What will become of the automobile?
In 1928 the Model T Ford was the car that people could afford and basically became the family car. With Ford’s use of the automated assembly line and interchangeable parts it was easy and affordable to build new cars and repair damaged ones.
Well now in 2008, 80 years later the automated assembly line is still going strong with more emphasis on the word automated. And not only Ford but dozens of car makers use the automated lines, except if you but something like a Ferrari which might I add is not your typical family car. But now in 2008 we must face problems that are affecting the economy, the environment and the way we look at the automobile.
Now in 2008 we must deal with the problems that other generations had started. Global warming, fossil fuel emissions, and outrageous oil prices. With gas prices on the rise many car makers have begun to turn to alternative fuel sources, such as fully electric or hybrid automobiles. The cars of today have become more economical, rather than more horsepower, its about more miles to the gallon. There are still people who drive around in muscle cars, and hummers but there the ones footing the bill so more power to you. Even the SUV has starting to go hybrid.
Not all of these green vehicles are hybrid though, Bio-Diesel, natural gas, and Hydrogen fuel sources are also being used. GM has already begun to mass produce Flex-fuel E-85 vehicles. These flex-fuel cars and trucks run on 85% ethanol and only 15% gasoline. GM has also been working on trying to perfect the LI-ion battery that they will use in future hybrid automobiles, and GM claims that these LI-ion batteries can boost the vehicles fuel economy by 15-20% depending on the size and the type of the car. While Mercedes debuted it Hybrid S-400 at the Geneva cars show which also uses the LI-ion battery platform.
And now with more people trying not to burn holes in their pockets by putting in hundreds of dollars of gasoline every week, The car makers want to tend to the needs of the customer. GPS systems, Sync by Ford, and On-star from GM have given the luxury automobiles some competition and now with more economical cars, the other car companies will have o go with the flow such as BMW did. GM which owns a lot of the car companies that Americans drive it had also been working to make the economical car, fun to drive, good-looking, and enough horses to give their speed junkies a fix with out compromising a low budget such as in Saab’s new 9-x hybrid.
Well if you have a budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a car, the new green vehicles are the way to go; and trust me the money you will save in future gasoline prices will eventually pay for the car itself
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