The U.S. Big Three automakers will get $30 million over three years for plug-in hybrid R&D, the Department of Energy announced Thursday. While less than automakers wanted -- last year they pushed for $500 million -- each welcomed some funding for various aspects of plug-in research. Chrysler plans to build a test fleet of 80 plug-ins, including 10 adapted Dodge Durangos and Chrysler Aspens; General Motors will also build a fleet, as well as focusing funds on enhancing engine innards; and Ford will work on a project "to identify a pathway that accelerates mass production of plug-in hybrid vehicles." DOE wants cost-competitive plug-ins ready for wide use by 2016; General Motors has said it'll have plug-ins available by 2010, but warns the cost will likely be high until a cheaper battery is developed.
source: The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, MotorTrend
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guade00 Posted 12:47 am
15 Jun 2008
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earlysnows Posted 10:21 am
16 Jun 2008
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ajazzfan Posted 9:40 am
17 Jun 2008
A better idea would be a grant program to support start-up businesses in this area. That would help out small businesses, which drive our economy. It would also most likely create new jobs--expanding our economy and naturally increasing the tax base, these funds (taxes from new jobs) could then be used to pay for the grants.
We could also form partnerships with other countries--similar to NAFTA and CAFTA, except the primary goal would be to identify and develop feasible alternative energy solutions jointly. To my knowledge this doesn't exist today. Setting guidelines and "targets" doesn't solve the problem. Sharing research and development experience (and costs) would help.
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GreyFlcn Posted 12:43 pm
17 Jun 2008
http://greyfalcon.net/iraqvsenergy.png
And thats in addition separate from the $14 billion dollars in annual direct subsidies and tax breaks we give the oil industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/washington/18cnd-royalt ...
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If you are really against Corporate Welfare, then atleast call for it on all sides. Otherwise you are just using that position as a excuse.
Increasing Mileage, far and away, is the best thing we can do to reduce emissions, and from that reduce our oil consumption.
http://greyfalcon.net/oilvsethanol.png
Electricity only costs $0.70 a gallon equivalent, and we got plenty of it.
http://greyfalcon.net/plugins7
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Then again, I also can't understand why some people believe that paying taxes with high interest foreign loans, is better than paying taxes directly.
It costs more money! And it devalues the dollars like crazy!
And yet because it's more complex, and dogmatically supported by the likes of Reagan, Bush, Cheney, that it's perceived as a "good" thing.
It's horrible.
http://greyfalcon.net/doonsbury.png
http://greyfalcon.net/debt2.png
http://greyfalcon.net/canadadollar.png
http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/1603
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