Euro Setback
Sarkozy’s been great lately, thumbing his nose at the Iranians, almost like he wants to show certain Euro-centric Americans how cowboy diplomacy is done. It’s back to traditional Euro values now, though, as the Sarkozy government sits on an inconvenient finding that electric cars are a waste of time. Financial Times:
President Nicolas Sarkozy would dearly like to end France’s rotating presidency of the European Union on a high note by brokering this week a deal on a grand European response to global warming and energy efficiency. The ultimate plan is to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent with member states at the same time drawing their future energy needs from clean renewable sources by the same percentage amount. Under the circumstances, it is no surprise that the automobile industry has found itself at the heart of the climate change debate.
Indeed, Mr Sarkozy’s own government commissioned months ago one of France’s leading energy experts – Jean Syrota, the former French energy industry regulator – to draw up a report to analyse all the options for building cleaner and more efficient mass-market cars by 2030. The 129-page report was completed in September to coincide with the Paris motor show. But the government has continued to sit on it and seems reluctant to ever publish it.
Yet all those who have managed to glimpse at the document agree that it makes interesting reading. It concludes that there is not much future in the much vaunted developed of all electric-powered cars. Instead, it suggests that the traditional combustion engine powered by petrol, diesel, ethanol or new biofuels still offers the most realistic prospect of developing cleaner vehicles. Carbon emissions and fuel consumption could be cut by 30-40 per cent simply by improving the performance and efficiency of traditional engines and limiting the top speed to about 170km/hr.
Hey, how come Euros get to speed and we don’t? Gott in Himmel! I thought this was the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. Turns out we’re more socially responsible than they are, and it’s a drag. Sacre bleu! Improving fuel efficiency sounds good, though. Even when it’s cheap, gas costs money.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:28 am Comments (1) on Saturday, December 13, 2008
One Response to “Euro Setback”
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December 13th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
What? Electric cars aren’t the answer to glorbel warmening?!?!?!?!?
Be still, my heart! BE STILL!!!!!