End of the road for oil?: Not with our obsession for big, energy-obese vehicles

[thackney]

End of the road for oil?: Not with our obsession for big, energy-obese vehicles
http://www.financialpost.com/m/wp/news/blog.html?b=business.financialpost.com/news/energy/end-of-the-road-for-oil-not-with-our-obsession-with-big-energy-obese-vehicles&pubdate=2017-03-23
Peter Tertzakian, Mar. 23, 2017

Wow. It’s not often a chart can say so much about human behaviour, economic theory, oil consumption and maybe even the future of energy all in one spreadsheet column.


For one thing, the data I show this week confirms the maxim that “size matters.” When it comes to buying a new vehicle in North America, the bigger-is-better sentiment has been growing over the past 30 years, and especially so in the past three.

The simple line graph in Figure 1 shows the percentage of people that walk into a car dealership in the United States, kick a few tires of various size, and then drive off with a new pick-up truck or SUV. That choice trumps opting for a more modest set of wheels on a smaller car. Canadian data reflects similar buying sentiments....

yada, yada, yada,  I just liked seeing the charts

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I got a Sierra V8 and a F150.  Looking into one of those really inefficient 3/4 tons now.

[Cyber Liberty]

"Energy obese?"  Really?

[Joe Wooten]

"Energy obese?"  Really?

More virtue signaling by a metrosexual millennial.......

[IsailedawayfromFR]

"Energy obese?"  Really?

The guy is just trying to sell a book that is a few years old, so it does not get the traction it was designed to get when it came out.  The End of Energy Obesity: Breaking Today's Energy Addiction for a Prosperous and Secure Tomorrow Hardcover – June 29, 2009

Here's a quote from someone who read it on what is in it:

"This book explores the critical role networked IT solutions play in changing the way energy is used and delivered. The network truly becomes a platform for monitoring and managing energy consumption in a much more efficient way, and we expect the benefits to accelerate as the network becomes more pervasive. Tertzakian shows the reader how networked collaboration technologies such as TelePresence can enable powerful, face-to-face interactions while reducing our energy appetite and carbon footprint."
—John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco 

How 'networking' energy helps us is puzzling unless we tie the world's electric grids together.  This would be a fearful control of power by someone to control us.

Mind of an academic.

[Joe Wooten]

The guy is just trying to sell a book that is a few years old, so it does not get the traction it was designed to get when it came out.  The End of Energy Obesity: Breaking Today's Energy Addiction for a Prosperous and Secure Tomorrow Hardcover – June 29, 2009

Here's a quote from someone who read it on what is in it:

"This book explores the critical role networked IT solutions play in changing the way energy is used and delivered. The network truly becomes a platform for monitoring and managing energy consumption in a much more efficient way, and we expect the benefits to accelerate as the network becomes more pervasive. Tertzakian shows the reader how networked collaboration technologies such as TelePresence can enable powerful, face-to-face interactions while reducing our energy appetite and carbon footprint."
—John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco 

How 'networking' energy helps us is puzzling unless we tie the world's electric grids together.  This would be a fearful control of power by someone to control us.

Mind of an academic.

He is also not very knowledgeable bout electrical grid networks. The more nodes you have in a grid, the more unstable it becomes. You can paper over the instability and keep it minimized by having a large excess generating capacity, but as you reduce those margins in the name of efficiency, the larger the probability of a node dropping out and taking the grid with it.

[roamer_1]

Oh Cry Pete... here we go again.

One thing I can tell you - Everyone I know with a reasonably sized family has a Suburban or an Expedition, because there isn't anything else big enough to haul the whole family around in one rig (especially safely).

I have 4 kids and tried a minivan, but the normative luggage required for kids, tag-a-longs like friends over, picking up neighbor's kids for them, and etc, there just isn't enough room. Enter the Suburban. And only the Suburban. there is nothing in between rice-grinder mini van and suburban, except maybe a 4-door pickup.

[Smokin Joe]

Well, when it comes to getting where you have to go, size matters.
Ground clearance is a must in the snow, and if it isn't big enough to stretch out and sleep in if I do get stuck, I don't want to drive it.

If I can't get under it and change the oil without jacking it up, it's too low to the ground.

Besides, you can see further down the road if you sit higher up, and that gives you time to avoid problems. If you don't have long enough to avoid toruble, Bambi (no, not that one, the deer) doesn't end up in your lap.

[Smokin Joe]

Oh Cry Pete... here we go again.

One thing I can tell you - Everyone I know with a reasonably sized family has a Suburban or an Expedition, because there isn't anything else big enough to haul the whole family around in one rig (especially safely).

I have 4 kids and tried a minivan, but the normative luggage required for kids, tag-a-longs like friends over, picking up neighbor's kids for them, and etc, there just isn't enough room. Enter the Suburban. And only the Suburban. there is nothing in between rice-grinder mini van and suburban, except maybe a 4-door pickup.

Yep, two Suburbans, an old half-ton pickup, a Tahoe, a one ton van, and a little minivan for skittering around town running errands and getting parts and such. They're all older (17+), all paid for, and all run well.

[kidd]

Wikipedia: "Peter Tertzakian is now a long-time resident of Calgary, Alberta. He lives there with his wife, Janet, and together they have two children, Alexander and André. Peter enjoys photography, and uses photos from his world travels to enrich his presentations. As a collector of Energy related artifacts, books and ephemera he often uses them as a source of inspiration to share historical lessons that can be applied today."



Urban dweller Peter must believe that the only purpose for personal transportation is to drive oneself to Whole Foods and Starbucks.
As an economist, he has chosen to abandon that ol' "supply and demand" life vest and jump into the deep end of environmentalism

[Smokin Joe]

Wikipedia: "Peter Tertzakian is now a long-time resident of Calgary, Alberta. He lives there with his wife, Janet, and together they have two children, Alexander and André. Peter enjoys photography, and uses photos from his world travels to enrich his presentations. As a collector of Energy related artifacts, books and ephemera he often uses them as a source of inspiration to share historical lessons that can be applied today."



Urban dweller Peter must believe that the only purpose for personal transportation is to drive oneself to Whole Foods and Starbucks.
As an economist, he has chosen to abandon that ol' "supply and demand" life vest and jump into the deep end of environmentalism

Wait, whoa, he is a world traveler. I wonder if he swims or rows?
 
Oh. That's right. Jet exhaust is pollution free if there is a liberal on board.

[kevindavis007]

Wait, whoa, he is a world traveler. I wonder if he swims or rows?
 
Oh. That's right. Jet exhaust is pollution free if there is a liberal on board.

Jet Travel for him, not for us..

[Cyber Liberty]

Wikipedia: "Peter Tertzakian is now a long-time resident of Calgary, Alberta. He lives there with his wife, Janet, and together they have two children, Alexander and André. Peter enjoys photography, and uses photos from his world travels to enrich his presentations. As a collector of Energy related artifacts, books and ephemera he often uses them as a source of inspiration to share historical lessons that can be applied today."



Urban dweller Peter must believe that the only purpose for personal transportation is to drive oneself to Whole Foods and Starbucks.
As an economist, he has chosen to abandon that ol' "supply and demand" life vest and jump into the deep end of environmentalism

A "Drawbridge Liberal":  He's had his fun and made his money, so now he lifts the drawbridge so nobody else can.

[Frank Cannon]

That choice trumps opting for a more modest set of wheels on a smaller car.

That's right you ugly effeminate loser. Small cars are A) Death Traps thanks to your absurd CAFE standards and B) a vehicle you cannot do anything with because it is so small.

Now hop back on your jet to fly around the world taking pretty pictures that are probably already on Google so you can keep your bored audiences awake.

[kevindavis007]

A "Drawbridge Liberal":  He's had his fun and made his money, so now he lifts the drawbridge so nobody else can.

A lot of the Liberals are like the Feudal lords in the middle ages..  That is why I call them Neo-Feudalist.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Wikipedia: "Peter Tertzakian is now a long-time resident of Calgary, Alberta. He lives there with his wife, Janet, and together they have two children, Alexander and André. Peter enjoys photography, and uses photos from his world travels to enrich his presentations. As a collector of Energy related artifacts, books and ephemera he often uses them as a source of inspiration to share historical lessons that can be applied today."



Urban dweller Peter must believe that the only purpose for personal transportation is to drive oneself to Whole Foods and Starbucks.
As an economist, he has chosen to abandon that ol' "supply and demand" life vest and jump into the deep end of environmentalism

If that isn't a punchable face I don't know what is.

[Smokin Joe]

Jet Travel for him, not for us..

Well, that's just because us "little people" can walk on water, don'tcha know?

[Idaho_Cowboy]

"Energy obese?"  Really?

Not mine, it's just big energy boned. 

[Taxcontrol]

I have a fifth wheel trailer that I take the family camping, fishing and hunting in.  I also often haul gardening supplies and home repair items from Home Depot.  No way is my "energy efficient" VW bug going to handle either of those tasks.  Thus I have a GMC 2500 diesel "energy obese" truck. 

So unless you are going to haul my stuff for me, when I want and where I want .... go away.

[Cyber Liberty]

Not mine, it's just big energy boned. 

[ABX]

You notice when you hear those decrying 'big oil' they always talk about big SUVs and not things like, for example, plastics, petrochemicals, and all of that stuff. They wouldn't have a computer to type on with out it (although the Steampunk alternate reality sounds pretty cool).

[IsailedawayfromFR]

You notice when you hear those decrying 'big oil' they always talk about big SUVs and not things like, for example, plastics, petrochemicals, and all of that stuff. They wouldn't have a computer to type on with out it (although the Steampunk alternate reality sounds pretty cool).

What breaks me up is the enviro-wackos who want everyone to use 'natural' energy yet refuse to use the most natural gift from God, called natural gas

[debrawiest]

Not mine, it's just big energy boned. 

 

[Jazzhead]

I drive smaller vehicles,  but it's easy to see the appeal of a large SUV or pick-up - they have undeniable utility, and are safer.   Safety's the big concern that trumps the dollars saved at the gas pump.   

My situation's a bit different than most - my garage was built in 1910,  and simply won't fit a vehicle more than 74 inches wide.   So that eliminates all but the smaller SUVs.  But if you can wedge a big engine in a small car, I'm all ears.   I'll pay the price at the pump in order to go fast!   

[Smokin Joe]

I drive smaller vehicles,  but it's easy to see the appeal of a large SUV or pick-up - they have undeniable utility, and are safer.   Safety's the big concern that trumps the dollars saved at the gas pump.   

My situation's a bit different than most - my garage was built in 1910,  and simply won't fit a vehicle more than 74 inches wide.   So that eliminates all but the smaller SUVs.  But if you can wedge a big engine in a small car, I'm all ears.   I'll pay the price at the pump in order to go fast!

Try this...https://classiccars.com/listings/view/932556/1974-chevrolet-vega-for-sale-in-lutz-florida-33559

Stuffing a small block into a compact classic is such a neat idea, but turning this 1974 Chevrolet Vega GT into a sleeper/screamer hot rod was a 12-year labor of love. So now is your chance to be a dozen years ahead of everyone else and get you hands on a 465+ hp custom build for a very affordable price.