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What Happens if 100 MPG Cars go Mainstream?

Posted by Sean | Posted under Cars, Future, Gas, Ramblings | June 2, 2008
Air-Powered Car Coming to U.S. in 2009-2010 at Sub-$18,000,
Could Hit 1000-Mile Range (www.popularmechanics.com)

To get an idea what happens before coffee drinkers have their morning coffee, I misread the above headline to say there would be a 1000 MPG car in development.

Yeah, the "2009 to 2010" should have alerted my coffee-deprived brain. Wishful thinking?

Anyway, the mileage on these baby cars is pretty sweet even if it is "only" 100-125 MPG.

It makes me want to think ahead… what happens if 100 MPG cars go mainstream?

hmm…

  • 12,000 mile/year drivers save __ every year @ $4 gas:
    • $1,120 if they switched from a 30 MPG vehicle.
    • $1,920 if they switched from a 20 MPG vehicle.
    • $2,720 if they switched from a 15 MPG vehicle.
    • $4,320 if they switched from a 10 MPG vehicle.
  • Prices for inefficient vehicles fall further, faster.
    • Less consumption by current drivers, but possibly partially
      offset by a super-spike in demand from drivers worldwide.
    • The tension between higher gas prices and lower vehicle values
      has more room to express itself, in the presence of alternatives.
    • Today’s average vehicle become below average,
      and starts to feel the squeeze on trade-in values.
    • An increasing number of large vehicles go into semi-
      retirement, used only for their original rugged tasks.
  • Overall, less refueling means less gas stations.
    • More distance between stations, inconveniencing the low-MPGs.
    • Less quick food + smaller cars = easier + incentive to stay thin.
    • A lot of corner real estate would be available to be repurposed.
  • The impact is huge in employment and real estate.
    • Workers can maintain their present commute.
      • Workers also maintain their job mobility.
    • Real estate is spared an even bigger correction.
      • Especially on the outskirts of the suburbs.

Okay, help me flesh this out…

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4 Comments so far
  1. Pinyo June 3, 2008 8:23 am

    I’d love to see 100 MPG car. If anything, it’s better for the environment.

  2. David Carter June 3, 2008 5:41 pm

    They have some 100 mpg cars, but most are tiny and could basically only hold 1 person with no room for cargo. I am looking forward to when we have much more fuel efficient cars.

  3. Sean June 6, 2008 11:47 am

    re: tiny cars

    Yeah, I forgot to say that being tall would get (relatively) much more expensive! I’m 6′2″ and there’s no diet for height.

  4. budget123 June 10, 2008 6:46 pm

    Well.. if you are talking about the technology going into any car including larger cars, maybe we will see cars get bigger because now they can drive their buses/suv further?

    Maybe a balancing act will happen directly proportionate to mpg of a car and people getting larger cars. While economy is not in recession and gas prices stay the same, people will accept a certain “miles per car” figure. Now that my SUV/BUS can get 50 miles a gallon.. and I’m used to getting 20 miles per gallon..I should double my card size and now have the ability to fit 20 people in my SUV/BUS even though I’ve only twice had more than 3 people in my car at one time and I commute alone 40 miles each day.