Oshin11

I remember someone posting about a Honda Fit, and this is probably off topic but I think it could be one of the most groundbreaking things of the decade. As an engineering I really appreciate the people who brought together years of university and company research into fruition as a deployable product. Check it out and read a little about it, the pictures are really cool too. I think this is a huge step towards saving our environment and giving a big middle finger to middle eastern oil. After this becomes a common household product we will see a huge drop in oil prices since the demand for oil wont be nearly as large. I dunno I am babbling I think its amazing check it out!

http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

The Honda FCX Clarity...I think its the second generation but I had never heard of it before. I hope it takes off.

911vet

I think you are right on topic. The best "Homeland Security" is "Home Planet Security" in my humble opinion. Let's take away the true weapon of mass destruction: the economy of oil.

I consider myself an environmentalist... yet here I am the true hipocrit driving a sports car for fun. Burning gas. Polluting the world. It's hard to justify isn't it?

Ironically, I almost bought a Honda Fit instead of the 911. Hopefully, fuel cells will take off and I will be buying a Fit Clarity in a few years. (but keeping the 911 too. I may be a hippocrit, but I'm not stupid).

Oshin11

Well I think that people will always have cars like these, meaning performance vehicles, to drive on the weekends and stuff. That is not all that bad, however for the other 95 percent of people that are not car enthusiasts and only own 1 car, the FCX would be awesome. All the people driving Camrys, Accords, Altimas, or any other mid-price ranged vehicle would probably get an FCX. There could still be gas powered sports/exotic cars that people drive, as long as its not a daily driver. I could see in the next decade or two that we would have a luxury tax on cars that are gas powered haha.

JV911

not hard to justify as long as you make up for it in other areas

ie i'm **** about recycling & turning lights off, i catch the bus to work every day, i walk to the shops, i use canvas bags rather than palstic bags at the super-market etc etc ETC

the 911 only gets driven maybe once a fortnight so fuel usage is minimal and daily driver is a 1 litre toyota. i say "daily driver" but in reality it gets driven once a week

Oshin11

If the average American was as awesome as you, we would probably not be in the mess we are in I made separate trash and recycling bins in my house, but my roommates (IQs of 11 and 12) just use both for whatever happens to be in their hand at the time. Recycling is so easy, yet so many people find it to be so difficult, we have become lazy and slothlike in so many ways. Sorry I just get touchy about stuff like this, I hate that they leave the TV on for 6 hours when nobody is in the room. It is so easy to conserve energy, yet we cant seem to be able to do it....and when there are rolling black outs people's jaws drop to the floor and they yell "WTF happened why was there a black out?!"

JV911

seperate recycling, garbage and garden waste bins are provided are provided by most local councils here yet some people find it too difficult to recycle

Chris M.

I have a Fit and I love it. It uses exactly HALF the gas of my V6 4Runner.

Oshin11

I know we get that too here, but people still think its too difficult. Even babies can separate the blue triangle from the red circle and yellow square people! Haha

Droops83

The only problem with hydrogen power is getting the hydrogen. Hydrogen is everywhere, but it is always chemically bonded to something else. It can of course be extracted, but it is a very energy-consuming process with current technology (think fossil fuels), and from what I have read the net energy usage from running a hydrogen car with current technology is MORE than simply driving a fuel efficient gasoline engine car (same goes for ethanol, BTW). But I am glad that companies like Honda are working on a solution. Hopefully the smart people working on this stuff can figure out a good clean way to extract hydrogen, or some other renewable source of energy for the future!

WitchDoctor

I'm trying to think of some moral ground on which to pose this question, but, ahhh, how does the Honda Fit drive? Oh, I know. In order to both save on gas, and not spoil / risk my 911 by driving it too much (for anything but pleasure), I think it's vital that these conscience cars also have some kind of fun factor. Anemic and flimsy 3 cylinder Pontiac Fireflies come to mind.

WitchDoctor

Oops, posted before I was done.

So, if the Fit is not just convenient, flexible and efficient, but also fun to drive, and comfortable (my 93 Acura daily driver is the second most uncomfortable car to sit in, after my former Honda CR-V...I'm seeing a pattern here...) then I'm just about convinced.

Brent

Oshin11

Don't worry Chris, the top universities in materials engineering are already working on this (MIT UCSB Northwestern Stanford UIUC). The next decade shows to be very promising. As for ethanol, big big big waste of time. If every inch of America was used to grow corn, we still wouldn't put a dent in the amount of oil we consume. BTW Chris I opened up my valve covers, using the traditional method (feeler gauge at elephant foot) it was so obvious that the backside method leaves your valves too loose. I ordered more feeler gauge and will be redoing it on Wednesday.

Oshin11

I dont think the FIT is the same as the Clarity is it?

JV911

one thing i dont like about bio-fuels is that in places like borneo they are wiping out the rainforest (or what little is left) at an alarming rate to make room for palm-oil plantations

now if every bit of oil that was used to cook french fries in the US could be used to make bio-diesel...

Oshin11

AMEN JV911