That's right, Mama wants to buy American!

And I'm not talking about American Cheese either! (That's just my diet talking...)

I can't remember the last time I was this excited about an American Car. Well, unfortunately I can. I was really excited about the Dodge Neon, I bought one the first year it came out when no other car looked quite like it. Back when it was in the same price range as a Honda Civic but I really really really wanted to buy American so I got the Neon. While I loved the heck out of that thing, I didn't like that the price dropped 10K the next year, the nicer options were dropped and my nice car became the cheapo rental car. Ok, so obviously I still have a little grudge. I've learned the lesson to never buy a product it's first year out. And I've gotten a bit of a chip towards the American Car market.

But ALL of that could come to a crashing halt if GM actually brings their Volt to the market in the next few years!!! I may have to dump the change from my "Pennies for Prius" jar into a "Mama wants a Volt" jar.

Speaking it's praises for just a moment. This is NOT just an electric car, but it's not a hybrid either. It's better than both worlds. The engine completely runs via the electric motor AND the electric motor is powered by either electricity, gas, E85 or biodiesel. How cool is that? At first you may say, but isn't that a hybrid? But no. Ya see, from it's initial charge it can go 40 miles without needing to use any other source to draw in energy. So, say you live 15 miles from work so you have a 30 mile commute each day. And maybe you pick up the kids and grab some groceries on the way home. How much gas did you use? None. Yea, that's right, mister. None.

Plug it in when you get home and by the time the baby sitter gets there that night you and your special someone can make it a night on the town in the same car. Say you go 50 miles that night painting the town red? You've used a couple ounces of liquid energy to go a total of 90 miles that day. How much gas would that be even in a Prius? Now you see the genius of my baby the Volt.

Well, I know it's not coming out any time soon. And I know when it does the fact that it's sporty and can go 100 miles an hour will mean that it will be WAY above my price range but still... If they can make this technology work - how long before it's picked up to use in other cars? How a bout in a minivan - even if the "free" miles drop down to 20-30 because of the extra weight? That could work when taking the kids to school 3 blocks away and the soccer game down the street.

Yes GM. You got me. My ears are perked. I can't wait to see more. BUT - if you don't come to market with this puppy, I don't know if my faithful Buy American spirit will ever be the same again.

Ok, it will. But please, PLEASE bring this baby to market. Mama wants a Volt.

Hybrid conspiracy?

This weekend I had a few friends over to my house. One friend recently purchased a Honda Civic. She mentioned that she actually went there specifically to purchase a Civic Hybrid - and the sales people talked her out of it. Talked her out of it? I was shocked. That is until another friend who bought a new car last year (after her prior one was totaled by the insurance company for damage that didn't seem that large - though we'll leave that waste topic for another post...) said that she's looked into Hybrid cars herself and she had several sales people who told her specifically to not buy a Hybrid. They said to wait a few years for the technology to improve. That's when the shock turned into a bit of anger.

Are they joking?

Yes - technology will always improve. But if you are buying a new car today, Today - not next week, month or even looking around for next year, then why not get the best technology that's available Today? Oh no. Buy a car that will use 25 MPG for now because those darn 60 MPG cars aren't as good as the 80 MPG cars will be in another 5 years. Just wait to buy one of those.

Then it hit me.

Why would two very different girls, in two different parts of town, with different agendas have the exact same experience? Profit margin. Not only do Hybrid's cost more to the consumer, I bet they have a lower overall profit margin. What do you want to bet that there is less of a commission for a Hybrid car?

I'm not a big conspiracy theorist or anything - and 2 does not prove a pattern, but it's enough for me to make a fairly firm guess. I'd love to find out for sure of course (let me know if you know) but I'm going to assume it unless I hear otherwise. When I finally have the money for those hybrid car payments - there is no way in the world they could keep me from it. That may not happen for a long time of course, but I'm already looking forward to it. I'm going to go visit pictures of my future baby right now...

Ease on down the road

So today I see an article that a small company in India has developed a car that runs on air. On AIR! True - compressed air. But this thing is inexpensive and can either fill up at an official compressed air refilling station for $2 or be plugged into electricity for 4 hours. Um... hello? Are you serious?? That is awesome!

But here's the catch. It will never sell here. Why? Well, there aren't any airbags. Yup. And no side restraints. Or crumple zones. All the things that make us "safe". And here is where I'm torn. Mama wants her ABS and side air bags, but at the same time I feel that in a freaking free-will market economy I should be able to legally choose between roll over safety and zero emissions. Right now I can choose to spend $40K on a Prius with all the bells and whistles, or I can pay $2K for some crap car that was built in the 70's with no safety features and sucks gas like it's like the Quick Bunny downing chocolate milk. Why, as a red-blooded American consumer, why can't I choose my own features? Sure - charge me more for insurance. Fine. But the fact that it can't even legally be a choice just kinda bugs me. Obviously.

And then there is the electric Reva which actually does have lots of safety features (side impact beams, dent proof body panels, steel frame) and is being driven all over Europe. I read somewhere that it costs about $5K! True, the EU said it's not a car, it's a quadricycle. But folks can still drive it on open roads! Are we in the US just missing out on these opportunities because we don't have a real category for something with 3 or 4 wheels that is somewhere between a bike and a car?

Well, at least we have Phoenix Motorcars. They had the smart idea of buying a "car" made on the cheap in Korea - but told them to hold the whole engine thing. Then they just stick in their nifty battery & electric engine. Presto! Instant electric car! And get this - this California based company is starting out w/ trucks and SUVs! The big buyers initially are big companies who are replacing their fleets. As much as it kinda bugs me that we can't immediately get our hands on them, this really is the best ecological solution as these fleets are on the roads FAR more than someone like me.

Sigh... I think it's time to put another dollar in my "I want a Prius" jar.