The Future of the Automobile Industry

The Future of the Automobile Industry

As the welfare of the global economy continues to waiver, we are left to only hope that something better is to come. The constant rise in oil and energy costs has nearly everyone scrambling to find ways to save and reduce their auto expenses. Many automobile companies are starting to offer hybrid and “flex fuel” vehicles that give a shimmer of hope to this on-going worry. There is constant research and development in the future of the automobile industry in areas such as; the possibility of release from our oil dependence, cars that run efficiently from electric and or battery motors, and the eruption of competition that will emerge.

One of the most talked about problem areas in the future of the automobile industry is our dependence on foreign oil. The trip to the gas station has now become a global fear for drivers everywhere. It is changing the way we drive, the places we go, and the overall way in which we operate as a society. Our constant battles with countries like Iraq and Venezuela have the United States government worried that at any moment they could decide to stop supplying us with oil. Hugo Chavez, an important leader in Venezuela, said after a court case involving the U.S. trying to seize valued Venezuelan assets, "If you damage us, then we will hurt you. Do you know how? We are not going to send oil to the United States, Mr. Bush." This obviously poses a serious threat to America and shows that we need to find other alternatives in the event that our sources should halt the supply. The bleak reality is that we can never really eliminate our reliance on foreign oil unless we completely remove the internal combustion engine from our economy; this is obviously not a viable solution and the extensive restrictions and limitations of domestic natural resource exploration make it a worthless cause. The only other logical avenue to further pursue would be alternate or substitute oil solutions. One alternative that is already being implemented is the use of ethanol.

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is an alternative fuel fermented from corn, grains or agricultural waste or it is chemically extracted from ethylene (hydration). It is used primarily as a supplement to gasoline. Pure ethanol is not sold as a stand- alone fuelвЂ"it is commonly mixed with gasoline in varying percentages. For example, E85 is a common mixture: 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. Most pump gasoline contains ethanol in much lower percentages. In the United States, it is added to gasoline in varying quantities to boost the octane level and meet EPA requirements for oxygenated fuels, especially in metropolitan areas. (“What is Ethanol?”) “Ethanol would be vastly improved in response to market forces unleashed by the governor's (Arnold Schwarzenegger) initiative… the end result would be lower prices at the pump and less reliance on foreign oil, and ethanol is the quickest, surest way to go” (Wilson and Douglass B3). Another area which is of much interest in regards to the future of the automobile industry is the development of energy and environmentally smart vehicles. The most current popular trend is the hybrid. Hybrid electric vehicles typically combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle (“How Hybrids Work”). Toyota and Honda have successfully built millions of these hybrid vehicles already and the consumer response has been remarkable. Another new environmentally smart vehicle currently on the market is the flex-fuel vehicle. “Flexible fuel vehicles are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85% ethanol (E85). Except for a few engine and fuel system modifications, they are identical to gasoline-only models” (“Flex-Fuel Vehicles”). Therefore, these cars are very cost-effective as well. One new prototype that is still undergoing much research and testing is the fuel cell vehicle. “Fuel cell vehicles have onboard fuel cells that create electricity through a chemical process using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air to power an electric motor” (“Fuel Cell Vehicles”). There are still some issues at hand that are preventing these cars from hitting the market because their tanks are too big and do not hold enough to go a reasonable distance, they do not operate well in cold weather, and the implementation of these vehicles would call for brand new filling stations to be built across the country which would have a great initial cost. One of the first energy conscious vehicles that were put on the market, that has now lost some of its popularity due to new other advancements, is the electric vehicle. “Electric vehicles are propelled by an electric motor (or motors) powered by rechargeable battery packs” (“Electric Vehicles”). The problem with electric and most of the other mentioned vehicles is that they are not intended for long distance traveling and that most of them consist of very heavy and bulky fuel sources and power systems that make them impractical. Researchers are working day and night to improve battery technologies, to increase driving range, to decrease recharging time, lessen replacement frequency, lighten weight, and lower cost.