The hippies have won
Discussion
I am in San Diego, its all very hipster, most of the taxis are hybrid, a good percentage of the private cars are too. But the thing that strikes me is that is oh so quiet, and the air is clean. I love the time I have in the US, but the days of the V8 rumble are the sound of the last dinosaur dying here. I think that there is an out-dated perception in the UK that the USA has no care for the environment when it comes to cars, but I see the opposite. If the UK/EU continues its rethink on diesel and meets US emission standards for petrol, will I have to be nice to hippies?
The popularisation of EVs tells us that it's gone from being an issue isolated to hippies (who, while vocal, often can't actually afford cars and instead walk or use a bicycle and a hemp bag for luggage). It's spreading to the goodie goodie middle class and hipster crowd, and in the not-too-distant this technology will be obtainable by the less well-off too, who will like the running costs and reliability.
I get the impression that this is far from being pandemic across the states though, in much of the continent, the dinosaurs are still proving their sustainability.
I get the impression that this is far from being pandemic across the states though, in much of the continent, the dinosaurs are still proving their sustainability.
BritishRacinGrin said:
The popularisation of EVs tells us that it's gone from being an issue isolated to hippies (who, while vocal, often can't actually afford cars and instead walk or use a bicycle and a hemp bag for luggage). It's spreading to the goodie goodie middle class and hipster crowd, and in the not-too-distant this technology will be obtainable by the less well-off too, who will like the running costs and reliability.
I get the impression that this is far from being pandemic across the states though, in much of the continent, the dinosaurs are still proving their sustainability.
Don't take me wrong, just got here form Miami where the dinosaurs are screaming their virility, for I was one. I get the impression that this is far from being pandemic across the states though, in much of the continent, the dinosaurs are still proving their sustainability.
Sounds like a good thing. I find cities absolutely foul places to be. I have to work in one, albeit a small one, but not being in a city or even a town was absolute top of the list when buying our home.
Cities are nasty, festering cesspits and internal combustion engines are much to do with that, along with tobacco smoke in the streets.
I am a massive piston engine fan. I buy cars just because of what engine they have. They are primarily objects of affection and amusement though. For the extreme majority of users though, it is basic A to B transport and the motive force is irrelevant. Walking around cities with a constant taste and smell of petrol and diesel fumes is not something many people would miss. It would make the sound and smells of a genuinely interesting internal combustion engine driving through a city more of a novelty whereas at present if one sees a nice car and tries to listen to it pull away, then as sure as there's sh*t in a goat some diesel engine will appear hammering and clanking its way through the scene drowning out all but the most anti-social driving by said interesting car.
I hope piston engines stay around for a long time, and I would hate to see them banned from areas. I would shed not a single tear for the evolutionary shift to clean and quiet (at point of use) transport in towns though because >99% of piston engines driving around are dross engines in dross vehicles doing mundane things.
Cities are nasty, festering cesspits and internal combustion engines are much to do with that, along with tobacco smoke in the streets.
I am a massive piston engine fan. I buy cars just because of what engine they have. They are primarily objects of affection and amusement though. For the extreme majority of users though, it is basic A to B transport and the motive force is irrelevant. Walking around cities with a constant taste and smell of petrol and diesel fumes is not something many people would miss. It would make the sound and smells of a genuinely interesting internal combustion engine driving through a city more of a novelty whereas at present if one sees a nice car and tries to listen to it pull away, then as sure as there's sh*t in a goat some diesel engine will appear hammering and clanking its way through the scene drowning out all but the most anti-social driving by said interesting car.
I hope piston engines stay around for a long time, and I would hate to see them banned from areas. I would shed not a single tear for the evolutionary shift to clean and quiet (at point of use) transport in towns though because >99% of piston engines driving around are dross engines in dross vehicles doing mundane things.
Understand there is a significant difference between tightly legislated and immediately harmful to the local area tail pipe pollutants, namely, CO, HCO, NoX etc and green house emisisons, namely CO2. In the US, pollutants have been tightly controlled since the mid 1970's but CO2 has, until very recently been not important. In fact, the principal technology to combat the pollutants, the rare metal catalyst actually increases CO2 output.............
Florida still seems to be the home of the massive engined "truck" - basically a pumped up pick-up, usually with a double wheel rear axle, some sort of 5th wheel mount for towing a caravan about 2/3rds the size of a UK artic trailer and a Cummins V8 lump of some sort fitted.
I had to laugh when I saw the front cover of their equivalent of Diesel Car - it had a DIY guide to fitting a train horn to your truck...
Even the novelty trolley type tour buses out there seem to have Ford Triton V10 engines fitted. The same sized units in this country would probably have a 4-cylinder Cummins or Mercedes diesel lump.
Personally, I can see US city/state level emissions legislation pushing service vehicles (buses/taxis/delivery vans/bin lorries) towards being battery, hybrid or LNG powered (American cities seem to prefer LNG to LPG powered buses for some reason - Fracking?) but it's a brave president that starts a policy of increasing the price of gas/diesel at the federal level.
Incidentally - the Americans seem to like low-octane (typically 87) petrol - if this was banned & they were forced to use EU spec 95 octane, would it significantly reduce consumption?
I had to laugh when I saw the front cover of their equivalent of Diesel Car - it had a DIY guide to fitting a train horn to your truck...
Even the novelty trolley type tour buses out there seem to have Ford Triton V10 engines fitted. The same sized units in this country would probably have a 4-cylinder Cummins or Mercedes diesel lump.
Personally, I can see US city/state level emissions legislation pushing service vehicles (buses/taxis/delivery vans/bin lorries) towards being battery, hybrid or LNG powered (American cities seem to prefer LNG to LPG powered buses for some reason - Fracking?) but it's a brave president that starts a policy of increasing the price of gas/diesel at the federal level.
Incidentally - the Americans seem to like low-octane (typically 87) petrol - if this was banned & they were forced to use EU spec 95 octane, would it significantly reduce consumption?
I think the US ratings are different. Wiki says
'In the US, octane ratings in unleaded fuels can vary between 85[3] and 87 AKI (91-92 RON) for regular, through 89-90 AKI (94-95 RON) for mid-grade (European regular), up to 90-94 AKI (95-99 RON) for premium (European premium).'
AKI is anti-knock index I think.
'In the US, octane ratings in unleaded fuels can vary between 85[3] and 87 AKI (91-92 RON) for regular, through 89-90 AKI (94-95 RON) for mid-grade (European regular), up to 90-94 AKI (95-99 RON) for premium (European premium).'
AKI is anti-knock index I think.
Don't know how to embed videos (can you even do it?)...anyway, as ever, South Park is relevant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxBje9jSyIM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxBje9jSyIM
BritishRacinGrin said:
The popularisation of EVs tells us that it's gone from being an issue isolated to hippies (who, while vocal, often can't actually afford cars and instead walk or use a bicycle and a hemp bag for luggage). It's spreading to the goodie goodie middle class and hipster crowd, and in the not-too-distant this technology will be obtainable by the less well-off too, who will like the running costs and reliability.
I get the impression that this is far from being pandemic across the states though, in much of the continent, the dinosaurs are still proving their sustainability.
Yep got friends in South CarolinaI get the impression that this is far from being pandemic across the states though, in much of the continent, the dinosaurs are still proving their sustainability.
You won't see an EV or a hybrid rolling around their streets. Instead they've got numerous quads, a boat (with some tasty outboards), an RV, a V8 Chevy pick up, an Escalade, one of them has a Corvette, another owns 3 jacked up pick ups with huge tyres, 2 of which he uses for mud racing.
They go duck huntin with silly duck hats, hunt dear/elk and have the heads mounted in their living rooms. Proper red neck stuff. Its brilliant. All of it.
alangla said:
Florida still seems to be the home of the massive engined "truck" - basically a pumped up pick-up, usually with a double wheel rear axle, some sort of 5th wheel mount for towing a caravan about 2/3rds the size of a UK artic trailer and a Cummins V8 lump of some sort fitted.
I had to laugh when I saw the front cover of their equivalent of Diesel Car - it had a DIY guide to fitting a train horn to your truck...
Even the novelty trolley type tour buses out there seem to have Ford Triton V10 engines fitted. The same sized units in this country would probably have a 4-cylinder Cummins or Mercedes diesel lump.
Personally, I can see US city/state level emissions legislation pushing service vehicles (buses/taxis/delivery vans/bin lorries) towards being battery, hybrid or LNG powered (American cities seem to prefer LNG to LPG powered buses for some reason - Fracking?) but it's a brave president that starts a policy of increasing the price of gas/diesel at the federal level.
Incidentally - the Americans seem to like low-octane (typically 87) petrol - if this was banned & they were forced to use EU spec 95 octane, would it significantly reduce consumption?
Interesting. Would your 4 cylinder lump pull a few ton of trailer etc up a decent steep hill?I had to laugh when I saw the front cover of their equivalent of Diesel Car - it had a DIY guide to fitting a train horn to your truck...
Even the novelty trolley type tour buses out there seem to have Ford Triton V10 engines fitted. The same sized units in this country would probably have a 4-cylinder Cummins or Mercedes diesel lump.
Personally, I can see US city/state level emissions legislation pushing service vehicles (buses/taxis/delivery vans/bin lorries) towards being battery, hybrid or LNG powered (American cities seem to prefer LNG to LPG powered buses for some reason - Fracking?) but it's a brave president that starts a policy of increasing the price of gas/diesel at the federal level.
Incidentally - the Americans seem to like low-octane (typically 87) petrol - if this was banned & they were forced to use EU spec 95 octane, would it significantly reduce consumption?
(They are called dually's and a 5th wheel mount is there for a errrrrrrrrrrr 5th wheel).
alangla said:
Incidentally - the Americans seem to like low-octane (typically 87) petrol - if this was banned & they were forced to use EU spec 95 octane, would it significantly reduce consumption?
My understanding is that they use a different rating system, and their fuel is actually similar to ours. Japan do actually use higher octane petrol.jamieduff1981 said:
I hope piston engines stay around for a long time, and I would hate to see them banned from areas. I would shed not a single tear for the evolutionary shift to clean and quiet (at point of use) transport in towns though because >99% of piston engines driving around are dross engines in dross vehicles doing mundane things.
Hopefully piston engines will go the way of the horse. Those who want one can still have one, but for daily use and those who don't care we'll have something better (like an electric engine).Edited by varsas on Friday 17th October 12:55
varsas said:
Hopefully piston engines will go the way of the horse. Those who want one can still have one, but for daily use and those who don't care we'll have something better (like an electric engine).
Great way to put it, my thoughts exactly.Edited by varsas on Friday 17th October 12:55
mikal83 said:
Interesting. Would your 4 cylinder lump pull a few ton of trailer etc up a decent steep hill?
(They are called dually's and a 5th wheel mount is there for a errrrrrrrrrrr 5th wheel).
Argh, the reference to 4 cylinder lumps was actually talking about the trolley type novelty bus, but as you asked, I think it would.(They are called dually's and a 5th wheel mount is there for a errrrrrrrrrrr 5th wheel).
Wikipedia suggests a Triton V10 is 362hp/457 lbft, a 4 litre Cummins ISB (typical 30-40 seater bus engine in the UK) will knock out 210hp & 760nm (560 lbft) (source - http://cumminsengines.com/brochure-download.aspx?b... ) so I reckon it would manage it.
J4CKO said:
varsas said:
Hopefully piston engines will go the way of the horse. Those who want one can still have one, but for daily use and those who don't care we'll have something better (like an electric engine).
Great way to put it, my thoughts exactly.Edited by varsas on Friday 17th October 12:55
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