According to the Green Car Congress, a recent Cars.com Consumer Search Index Report has found that online searches for fuel-efficient vehicles have gone down over the past weeks alongside falling oil prices. At the same time — sadly, but not surprisingly — online searches for fuel hogs such as SUVs and Hummers have gone up.
Can auto consumers really be that short-sighted? Amazing.
Tyler Hamilton is editor-in-chief of Corporate Knights magazine and a business columnist for the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper. In addition to this Clean Break blog, Tyler writes a weekly column of the same name that discusses trends, happenings and innovators in the clean technology and green energy market. This blog is a personal project started in April 2005. It is not an official blog of the newspaper.
Check out my new book Mad Like Tesla: Underdog Inventors and Their Relentless Pursuit of Clean Energy, published by ECW Press.
If you would like to inquire about speaking engagements, research and writing services, or general consulting services please contact Tyler at cleantechreporter(AT)gmail.com
October 18th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Yes, indeed.
I’m starting to realize, the only way to make this switch to clean energy is a world-wide agreement of policy.
Such a policy would create a cap for carbon dioxide, tax it, create a ban on any new non-sequestered coal plant, ban on cars with low MPG, ban incandescent lights (while creating mandatory recycling programs for CF due to mercury), etc.
Also, a worldwide effort on solar cell, energy storage, and deep offshore wind generation research & manufacturing assistance is needed, as a longer term potential saving grace.
Do we want to risk the future of our world to the market coming forward with voluntary reductions? Do we want to risk the world so that Joe consumer can choose whichever lightbulb he wants?
Matt
October 18th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
We have to accept that our western world is driven very much by image and personal desire. That is why initiatives like the Tesla electric sportscar is so exciting becuase it appeals to our vanity AND is better for the planet. (No, I don’t work for Tesla… I wish!)
October 18th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
I wish that ACPropulsion could roll out eBoxes for less than $70k. Maybe then someone could afford one insteading of settling for the crap car makers are producing right now.
I predict Telsa is bankrupted by an unforseen dip in oil prices like this current one which renders their products “unnecessary” and we never see “White Horse”.
I hope I’m wrong.
Then again, maybe our society doesn’t deserved to be saved from itself if we start buying Hummers the second gas drops 50 cents.
October 19th, 2006 at 1:01 am
However, The US economy is quite unusual in that petrol prices are fairly stable. Here is Australia, it is a weekly occurence for petrol to go up or down by sometimes more than $1 a gallon.
October 19th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
They might be kicking themselves again next summer …
Stephen