Energy is arguably the biggest problem facing our country. Our need to have sufficient petroleum for our vehicles (both ground and air) has led to our heavy involvement in the Middle East.

As petroleum costs have risen, there has been a shift from corn to eat (both for people and animals) to ethanol for cars, dropping the amount of grain planted and raising food prices. Some businesses are now suffering because shoppers are spending more on fuel and less on food, clothes, furniture, etc.

Since consumers have little influence on gasoline prices, their only recourse is to use less gasoline or fuel through car pooling, driving more slowly, doing their shopping locally or through the Internet, making more use of public transit, etc.

If the government were to suspend the federal tax on gasoline, the lowered price would quickly cause a spurt in demand and prices would return to the original cost per gallon. All the federal tax collected to maintain the roads would be lost.

If consumers and government can’t really impact the price, then what about the American car manufacturers, whose big plants are around Detroit? Here it would be helpful to review the past century of American cars. In the early 1900s, electric cars outnumbered cars running on gasoline.

Then the car manufacturers spent much capital developing cars with internal combustion engines so that electric cars were unable to compete in speed and range (maximum distance traveled).

Henry Ford introduced the model “T” Ford, which was mass produced and within the budget of many families. As cars spread across the American landscape, roads improved, leading to today’s Interstate Highways. America in the mid-20th century became the world’s biggest producer of petroleum and oil wells spread from Pennsylvania to California.

For decades, the price of gasoline was low enough that one could fill one’s gas tank for the cost of a gallon of gasoline today! Naturally to sell new cars, the car makers had to make changes in their models so the owners of older vehicles would feel the need for a newer, more “with it” vehicle. Car advertisements featured cars in exotic places with a hint that a new and exciting car could lead to romance and fun, not available to those who used public transit.

In the minds of many, one’s car was not just a way to go from point A to point B (safely and comfortably), but to deliver a statement of one’s importance and power over those with less impressive vehicles. The car manufacturers could make much more money with big or speedy cars than modest cars so they heavily promoted these expensive vehicles.

In reality, most car drivers drive alone and travel less than 50 miles on most days. Detroit in a matter of a few years could turn out a subcompact low power electric car that could travel 100 miles on an overnight charge and cost under $10,000. (Just as the model “T” Ford, this modest car would be affordable and suited to the average driver’s needs.)

Inside this car could be a solar panel that could be moved to face the sun, charging the battery while the car was sitting in the sun. But the major American car manufacturers are postponing the release of their all electric vehicles because they will be likely be powerful sports cars.

Then the price (and profits) of these new cars would be quite high relative to standard gasoline/diesel cars. The Tesla Roadster (built by small California manufacturer) can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under 4 seconds and hit 150 miles per hour at a price of $109,000! General Motors is hoping to start selling its Chevy Volt (a hybrid) in 2010. No price has been given, but judging from the car’s sporty appearance, it’s cost will be in the range of 40 to 60 thousand dollars, not competitive in price with standard gas powered GM cars.

Now most of us are NOT going to replace our existing vehicles with costly, sporty electric vehicles whose savings in fuel won’t justify their price. What if the car manufacturers also redesigned engines so they would get better miles per gallon at the expense of power? Consider a 2005 SUV/medium truck that gets 20 miles per gallon and is driven 10,000 miles a year.

If the cost of gasoline averages $4 this year, then fueling this SUV/truck in 2008 would cost $2,000 (500 gallons x $4 per gallon). If in 2009, the average price per gallon is $5, then the vehicle gasoline cost would be $2500. The next year (2010) with gasoline averaging $6 per gallon, the gasoline bill would be $3,000. Similarly, the gasoline bill in 2011 (at 7$ per gallon) would be $3,500.

Suppose that for $3,000, at the start of 2009 you could trade in your original 2005 SUV/truck engine for a more fuel efficient engine that gets 30 miles per gallon (an engine transplant).

Using only 333 gallons at an average cost of $5, you would use 167 fewer gallons of fuel and save $835. Similarly, in 2010, with the same number of gallons of fuel saved (now at $6 per gallon), you would save $1,002. In 2011, with the price of fuel being $7 a gallon, you would save $1169.

So in three years, the savings in fuel would match the cost of the engine exchange. In addition to the fuel savings, a new engine would extend the vehicle’s lifetime for a number of years.

Evening moon returns

Tonight, a very slender crescent moon may be seen low in the western dusk; just above the moon is the planet Mars. Tomorrow night the moon will have shifted so that it is higher and to the left, at the same level as the planet Mars. On Friday night the moon will appear half full as a tilted letter D.

This phase shows the moon’s craters at their best along the moon’s left straight edge or terminator. Here the sun is rising, lighting up the crater rims and the mountain peaks. So binoculars or a telescope will then reveal our moon’s rugged terrain at their best lighting.

Bob Doyle is available for talks or discussions with clubs/groups. If you want a planetarium/science discovery center bookmark, call (301) 687-7799 and leave your name, return phone number and/or address.