A Scary Thought

[Frank_Li]

Have you guys ever wonderd how long our fossil fuels will last? I mean, I don't wana seem like a plant freak but this scares me. I was talking to my physics teacher one day, he's in to cars also, and I asked him if he had ever read any thing on how long scientist predict our fuel will last and acording to them it's around 50 years. I also read a book (Forward Drive) that states world production will peak around 2010 then it's all down hill with lower and lower supply. I don't even want to think about messing around with a hydrogen powered car. At least cars will always have suspensions to work on. I wanted to become an automotive engineer but thinking about this changes my mind. Aren't any of you guys worried?

 

[90 accord]

get rid of the redneck trucks that get 8mpg (like my friends 92 f250 lifted, 36" mudders) and it would last a lot longer.

 

[Frank_Li]

I know what you mean, guys in suits don't need that big engine in thier Hummer, they will never use it.

 

[BigJ]

Yeah really. Look at us here at hondaswap. I bet the worst economy on a car here is still above 15mpg. So many people commute like 100 per day and get like 12mpg. That is where it is going. Honda's own v8's.

 

[doofnoil]

there's still alternaive gas sources like gas made out of corn and whatnot

 

[sportlinecrx]

naw man..theres PLENTY of untapped resources for fossil fuels. the problem is its either protected by environmentalists or it just hasnt been found yet cause no one has searched or dug deep enough. also, all that used oil from jiffy lube and places like that goes back to the refinery for reprocessing into fuel. dont worry, we're gonna be sniffing fumes for a loooong time to come

 

[phunky.buddha]

To be honest, we really don't know how much crude there is left to grab. We're not even drilling very far from most coastlines- go into deeper water, and there's tons left to get. The technology is getter better every day, and we're getting more out of current wells, as well as figuring out ways to get to oil in more difficult to reach places. It's going to be more than 50 years, trust me. That 50 year figure is just a number that a lot of people like to throw around- it's been the "standard" figure for as long as I can remember.

 

[dohcvtec_accord]

I'd say we're closer to 30 years before crude oil becomes too expensive to pull out of the ground. I did alot of research on it while in school, and I'd be willing to bet we'll all see alternative fuels more or less the norm in our lifetime.

 

[phunky.buddha]

I don't know about that... yes, alternative fuels will become standard in our lifetime (hopefully), but I really don't think we're going to get to the point of "too expensive to pull out of the ground" anytime soon.

 

[dohcvtec_accord]

The US is near the bottom of their fuel production bell curve. The Mideast is still at its peak, but the way we're consuming oil, it'll be effectively gone by the time we're off the Earth (IMO).

 

[Frank_Li]

I've also read theories that the worlds oil reserves have been exagerated in order to provide world wide economic stability. I mean, we can always fix up cars and race them on road courses but can you image what a drag it's going to be not being able to build your own motor? Aleternative fuels? Aren't they still too expensive to produce? Alt. Fuel would , I guess, allow us to keep our engines but I bet we would have to modify them some how. And you know what else pisses me off Those damn oil companies, I don't belive thier damand and supply bullshit they put out in order to explain the rising gas prices. Those Fuckers, I bet they are just sticking it to us and using the Middle East as a scapegoat. Call me ignorant but I don't belive them.

 

[dohcvtec_accord]

I know a bit about hydrogen fuel, and normal internal combustion engines won't be able to be modified to run on hydrogen.

 

[Frank_Li]

Yeah, I know, but I mean like natrual gas or ethenol.

 

[DazedCivic99]

lets go to wth future like in back to the future and get one of the garbage powered cars that would be cool, we got alot of that

 

[TRuggiero_]

I'm not to worried bout it. Sumthin definately has to be done. But not in my life time. Or at least the good part of my life time, once I turn 50 I'll probably get a car that gets 100mpg. You know they got this car, it runs on air. Two or three big oxygen tanks, you stop at the gas station, and fill it up with air. top speed of 65 mph. But there should be a law like if you get less than 15mpg, you need to take it out back and shoot it. But you can't tell someone they have to get rid of their car unless your gonna buy em a new one.

 

[doofnoil]

man...they could make a car that runs off of water if they wanted to... I'm pretty sure they did backk in the day, but there's money to be made with oil. I'm not to worried about it, by the time everyone drives hybrids I'll either be dead or really old and not care. Besides there is ALWAYS a way to make something go faster no matter what it is.

 

[DarkHand]

Originally posted by dohcvtec_accord@Mar 10 2003, 03:25 PM
I know a bit about hydrogen fuel, and normal internal combustion engines won't be able to be modified to run on hydrogen.

That's how I thought hydrogen cars would work the first time I had heard about them... Some sort of combustion engine that ignites the hydrogen to provide power the way current engines do, not just to charge a battery and turn an electric motor. I'd love to see something like that.

 

[paragus]

everyone should switch to motorcycles.. we all would be saving tons of gas

 

[Tonyd0821]

no, there are still PLENTY of oil reserves left in the ground.
in fact, all we have to do is chop down some forest and pull it out of
the ground in alaska. also, synthetics can be turned into gasoline if im not
mistaken....

 

[phunky.buddha]

Hydrogen? Screw a complex piston engine... run it through a turbine. More efficient, cheaper, fewer moving parts........

Oil reserves- yup Alaska is a prime place to drill. We're preparing for a "storm" of new holes to drill in areas all around North America here.