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Exxon
oil profits, Saudi oil supply questions: More reasons for
hybrids
Hybrid
cars are not the
answer to today's oil problems. Sure, everyone could drive
a Toyota
Prius and America could end foreign oil dependency,
but one vehicle isn't going to save America from foreign
oil. Even if everyone wanted to drive a Prius it would
still take years before that many hybrids could even be
produced.
Thus, critics dismiss hybrids as hype, noting that today's
hybrid technology costs do not justify the savings in fuel
economy. As if investment never leads to cheaper costs and
better technology - I mean look at computers, what a
wasted investment!
Instead, America would rather rely on big energy, such as
Exxon Mobil. That's right, the same Exxon Mobil that
"said Thursday high oil and natural-gas prices helped
its third-quarter profit surge almost 75 percent to $9.92
billion" according to the AP.
The same Exxon Mobil that is going to be given tax payer
money to help alleviate the oil shortage in America.
Now, that's a plan!
And we're going to need more oil, a lot more oil, not only
in the U.S., but worldwide. Unfortunately, that oil might
not exist. According to an extremely interesting NYTIMES
article, Doubts
Raised on Saudi Vow for More Oil, Saudi Arabia might
have far less oil than they have been proclaiming to the
world, and a serious oil crunch could be just around the
corner.
Don't worry, I'm sure Exxon will use some of its profits
and tax payer incentives to help out the average American!
If oil supplies do stagnate, where is the oil going to
come from to run all the diesels that are going to save
America according to the Detroit News? Nothing like
putting all your eggs in one basket.
Why not invest in technology?
Experimental
hybrid vehicles have already been built that can
achieve more than 100 mpg, some even achieve as much as
250 mpg, and others have claimed that a flex-fuel plug-in
hybrid could achieve as much as 500 mpg. Additionally,
flex fuel plug-in hybrids could utilize gasoline, diesel,
biodiesel, electricity or even hydrogen. Is that too many
options?
What the hell are we waiting for? Why does America
continue to provide tax dollars to the oil industry? Why
do we allow automakers, including Toyota, to continue to
sell gas-guzzlers? Why not subsidize the cost of a fleet
of Ford
Escape hybrids and Toyota
Highlander hybrids that achieve at least 50 mpg? That
technology exists right now, yet
instead we give billions to oil companies?
Oil, not technology, is the solution to America's
problems, at least if you ask Congress. I guess almost 10
billion in profits provides a lot of favors.
So yeah, 100 mpg hybrids are too expensive and hybrids are
just hype, but spending billions and billions on oil
companies, oil refineries, the hydrogen highway, and fuel
cells is a bargain - at least for Exxon Mobil it is.
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