>

Reporting for the USA Today, James Healey had the good fortune to test drive a Toyota Prius Plug-In hybrid prototype. Much of the article featured his impressions of the car which were quite strong. The car is capable of 7 miles of all electric driving before it switches to the usual gasoline-electric hybrid mode the Prius is synonymous with. The car does not use a lithium ion battery to hold electric charge, an impressive achievement that will only get better as battery technology progresses.

The interesting part of the article to me was this quote from Jaycie Chitwood, senior planner at Toyota’s advanced technologies unit in the USA. He was asked how the plug-in affected emissions and stated:

“Averaged across the USA, “There’s very little (emissions) benefit” compared with a current Prius hybrid”

This is the case because much of the power generated in the United States comes from coal and other fossil fuels which produce emissions upstream, at the power plant. While the car produces far less pollution the power plant that provides the electricity still pollutes.

This brings up a point that is often overlooked when discussing new green initiatives: solutions to climate and energy issues must be economy wide and not focused on a particular industry. The automakers can create a car that runs electrically, but without the power generators switching to greener energy sources then very little benefit is realized.

Saddling one industry with all of the responsibility is not a solution; it will take innovation across all sectors, each industry adopting the advanced technology that can make a difference. Any other approach is shortsighted and will not help to achieve climate change goals.

A recent article from the Edmonton Sun made a very interesting point about the way new technologies are adopted for vehicles. The article begins with a discussion of the Mercedes S-Class:

“Some cars, like the top-end Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan, are brimming with the latest gadgets and gizmos. For example, it will turn on the wipers when it starts to rain, it will slow down if someone cuts in front of you, and turn up the radio if the highway noise is too loud.

Although few of us will own a high-end S-Class, it’s important to pay attention to the top end of the market since many of their advanced features will eventually trickle down to Planet Earth where the rest of us buy our cars.”

While this article directly addresses luxury features and accessories the point that most technological advances begin as niche indulgences should not be lost. Everything from CD players to heated seats to navigation systems all started in luxury models before becoming quite common. The phenomenon will be mirrored in the advanced technology that will break the links between automobiles and oil.

Advanced engines with the ability to shut down valves, costly hybrid systems and even expensive battery technology will eventually filter down to most cars on the road. These technologies aren’t widely available nor are they cheap, but through their development automakers are laying the groundwork for the next generation of automobiles. In the near future the internal combustion engine will be remembered the same way as carburetors, 8 track stereos and un-assisted steering.