Oil is cheaper, so is it the end of alternative fuels?

[Gassy Ghost]

Earlier today, I read a news story (sorry, no link) about how the decrease in gas prices is a bad thing, because it will encourage people to start driving more, decrease interest in alternative fuel cars, and decrease the need for the presidential candidates to focus on alternative energy sources.

Now, I've always felt that we should force pure gas engine cars off the market, with the exception of specially permitted vehicles for situations where it might be needed (a work truck that needs extra torque that a hybrid wouldn't be able to achieve, as example).

So do you think this article is true, will people forget that quickly how much it sucks when gas is >$4.00 per gallon? If so, how do we keep up interest in alternative fuel sources?

[Sarah]

All I can say is that, during a little confab with my oil delivery guy this evening, I asked him whether he thought this was going to be a year when prepaying for my fuel oil was going to prove to be a mistake (something that has happened only twice in more than twenty years, once after 9/11, when the prices were dropped artificially to make us feel better), he responded with a resounding no. Since Ricky has yet to steer me wrong in these matters, I suspect that gas prices aren't going to drop long enough to make any difference.

[hi_there_again]

Well, the general state of economic collapse probably means that any drop in gas prices will be offset by financial hardships on other fronts, so the cost of fueling up a car will still be very much on the minds of consumers and voters. Besides, oil prices are bound to jump up again once the latest round of violence in Iraq/John McCain speach about Iran/Iranian speach about Bush/American invasion of Iran/Israeli war with Lebennon/Al Qaeda attack in Jordan, Egypt or Saudia Arabia/Gulf Coast hurricane/Russian invasion/OPEC nonesense/Venezualan stunt/Nigerian power struggle/etc pops up to remind people about the instability of the global energy supply.

So, yay?

[talula]

God, everything sucks.

Someone tell me a happy story.

[Duane Dibley]

People will always, always go for the cheaper option. We pretend that elections are decided on energy policy and healthcare and public order and what have you, but the only issue that ever truly decides these things is how much money is left in our pockets. This is why all the people who were recently yelling about how organic food was better for the environment and therefore the One True Way have suddenly started shopping at *insert name of hypercheap supermarket here - usually Aldi or Lidl*. Alternative fuel is currently too expensive and too impractical to represent a viable solution, even during times of high fuel prices (which is why the taxman will laugh all the way to the bank).

However, there are still plenty of environ-mentalists out there to keep this alternative fuel thing going, so I don't think it's licked yet - it might go on hold for a little while, but it'll still be around. Petrol prices have been deranged over here for ages (we wish we were paying $4 a gallon!) and alternative fuel/transport/whatever we're calling it today has always been a thing.

OPEC nonsense

Aren't they already planning on cutting production now that oil is down to "only" $80 a barrel, because they liked their ridiculously inflated prices?

[Hybrid Ghost]

The only reason why hybrids cost more than pure gas cars is because the demand for them doesn't justify large scale production. If the governments were to mandate that all consumer cars had to be hybrids or other alternative fuel vehicles then the price would go down, more people would buy them, decreasing demand for gas, causing gas prices to drop. As battery technology improves, hybrids will improve, causing even less demand for gas, causing prices to drop further.