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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Group: Jason M., Victoria R., Djulijeta M., Hanna S., Sharita J., Shelby S.

15 comments:

  1. Auto Show in Washington/Green Cars
    http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/american-life/2010-Washington-Auto-Show-Electrifies-Public-83050707.html

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  2. Hello All-
    My name is Julie M. and I am a nursing major. I have spotted some information in this article that I have a few questions about, Ford has come up with a new idea, that they are creating mid-sized cars that are supposed to use less fuel, and not only that but they are also supposed to have clean diesel. This is what the Ford company actually stated: “The new mid-sized Sports Utility Vehicle, a best seller for Ford, would raise fuel efficiency 25 percent over the current model. Mulally says the move has been a top priority for the company. "Because of our size and our scale, when we make that kind of fuel efficiency, and we put [it] across the entire product line, we make a significant step forward in fuel mileage and CO2 reduction." If that’s they case is this supposed to better? And when and if they do decide to make this in efficent are these cars going to be affordable?
    Thanks.

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  3. Hi my name is Sharita J. The article had my attention for a while until I realized that there are so many more important things going on than worrying about cars that run electronically. It would be cool to have an electric car but first I think the cars that we have now need to be put into better shape there are so many other cars that have many more problems than just running electrical. Other than that I do agree with the ending of the article; we should just keep up with the cars that we have for now and see how they continue to run before we let anything new (electronically) come out. Then we also have to think of the industry so many people can barely afford buying a new car at the time making electric cars would cost more money which would be a waste if no one can afford them.

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  4. Hello! I am Hanna S. I am going into being a childhood education teacher as of right now. Some information I have spotted from the article. I have a question about how Ford has came up with this bright new idea which they are creating mid-sized cars that are suppose to be a better car and using less fuel. Also question would be does Ford really think that people buying these cars think it will help out the amount of gas we use. How would it raise the efficiency 25 percent over the current model? The ford Eco has recently reported that its first profitable year since 2005 went to detail a $400 million investment program to building its next- generation Explorer at facilities in Chicago. The new mid-sized best seller for ford would raise the fuel efficiency 25 percent. How would it raise the efficiency 25 percent over the current model? Why does ford expects hybrids and electric vehicles to make up 20 Percents of its fleet by 2020 up from 3 percent today. So why if they do decide to make it efficient are these cars going to be affordable???

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  5. Hello everyone, Jason here. I am a Electronics technology student here at Southwest.
    I will probably be viewed as a sceptic regarding “global warming”. I see too many theories and unproven evidence to be able to take all these claims seriously. I can see great value in recyling and keeping the environment as clean as possible.
    As stated in the car-show article, the near future of automobiles will probabaly contain a mix of electrics and super efficient diesels. The diesel advantages are not that far away if people would get away from the negative old idea of what a diesel engine can do. The electric cars also hold promise, but people have to realize how difficult it is to get the battery technology up to what is acceptable. And even when the batteries are used, we will have to figure out how to recycle and reuse the components in them.

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  6. Hello everyone!
    My name is Victoria R. and I am a nursing major. I have read this article about the new hybrid and more fuel-efficient cars that Ford and other car dealerships are coming out with, and I think it’s great that people are coming up with ideas on how cars can help our environment, but I also have a about them. Everyone keeps talking about these new fuel-efficient cars and how they are so good for the environment. However, economy is not all that good right now, and people can barely afford the cars that we have now. If the economy stays like this until the time that these new cars come out, wouldn’t they just be wasting a lot of money and time because nobody will be able to afford them?
    Thanks!

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  7. Hello again everyone, Jason M here.
    I would like to respond to some of the questions asked by Tori and Julie.
    They both commented on the affordability of these new vehicles. Will they be affordable for us to purchase? That is a good question, I think that of course these "new" cars will be quite expensive, any new car is "expensive", add to that a new high-tech angle and you will pay a lot for that vehicle. But if you think back about the new high-tech things from the past 5 or even 10 years, you see how technology prices fall as demand and efficiency grow. Flat screen TVs were super expensive 10 years ago, iPhones are dropping by $100. One can hope that these new "car tech" costs will fall as companies and people see a chance to improve on the technology. The greencar.com link (see Green cars & information link) has an article I found interesting about the new Ford Fiesta. A claimed 40mpg highway is better than all of its competition, and this is Not a hybrid. Suggested prices at the Ford 2011 Fiesta website http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/fiesta/pricing/
    start at $14,000 up to $17,795. Yes this a sub-compact size car and not the best choice for everyone, it looks like an affordable high mpg option for some people.

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  8. Hello everyone it's sharita again. I really understand what Tori and julie are saying about the prices, economy today is on an edge! There are so many people who cant afford to buy BRAND NEW cars until they retire! These new model cars are going to be out ragously high. I also understand were jason is coming from how ever buying a new car is not the same as buying a t.v or an ipod seeing as to how a car becomes your child after you buy it you have to keep up with it and be able to afford the price when things go wrong with the car, not even insurance pays the full price when bad things happen! How ever maybe there are enough retired people in the world to afford these cars.

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  9. Hello again. I am glad that my group memebers, have helped me understand and have agreed with me on the fact that these cars may not be affordable. Just like Sharita, has stated, there are many people today that can't even afford the cars that we have now have to get them from place to place, how do these Ford officals think people could afford these cars? And, by reading the article they sound much confident that this would work. And just like Sharita and Jason have said when you buy a iPhone or t.v or car, you have to keep up with it, you have to make sure its fixed when something goes wrong. That would be expensive too, because I know a lot of good model cars, like the more expensive ones when you have a wreck or something goes wrong with your car, the parts for the car can be very expensive, so expensive that it comes to a extent that people go out and buy a new one.And Tori asked a wonderful question, about the fact that our economy is horrible now, and like we all said before many people can not afford our cars that we have now, wouldn't it be a waste of money and time to make all these cars, and they don't even sell? That is a great question, and I believe that it makes a very well point, because I honestly don't think that when these cars come out people are going to go out and get them and sell their old cars or something, why would anyone want to go spend all that money and not know if its a well rounded off car. Than again this may work, and this may improve and be so much cheaper for us today, but is it really worth taking the risk? To spend millions of dollars making these cars, and in the end fail?

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  10. Hello it’s Hanna S. Again. I hope everybody had a great weekend! I have answered some questions to people and what they were, and we were thinking the same reason how are people going to afford these cars they are going to be quite expensive just like Jason said. People need to stop and realize about he economy today is another thing people got to worry about. Are these cars going to be better? I don’t think cars are going to be any cheaper because the new televisions that came out plus all the new phones such as the Iphones that are more expansive and people think they have to have the most popular things that are out. http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/fiesta/pricing/ here is a website that has a lot of information about the cars. People can’t enough afford cars that cost $15,000 up to $25,000 why would they bring out a new car that people can’t afford now. That is all I have for now everybody have a wonderful day!!! -Hanna S.

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  11. Hello everyone!
    Victoria R. here again. I would like to make a comment on what Jason has stated. He said when the batteries in the new cars are used, how will they recycle and reuse the parts in them. I think
    that is a great question. If they can't find a way to recycle the parts when what is the point in making these vehicles? They claim they are making them to help the environment but if they can't recycle the batteries then what good is that doing?
    I also agree with Sharita. I think people need to focus a little more on the cars that we have now to try and make them better before they start building new cars that most people probable won't even be able to afford.
    Thanks for all your help everyone!

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  12. Hello everyone! It’s Julie. I have found a great source that has to do with our topic and our argument about this article. Most of us have stated and argued the fact that, with Ford wanting to invent these new cars, and the fact that our econonmy is not doing to well, and many people can not afford cars that we have now, and not just cars many things we need on a daily basis that gets us through the day, food, water etc. How are we supposed to afford brand new, invented cars? Which is a pretty good question, and a argument topic. Not, only do we agree within each other this source http://www.aflcio.org/mediacenter/resources/a-jjs-economy-0203.cfm they also agree. They have stated, “Our economy is in big trouble and millions of American families are hurting. Job loss and unemployment is at an all-time high. “America has lost 1.5 million jobs.” And, I honestly don’t think this is the only source that we can get this kind of information from there is many more. I mean, I understand that this would create more jobs for the Ford employees that are creating these cars, but what about those families that don’t have jobs and are struggling everyday, do you think with so many Americans struggling and without any jobs, and most of them don’t have anything to eat, do you think they are thinking about purchasing a new car? I truly don’t think so, and if people can’t afford to buy these cars, why waste time and money to make them, why not help the econonomy get back on the level they were on.

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  13. Hello everyone. Its Victoria R again.
    I have done a little research on some of the "green" cars. We all had the question, "Are they going to be affordable". I found a video on youtube that tells a little bit about the new smart fortwo car. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR7v06PomUA
    The man that is telling about it says that it gets good gas mileage, but never said the cost of it. I found this website with some prices of this car. http://www.edmunds.com/smart/fortwo/2009/index.html?mktcat=fortwo-type&kw=fortwo+cars&mktid=ga38978793&gclid=CKulu-GGh6ACFeh_5QodKFMIjg
    From what I see on these prices, they don't seem too outrageous from the cost of cars we have today. However, this car is probably the smallest car that they will make, so the bigger they are, I'm sure the more expensive they will be.

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  14. Hello ladies, Jason here. I see that our main theme is cost of these cars. Well like I said before, any new car is expensive, but like it or not, we are a car nation. The vast majority of Americans love the freedom of having their own cars. I still think we will never get away from using gas and diesel fuels. But I guess if a large enough portion of car buyers ( who can afford the extra cost) choose these new technologies it will bring down the costs. I think super-efficient diesel could be the way to go. About 40% of new cars in Europe are diesels. The following website has some info on a new engine designed by a former Volkswagen engineer .http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1034049_former-vw-powertrain-chief-builds-super-efficient-engine. Maybe something like this could power small cars or charge batteries in larger cars.

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  15. hey it's hanna s. again!! The main tem is cost of these cars. Any car is going to be expensive even if it is a good one that gets really good gas millage or one that doesnt. The picture i found was a smart car.
    http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/Uu/smart-cars-blog.jpg
    it is a car that is really good on gas millage and it is expensive just like a brand new car that doesnt get good gas millage. Does it matter if you buy a car with good gas millage or not?
    here is a car that doesnt get good gas millage.http://z.about.com/d/trucks/1/0/3/I/1/1997_F-150_truck.jpg
    this truck doesnt get good millage.

    Are these car goin to be affordable???
    hanna s.

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