The beginning of the end for EcoBoost/Modular

[TobyU]

Meh, we already have FlexFuel tech in our Expys and they can run on 85% ethanol, which burns super clean compared to gasoline.

To me, changing gas cars / trucks to run on 100% ethanol or natural gas would be the best interim solution if one wants to "limit emissions", until battery technology catches up... in the next 50 years or so.

However, the electric car push is not about "saving the planet" from the mythical "man-made climate change" boogeyman, it is simply a new form of a cash grab by corporations and governments. If you don't believe, go watch a few YouTube videos about how reliable Teslas are in the long run and how much they cost in maintenance... and what the average lifespan of an electric / hybrid car is before it gets sent to the crusher (vs internal combustion engine versions).

Electric cars are for those yuppies who are well off and who like to show off their "greenness" & moral superiority... the rest drive used Corollas.

I'm with you on the cash grab and the greedy corporations and the man-made global warming bullcrap but I don't care for the 85% or 100% ethanol. I don't think most of the country has a need to worry about running on anything other than gasoline for the next 50 to 100 years. Just because a couple of large cities and a state like California had a problem and have some problems because of the overpopulation doesn't mean Iowa, Ohio, Kansas or 35 or so other states will ever have a problem.
That's where the government push comes in 2 create a need to solve a problem that isn't even there yet.
If I drive 20 minutes out of any city in Ohio which is only like 4 that count for being large, all I see are corn and soybean fields.
And the ethanol fuel is an ultimate scam at least in this country. It's so confusing that I can't even keep all the facts straight I know it's a scam for the farmers and everything else involved. They spend almost as much if not more energy to make the ethanol out of corn than it produces. Complete lunacy. Now other countries I believe use sugar cane but I could be wrong, get a much higher return of energy when they produce it.
I think we should be running cars on propane or natural gas first. Ethanol is junk and crummy and all the problems I just mentioned. I don't know why propane is so expensive versus Natural Gas or if it really even is but with all the Newfound reserves of natural gas and the new ways of mining we seem to have an abundance in this country. It's not that big of a deal to do. A friend of mine drove a truck that ran on propane 20 years ago. A large 20-foot delivery truck. You just have a hose that's a little thicker diameter than the gas pump that you push and then turn and then it fills it up.
Natural gas cars burn a whole lot cleaner than gasoline to but I don't know the actual emissions numbers. I just know that the insides the engines and the throttle body and plenum stay absolutely clean compared to the nasty black tar and carbon of gasoline.

 

[bobmbx]

Oddly enough ... Electric cars predated internal combustion engine cars.

Fuel Cells (not fuel cell cars) go back to the early 1800's too. I expect hydrogen fuel Cells to solve the battery problem for electric cars.

This will never happen, for one simple reason: There's too much hydrogen floating around, and no one can own the atmosphere or the oceans, ergo...there's no money in it for the energy companies. You can literally produce your own hydrogen in your backyard. There isn't a way to monopolize the raw material like oil, coal, or natural gas by purchasing the land that contains it. Ever wondered why aspirin is out of favor as a pain reliever? Cuz its a plant, and it can't be patented.

If for some reason hydrogen starts to become a thing, you can bet that the production of hydrogen will be so heavily regulated by Congress at the behest of the energy companies that the cost of making your own will be impossible. You know, for safety and stuff. Oh, and how would air be taxed?

 

[Plati]

This will never happen, for one simple reason: There's too much hydrogen floating around, and no one can own the atmosphere or the oceans, ergo...there's no money in it for the energy companies. You can literally produce your own hydrogen in your backyard. There isn't a way to monopolize the raw material like oil, coal, or natural gas by purchasing the land that contains it. Ever wondered why aspirin is out of favor as a pain reliever? Cuz its a plant, and it can't be patented.

If for some reason hydrogen starts to become a thing, you can bet that the production of hydrogen will be so heavily regulated by Congress at the behest of the energy companies that the cost of making your own will be impossible. You know, for safety and stuff. Oh, and how would air be taxed?

It's fun for people to say stuff like this. It's good to have fun! Problem is it's often repeated and the gullible begin to believe it after a while. It's almost like people enjoy living in a Fantasy world. Can't blame them.

I think it was MrManUpOrShutUp that said "you won't find any rational thinking on this Forum..."

He was mostly correct.
Not totally but he did capture an essence.

 

[Almur]

In two weeks I am driving my Max from just outside of Toronto to Kissimmee for the winter. I have a lot to take , no matter how I try to limit the cargo, but the Max was as small as I could go (MKX was a disaster, couldn’t see out the back window). I feel that if I had an electric vehicle on that trip I would take six days instead of 2 and likely run out of power more than once. I don’t feel I would ever be comfortable with an all electric automobile as there are far too many negatives with the use of them as well as the other problems regarding batteries and recycling of them and the metals needed.

 

[D Hook]

State and Federal gov'ts are addicted to the taxes that gasoline produces so they might have an objection to too many electrics on the road. Sure, they can raise the taxes per gallon to make up the shortfall but that would likely drive many more to going electric.

I'd go electric for a commuting vehicle in a minute if I could afford it. But would want to keep my Explorer for the winter snow and long hauls.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

State and Federal gov'ts are addicted to the taxes that gasoline produces so they might have an objection to too many electrics on the road. Sure, they can raise the taxes per gallon to make up the shortfall but that would likely drive many more to going electric.

I'd go electric for a commuting vehicle in a minute if I could afford it. But would want to keep my Explorer for the winter snow and long hauls.

In addition to raising the fuel tax, the state I live in also recently instituted an electric vehicle registration tax - to help fund the road construction and repairs.

As more electric vehicles are registered, you will see local, state and the Federal government enact new taxes on them to pay for the roadways.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Well guys, Ford screwed up in one big way. The MachE mustang itself is a great concept and cool good looking car!! It’s gotten an overall negative reception by the public. It does not belong with the Mustang name that’s plastered all over it. It’s a suv and electric. This screams identity crisis, and that’s what the media and owners are saying right away. Wrong name ford. Big screw up. The car itself? I kind of like it! Looks better than most electrics and rivals Tesla. Just. The. Wrong. Name. The Mustang GT 5.0 still looks worlds cooler.

Ford is obviously using the massive brand identity of the Mustang to introduce this new Mustang model.

However, Ford plans to build the new Mustang Mach E in Mexico. What are they thinking?

 

[JasonH]

Ford is obviously using the massive brand identity of the Mustang to introduce this new Mustang model.

However, Ford plans to build the new Mustang Mach E in Mexico. What are they thinking?

Profits. That kind of how capitalism works. No profit = no Ford.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Profits. That kind of how capitalism works. No profit = no Ford.

I own a 2015 Ford Expedition Limited 4x4, purchased new.

I would never consider purchasing a vehicle made in Mexico, especially from Ford or GM.

 

[TobyU]

This will never happen, for one simple reason: There's too much hydrogen floating around, and no one can own the atmosphere or the oceans, ergo...there's no money in it for the energy companies. You can literally produce your own hydrogen in your backyard. There isn't a way to monopolize the raw material like oil, coal, or natural gas by purchasing the land that contains it. Ever wondered why aspirin is out of favor as a pain reliever? Cuz its a plant, and it can't be patented.

If for some reason hydrogen starts to become a thing, you can bet that the production of hydrogen will be so heavily regulated by Congress at the behest of the energy companies that the cost of making your own will be impossible. You know, for safety and stuff. Oh, and how would air be taxed?

I think I posted a version of this earlier, maybe was on another form I think it was here. That there is no way. We have created a world that is dependent on us mining oil, turning it into fuel, Trucking across the country, Distributing it at gas stations, and powering all kinds of things including most Alvarado's on it. If tomorrow there was a magic little box that powers your car for 10 years soon as they got popular as long as they kept the price down there world would crumble without the repeated fuel industry. And I didn't even touch on the taxes like others have here.
It might happen but I can guarantee you if that little magic box was made that the government would strictly regulate the distribution of them and somehow make $100 item somehow cost $13,000 and you have to finance it over a period Of 3 years or more just to pay for it. So all-in-all we will continually get screwed. That's what the system and what the government does. That's what big business does lots of times. I'm a pro supporter of big business but often they are rude bastards.

Unfortunately I guess most of us have already accepted the fact that life just keeps on screwing us and the way it is is pretty much the way it's going to be.
We really have little knowledge of how some things work in other parts of the world. I don't know the particulars of this but I know that our theory of home ownership in this country is unique and kind of screwed up. For decades we spent 30 years to pay off a home and spent at least one and a half if not want to 3/4 to 2 times what it was worth. And some decades even more. In other countries it doesn't work that way. You get a small crew of people to come out and build you a house in a few weeks 4 very small amounts of money. There are no mortgages and there is no going in debt.
I use the term Bizarro world all the time because if you back way out and just take a snapshot of Our Lives from a great distance some of the things we accept as normal are crazy as hell.