Mercedes to phase out all petroleum based cars by 2015
In 7 short years, MB will not offer petroleum based power-trains, focusing on fuel cells, electric and biofuels.
Jun 28th 08
:: Blogging Away To Save The Universe
I know there are all kinds of issues with getting away from oil based fuels. But given the advances in technology the last 100 years, it is a shame that we are still stuck with the archaic design to propel our automobiles. I would have hoped that this kind of thing would have happened 15 years ago.
(And I am not surprised that Mercedes is going to lead the way.)
What I find amazing is the internal combustion engine has not changed really all that much since it reached mass production. YES, there have been refinements but the fundamental setup is the same.
Oil was cheap and the automakers and oil companies always had a relationship. I think it has reached the point that if all the automakers want to make is econoboxes – which I doubt – then they need to move on.
The hardest part – in my opinion – will not be the building vehicles that run on alternative fuels but getting the supply chain for these in place.
“What I find amazing is the internal combustion engine has not changed really all that much since it reached mass production.”
That’s what I mean by archaic. If you gathered the brightest scientists and engineers into a lab, and they threw out infrastructure and other issues getting in their way about how to propel a vehicle, what they would come up with would be nothing like the combustion engine. But oil money speaks very loudly, if not loudest of all, and so do the car companies’ money.