RV Fuel Issues & Prices - Post 'Em Here!

LindsayRichards wrote:
The fire in Venezuela's huge (955,000 bbls/day) has got to have an affect on our fuel prices. It is only a few days old, so it hasn't affected the supply chain yet, but it is certainly in the minds of the suppliers. Hurricane Issac has also shut down thousands of oil wells and their associated refineries in the Gulf area. The oil wells can be restarted right away, but the refineries take 4 to 6 days to restart. Neither of these things look good for our fuel pricing.

IMO this points out how frail our oil-burning system is and how sensitive it is to environmental conditions. For the oil supply system this is like the sun going behind clouds in a solar energy system.

But in this case the damage is mitigated by the effect of the huge international global oil market so that we may see very little effect. The USA only uses about 20% of the global supply so most of the cost will fall on big buyers like China and India. That's a plus for the "Free Market" global oil market.

"Toyota announced it has sold its one-millionth Prius in the US, with sales over 170,000 in that year alone. Hybrid cars"

These cars are made only in Japan, subsitized by the government in Japan, made by "union" workers that are well paid (unlike their American counter parts). I don't think there is one US dealership in Japan. Hmmmmmmm

I hope as the new MPG standard become more prevelent so with the USA footprint in the Hybred and electric inductry. I hope....

This is the agreed to MPG in 2025 gee I'll be amost 80 then wonder what I'll be driv'n?

Senior administration officials will announce new, aggressive fuel economy standards for 2017-2025 during a conference call today at 12:30 p.m., the White House said.

Ray LaHood, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Lisa Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are expected announce standards of 54.5 miles per gallon that automakers must reach by 2025.

The new rules will change the landscape of the cars and trucks purchased by Americans, causing automakers to produce cars and trucks that are nearly twice as efficient as those on the road today.

The new standard is based on a historic agreement reached last year between the Obama administration, 13 major automakers, the UAW and environmental groups.

NHTSA sets fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. while EPA calculates the average fuel economy for each manufacturer.

As for global warming, you can argue either side until you're red in the face....all I know is over the last 15-20 yrs, cars have gotten cleaner and the air quality has improved tremendously. It's not wacky science, it's a fact. We don't have any where near the number bad air quality days. You can SEE the differnce on a daily basis.

Here in So Cal, there are a large number of hybrids on the road. In 2011, Toyota announced it has sold its one-millionth Prius in the US, with sales over 170,000 in that year alone. Hybrid cars I'm sure you "read somewhere" that very few hybrid owners would buy again. That may be true for earlier versions, but all you need to do is go on one of the online forums and read. The PriusChat forum has a bunch of 2nd and 3rd time buyers and happy owners.

GM has as a 84 day supply on hand and dealers won't take anymore because they are not selling (or leasing). Over half of those sold have gone to municipalities. Our Cops On Patrol, senior citizen organization, has one and sits in the church parking lot running the gas engine so they can have AC.

LindsayRichards wrote:
Whoops

General Motors is halting, for a month, the manufacture of its well-known but seldom-sold Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car, according to trade publication Automotive News.
It would be the second interruption in production for the Volt, which can go 38 miles on battery power before needing a recharge from its gasoline engine or via a plug-in.
Automotive News, citing unnamed sources, reports the Detroit-Hamtramck plant will suspend production from Sept. 17 until Oct. 15. Leaders of the UAW told the plant's 1,500 union workers about the scheduled downtime last week, the source said.
A GM spokesman declined to comment. "We don't comment on production schedules," the spokesman told the News. "We continue to match supply and demand."

Poletown makes more that just the Volt so if the olants goes down it is more than the volt maybe a change over of sorts. GM has taken a different tact on the downtime issuses. Also they realize the Volt is a limited production car and you don't use a whole plant the size of Poletown for that.

The fire in Venezuela's huge (955,000 bbls/day) has got to have an affect on our fuel prices. It is only a few days old, so it hasn't affected the supply chain yet, but it is certainly in the minds of the suppliers. Hurricane Issac has also shut down thousands of oil wells and their associated refineries in the Gulf area. The oil wells can be restarted right away, but the refineries take 4 to 6 days to restart. Neither of these things look good for our fuel pricing.

When you folks go off-topic and political, and start flaming each other, I have to try to clean up the mess and yet try to leave substantial content and dialog. You all know I have allowed considerable content latitude.

As mom said when I was a kid; "Quit your whining or you will get something to really whine about". :B

Whoops

General Motors is halting, for a month, the manufacture of its well-known but seldom-sold Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car, according to trade publication Automotive News.
It would be the second interruption in production for the Volt, which can go 38 miles on battery power before needing a recharge from its gasoline engine or via a plug-in.
Automotive News, citing unnamed sources, reports the Detroit-Hamtramck plant will suspend production from Sept. 17 until Oct. 15. Leaders of the UAW told the plant's 1,500 union workers about the scheduled downtime last week, the source said.
A GM spokesman declined to comment. "We don't comment on production schedules," the spokesman told the News. "We continue to match supply and demand."

:Z