Strangely, RoadRat, we agree on SOME of this stuff. However, you simply CANNOT be right about the 'green cars' being an INSTANT 'seller'.
How can I be so sure?
Because there as 'mountains' of unsold Priuses, just like ALL the other cars! Check out the data: Toyota have drasticfallay cut the production of the Prius since late 2008.
Yes I KNOW that the Prius is NOT perfect (horrid little thing!), but it MAY well be the BEST thing available and thus your 'green push' should be 'visible' in increased sales on the BEST car in the 'eco' range........ and it's NOT!
However, had we been LUCKY and had the high fuel price STILL in position, then we MAY have seen the 'green push' you (and I) hoped for! However, the MOMENT that oil prices dropped back, then the Yanks fell BACK into their insane desire for emabarrassing 4 wheel drive HORRORS!......... except they haven't got the money to buy THOSE, either!
It's the same here, while oil prices are cheap, we are NEVER going to able to persuade people of the BENEFITS of SANE cars. When I was a kid, 90% of cars were owned by 'Dads' and were of around the 850cc all the way up to 1600cc if you were WELL off! We have improved the efficiecny of our motors over that time and what have we DONE with it? We have WASTED it on air conditioning, power seats, electric windows, double glazing, bigger stereos AND WE HAVE FITTED B*I*G*G*E*R engines! Damn it, SANITY should have meant we simply cut the engine size in line with the improved EFFICIENCY..... but we HAVEN'T!
Now, it takes a VERY 'brave' 'Dad' to drive a car with LESS than 2 litres. We have DOUBLED (or more) the power and mileage of our engines..... but what have we DONE with it? We've made the engines BIGGER and NOT smaller..... which is what we SHOULD have done!
Why haven't we? Becasue the public don't give a F*** about the environment, the planet, cost..... so long as they cruise around in JOKE 4 wheel drive MONSTERS!
The ONLY ways to get them to change would be:-
1) Tax the wasteful cars until it HURTS! 2) Let oil prices RIP!
We WILL get the latter..... in time..... and it won't be too long at THAT! Until then, sadly, the 'green push' simply will NOT happen!
Ian
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