If I see another thread about electric/hybrid cars, I'm going to scream!

I belong to the Sierra Club and I consider myself an environmentalist, but really people, this mess has got to stop. Does anybody really think these vehicles can save the world? I realize that an internal combustion engine is not a motor. Does this place have to be, literally, Grassroots MOTORsports? Can we not revel in the salacious combustion of dead dinosaurs? You people instill in me the desire to fire up my Haltech ECU'd single-digit mpg turbo rotary and scent the air with the sweet smell of a sub-11.0 AFR. Yaaaaaaaaaarrrrgghhhhhhhh!

Okay. Thanks. I feel better now.

Sierra Club hates Jeeps and modern agriculture, I hate Sierra Club (Canoe) Rant!

Your turbo spinning triangles of power are damaging the air the fluffy cuddly bunnies breath.

• Lee

Things I love in order of priority:

1) Female Body 2) Food 3) Being Outdoors 4) Bikes 5) Cars

Looks like nature beats car by two places. But no, electrics aint perfect. Bicycles are perfect.

I'm not an environmentalist. I just like cool cars. I think electric cars are cool cars. Now that I can afford a Volt, I want one. Not because it doesn't pollute as much as my Viper, but because I think it's a cool car. And it has four doors. And the lease will pay for itself in fuel savings. Also, it doesn't fill up with water when it rains.

Oh, the irony.

OK then, how about ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES!. They are, in fact, cycles with motors

1988RedT2 wrote: Does anybody really think these vehicles can save the world?

Many of the threads they pop up in are about high-mpg/low cost to own cars. Hybrids are excellent for this, regardless of their environmental impact.

In reply to HappyAndy:

Woah. That... is awesome.

I have considered buying a Miata or something sporty and converting it to electric for my 10 mile commute to work.

Maybe an Electric 240sx or a BMW 2002, or an RX7.. something to piss off the purists

A toast to internal combustion and the wind in your hair.

mad_machine wrote: I have considered buying a Miata or something sporty and converting it to electric for my 10 mile commute to work. Maybe an Electric 240sx or a BMW 2002, or an RX7.. something to piss off the purists

I bought a 3sgte mkII mr2 turbo drivetrain for a GRM member at one point because the guy had removed it in favor of electric bits... neat setup and he was very close to being done... not sure how it ever turned out though.

Just like during the birth of the automobile, technology still hasn't allowed the all electric car to be practical for the masses.

I doubt they will be until we figure out fusion power.

I'll happily take screaming engines over environmentally friendly options, but I will say thank you to all the people miserably driving EV/hybrid/fuel cell cars saving the extra petrol for my enjoyment.......now if only we could limit them all to the loser lane of the highway where they belong and hanged the eco terrorists for vandilizing SUV's/sports cars.

"A hybrid is a normal car for fools" -- Jeremy Clarkson

1988RedT2 wrote: Does this place have to be, literally, Grassroots MOTORsports?

should we have a vote for a name change to "Grassroots Engine-sports"?

Some of them are worth talking about. The Porsche 918 for instance. Even the Tesla would be interesting if it weren't wrapped in a screaming huge sedan. The fun hybrids/electrics are coming.

ProDarwin wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: Does anybody really think these vehicles can save the world?

*Many* of the threads they pop up in are about high-mpg/low cost to own cars. Hybrids are excellent for this, regardless of their environmental impact.

This. As one of the original posters of these threads, I can say that I was only interested in the vehicle for the savings. And yes, the savings would be worth it assuming that the car doesn't bomb in depreciation.

I'm cheap, which makes the electric/hybrid cars an interesting proposition for a DD. Eventually, I think the technology will also be used in fun cars, as well.

I'm sure people were saying the same thing about EFI a few years ago...

The first of a new technology is always worse than the last of the old technology.

I think the dino-juice burning engine has a limited life. I'm not sure the end is nigh, but it's out there somewhere. I'm happy that people are working on new technologies that will someday be able to replace it.

All-electric definitely has problems, and hybrid is a stop-gap. Still, the only way to identify and iron out those problems is to put them into real-world use. I wish that with Formula Electric they made them use the same chassis for the whole race so they'd have to figure out a way to rapidly change batteries. Nothing like racing to innovate automotive technology.

Statistics on plug in car buyers tends to show they're not buying them for the environment. They're fun to drive in a way traditional hybrids usually aren't. Most buyers want to be early adopters. IIRC, environment came in third.

Can't we all just get along?!?!

I love my Leaf and will sing it's praises all day. I didn't lease it for environmental factors, though that's nice and all. I bought it because I like cars and I personally think it's cool. But I've owned plenty of cars that have a fuel mileage numbers below their 1/4 mile numbers. So what?

Why does it have to stop? I really don't understand your rant at all. It's like if someone ranted about all the Miata threads or all the Fiat 500 threads. Move along if you don't like it.

After years of daily driving E30s, Miatas and an M3 I've come to the conclusion that I would be happier with two focused cars instead of one do-everything car. My next car will be a weekday commuting appliance to supplement a track-oriented car for recreational driving. And if the current incentives are still around, it will probably be electric.

I've got no issues with the new technology. In fact my sister has a CR-Z, and it is actually a nice driving car. And surprisingly quick. I think in the end the internal combustion engine will be a thing of the past. It may not be in my lifetime, but there will be a migration towards that end. The good news is that I think we will see more and more cars aimed at the sports car and performance car market. People always have and always will find a way to go fast.

In reply to Beer Baron:

Perhaps we should invest in the "Synthetic fuels" idea that the Nazi's had during WW2......