Comments on: Nissan’s Electric Car Shows Green Isn’t Easy http://blogs.gartner.com/martin_reynolds/2009/08/06/nissan%e2%80%99s-electric-car-shows-green-isn%e2%80%99t-easy/ A Member of the Gartner Blog Network Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:41:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Martin Reynolds http://blogs.gartner.com/martin_reynolds/2009/08/06/nissan%e2%80%99s-electric-car-shows-green-isn%e2%80%99t-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Martin Reynolds Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:26:26 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/martin_reynolds/?p=14#comment-14 Thanks, Jay - I fixed up my hybrid error. Interestingly, the Insight is a light hybrid with a relatively small battery and motor - but that is a decent compromise. The danger we face is that we take all of these steps and end up standing still. Unfortunately, as alternative energy sources emerge, fossil fuels will simply get cheaper. And then people discover all kinds of new uses. Thanks, Jay – I fixed up my hybrid error. Interestingly, the Insight is a light hybrid with a relatively small battery and motor – but that is a decent compromise.

The danger we face is that we take all of these steps and end up standing still. Unfortunately, as alternative energy sources emerge, fossil fuels will simply get cheaper. And then people discover all kinds of new uses.

]]> By: Jay Scism http://blogs.gartner.com/martin_reynolds/2009/08/06/nissan%e2%80%99s-electric-car-shows-green-isn%e2%80%99t-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Jay Scism Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:29:56 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/martin_reynolds/?p=14#comment-12 The Insight is a hybrid, not a conventional vehicle. Both the Jetta TDI and the Smart ForTwo get over 40mpg in the EPA's highway cycle, so they're the best "conventional" vehicles (I use that term loosely for the Smart). The point is well taken, though, all this is just shifting emissions around, like rearranging desk chairs on the Titanic. If we're seriously concerned about reducing CO2 emissions in our lifetime, we need to look at replacing existing coal plants with natural gas (about half again as much CO2/KWh), and taking your advice on nuclear power. Solar and wind power will not have a significant impact in the short term (and I mean 50 years short term) if ever. The Insight is a hybrid, not a conventional vehicle. Both the Jetta TDI and the Smart ForTwo get over 40mpg in the EPA’s highway cycle, so they’re the best “conventional” vehicles (I use that term loosely for the Smart).

The point is well taken, though, all this is just shifting emissions around, like rearranging desk chairs on the Titanic.

If we’re seriously concerned about reducing CO2 emissions in our lifetime, we need to look at replacing existing coal plants with natural gas (about half again as much CO2/KWh), and taking your advice on nuclear power. Solar and wind power will not have a significant impact in the short term (and I mean 50 years short term) if ever.

]]>