively? Until we see what assumptions they made in coming up with their figure, it really is not a credible source. Back to square one.

Lundberg Letter

 

[EE_Bota]

The problem (that many people can't look past) with the Prius is the batteries, and the environmental footprint of the car is astoundingly huge before it even hits the road.

It seems like it is marketed or seen as one of the ultimate in environmentally friendly cars. This is certainly no longer true.

I'm currently driving an Opel Corsa with a 1.3l TDI engine in it. I routinely get 67mpg out if it. Battery technology needs to go a long long way before it can compete with well-designed diesel applications.

My guess is that Ford are simply ticking some sort of box like "Company must provide electric cars for market" in order to be allowed to sell other vehicles... and probably don't care that the vehicles themselves are terrible. (that's my hope.... because releasing something with such a poor range for any other reason is just daft!)

I read the other day that I can't drive a car like yours because it does not meet our environmental standards. I found that hard to accept. Your car sounds perfect for me.

 

[IslandTractor]

I read the other day that I can't drive a car like yours because it does not meet our environmental standards. I found that hard to accept. Your car sounds perfect for me.

Yep, I'd like one of the European diesels too. I'd have preferred that the EPA allowed eurospec diesels for the past eight or nine years rather than stopping all small diesels until the very clean ones became available. That would have pushed many people to diesel rather than gas hybrid.

 

[MHarryE]

Major reason for lack of diesel cars in America is our crappy diesel. I ran reports for injection pump problems due to poor fuel and the worst region in the world was the southeast USA. Lowest failure rate Europe but the machine I was looking at isn't sold in some regions like Japan so I don't know about them. Diesels on large trucks have less restrictive regs so they can meet them with our fuel although y'all have heard enough about fuel related issues as the USA has tried to regulate it better. Almost all of my European rental cars have been diesel and get super mileage. I had an Audi A6 All Road (awd station wagon, electronic suspension control) over 250 km/hr (about 155 mph) and still averaged over 35 mpg but most of my rentals are more modest and 40 - 50 mpg is the norm.

 

[Redneck in training]

Europe took the lead and imposed USLD in 2005. USA followed in 2007. The EU ULSD has maximum 10 ppm while US ULSD has 15 ppm sulfur content. The issue is how the pollution is measured. In EU it is pollution per km driven while in the US it is a percentage of pollutants in the exhaust. The result is that EU cars might have less clean exhaust but they still pollute less per km driven than larger cars with cleaner exhaust. The EU system favors small very efficient cars and punishes larger cars. The US system treats all sizes the same.

 

[IslandTractor]

Europe took the lead and imposed USLD in 2005. USA followed in 2007. The EU ULSD has maximum 10 ppm while US ULSD has 15 ppm sulfur content. The issue is how the pollution is measured. In EU it is pollution per km driven while in the US it is a percentage of pollutants in the exhaust. The result is that EU cars might have less clean exhaust but they still pollute less per km driven than larger cars with cleaner exhaust. The EU system favors small very efficient cars and punishes larger cars. The US system treats all sizes the same.

Interesting point. Wish we did the same.

 

[rsewill]

Seems like as a grocery getter, second car it would be a great idea.

Yes, that's what mine will be. Sort of like what a pickup is for some although I will drive my all-electric usefully (and a lot more cheaply) a lot more than any pickup.

 

[two_bit_score]

OK, I tracked it down. The report came from the Lundberg Letter, a private research firm that basically does work for the petroleum industry. I have to ask you however to reveal the methods they used in coming up with the $12.50 gas price point as one needs to subscribe ($$$$) to the report in order to see anything but the headline you quoted. I'm sure you must have reviewed the methodology to insure it was unbiased.

After all, why would one expect biased reporting on alternative fuel vehicles from an organization that serves the petroleum industry exclusively? Until we see what assumptions they made in coming up with their figure, it really is not a credible source. Back to square one.

Lundberg Letter

That's just some more leftwing goofiness. Whenever something comes up that skewers your favored position you cry that the source is biased when you have no way to refute it.

The oil industry should want to find out that information. Just because it doesn't favor your desired position you can't stand it.



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[IslandTractor]

That's just some more leftwing goofiness. Whenever something comes up that skewers your favored position you cry that the source is biased when you have no way to refute it.

The oil industry should want to find out that information. Just because it doesn't favor your desired position you can't stand it.

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No, I have enough experience with industry BS to want to understand what assumptions and models they use to come up with self serving conclusions.

What you are telling us is that you took the industry bait hook line and sinker but have no idea why. Typical dittohead behavior.

I'd just like to see the evidence.

 

[two_bit_score]

No, I have enough experience with industry BS to want to understand what assumptions and models they use to come up with self serving conclusions.

What you are telling us is that you took the industry bait hook line and sinker but have no idea why. Typical dittohead behavior.

I'd just like to see the evidence.

The typical response when something doesn't go your way - just say "prove it".

You sound like JR. High debate wannabe.

It out there for you to look into all you want. Just knock yourself out.



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