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    If GM delivers the goods with the Chevrolet Volt, it will usher in a new era in vehicles which are moving away from gasoline.  The current hybrids have paved the way for new technologies in the ultra-efficient vehicle field, and the Volt concept hopes to take it to another level. 

    The Volt is essentially a  plug-in hybrid/electric car.  On a full charge, the car’s battery pack has enough juice for a gas-free 40 miles of driving.   US commuters with commutes of less than 40 miles round-trip would be able to make the drive on electricity alone.  After those 40 or so miles, the highly efficient 1.0 liter 3 cylinder gas motor kicks in, but instead of powering the car itself, it powers the generator to recharge the batteries. 

    The concept sounds great, but everybody is worried about one thing; the batteries.  The biggest question mark rests with the performance of the batteries.  Is the technology there to bring this to market?  GM understandably wants to be absolutely positive that if they start producing Volts, it will be a success.  It most certainly won’t be successful if batteries are blowing up or wearing out after a hundred recharges. 

    Plug-in cars would be a great move away from foreign oil and would reduce greenhouse gas emissions greatly.  I personally would rather power my car off of the grid vs. filling up with gas.  With the continued growth of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal, plug-ins could be very clean vehicles. 

    GM wants to have the Volt in production within the next few years, and hopefully it is.  It would be a serious boost to the former top automobile company in the world.  After getting absolutely demolished in the hybrid field by Honda and Toyota, coupled with the fact that their flex-fuel vehicles are dead, GM needs this. 

    Is it any wonder that Ford, Gm, and, Chrysler are struggling mightily right now?  They are getting annihilated by Toyota and Honda in terms of market share here in the United States.  While Honda and Toyota were concentrating their efforts on fuel efficient cars, the big 3 were blindly relying on trucks, SUVs and large cars.  With a few exceptions, Japanese automobiles are the way to go to get the most reliable and economically car possible. 

    The American 3 simply have no answer for the Civic, Civic Hybrid, Corolla, and Prius.  These 4 cars are dominating the small car and hybrid markets, respectively.  What competition is there; the Ford Focus?  The hybrid market has a lot of entries, but none of the current offerings even come close to matching the fuel economy of Prius and Civic Hybrid. 

    The subcompact market is heating up, and every automaker is trying to get a piece.  I don’t think there are clear cut winners in this area yet, but I sure see a lot more Fits and Yaris’ than Aveos out on the road.  I think this market will grow immensely if gas prices continue to rise, as these cars deliver exceptional fuel economy for a fraction of the current hybrid price.   

    Now I have to give some credit where it is due to our hometown car makers.  Ford can currently claim the most fuel efficient SUV on the planet in the Ford Escape.  Kudos to them.  However, I wonder why they  still don’t offer a small car hybrid.  Maybe they are working on that?

    As for GM, the Chevy Volt is currently getting some attention, and for good reason.  A plug in hybrid that can go 40 miles on electricity alone and 640 miles on a tank of gas when using the electric motor would revolutionize the hybrid car.  If GM can bring this car to the market in the near future and meet those promises, they will be rewarded heavily for it.  Here’s hoping that GM delivers the goods.  For some reason though, I can’t imagine Honda and Toyota getting beat to the next big thing. 

    As for Chrysler; anybody know what they are doing?  They make some quality vehicles, but not any efficient ones.  Who knows, I bet their working on something.  Maybe. 

    Upgrading your ride is not the only way to achieve higher fuel efficiency, because the person driving the car has a big impact themselves. Small changes in one’s driving habits can have drastic effects on one’s fuel consumption and ultimately save money, help the environment, and use less fossil fuel.

    Most Americans simply need to slow down. Most cars achieve their top mpg at 55-60 mph, and the mileage drops significantly at speeds greater than this. We also need to eliminate the turbo-boost starts at the stoplight, not rely on the brakes as much, and try to keep from idling excessively. All these simple, easy changes will help greatly in getting better mileage. If you have a chance to drive a car with an instant gas mileage reading, it’s very easy to see how much these habits matter.

    Keeping your car tuned up will save you money at the pump and extend the life of your car. Basic, simple maintenance is easy and will pay for itself in no time. If you don’t have one already, invest 2 or 3 bucks in a tire pressure gauge. Besides the facts that underinflated tires are dangerous and wear faster, they also cause a drop in mileage. Tires can be several psi under the recommended number and not show appear to be just by looking at it, so make it a habit to check them often. Be sure to also keep up on scheduled maintenance for oil changes, fuel and air filters, spark plugs, coolant, etc… It’s the same case for all these things. A little money and time spent keeping up with the vehicle’s needs is a smart investment both short and long term.

    Try your hardest to keep you car’s weight down. Lugging around your golf clubs on your back all day would hinder your efficiency, so why leave them in the trunk unnecessarily? Other little habits such as cranking the A/C more than it needs to be and driving on the highway with the windows or moon roof down burn more gas.

    I like to keep a log for my car, keeping track of gas mileage and the maintenance schedule. It is so much easier to keep up on this way and I can see my efforts paying off. I am constantly trying to break my record for mpg of one tank, and that helps keeps me motivated while driving.

    I saved the best for last; There is always the option to drive less. Whether it is by carpooling, mass transit, riding a bike, walking, or combining your trips, there are ways to save some miles on the odometer and lessen your personal role in our oil addiction.

    I don’t know about you, but every time I get passed by some moron pushing their V8 to the limit or somebody next to me at the stoplight roasts ‘em like they are at the drag strip, I get a little irritated. Hopefully more and more Americans buy into this mindset with the costs at the pump rising and increasing awareness of environmental issues.

    We need to take a step back for a minute, and consider how many aspects of our lives are fueled by oil. Only then can the sheer magnitude of our addiction be understood. It is eye-opening to think of how one finite resource supports so many different vital ingredients to our well-being.

    We can thank oil for putting food on our tables. Every stage of the agricultural process uses fuel, from planting, the use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, plus harvesting and transportation. Fresh produce often has to travel thousands of miles to the store, burning lots of fuel in the process. Without the help of cheap oil, our grocery store offerings would be severely limited or highly expensive.

    Oil fuels our transportation. Whether it is to work, to school, to the game, on vacation, through water, through sky, to space or anywhere for that matter, it gets us where we need to go. It carries our letters, postcards, and packages cross-country. It has allowed us and our goods the unprecedented ability to get from place to place.

    We can credit nearly everything we in our houses to oil. It’s amazing how many plastic products we rely upon: bottles, sacks, toys, computers, electronics…. Wood, drywall, shingles, carpet, windows, furnishings, appliances are all things that use up petroleum somewhere in the production process and must be delivered to construct our home, sweet home. Needless to say, oil dependency is everywhere in our homes, and most of us must not forget that it heats them as well.

    This is just this tip of the iceberg. I could sit here all day and list ways that oil is the lifeline of everything within our way of life. It is obvious that this topic is a large one indeed, intertwined in every nook and cranny of our existence and well-being.