I emailed this letter to a few US Senators while I was attempting to write a proposal for a Department of Energy grant:

Dear SirBackground information:Once again, rising fuel prices have elevated concern about our energy policy. Unfortunately, automobile manufacturers have been very busy introducing more and more hugely profitable luxury SUVs, while really fuel-efficient vehicles are still futuristic dreams...

Actually, that isn't true. On the heels of the last major fuel crisis, the oil embargo of the 1970s, a handful of innovative vehicles were introduced. Using then-current technology, they achieved mileage results that are still impressive today, thirty years later. The more successful of these were produced by the hundreds- unfortunately, not the tens of thousands needed to make a real difference in the larger view. Inadequate investment funding and low production numbers meant they were much too expensive to build at a price most consumers are willing to pay. Any large vehicle manufacturing company has the resources to produce and market them in sufficient quantity to make them easily affordable. I suspect that GM or Ford could make them and sell tham for at least a third less than the least expensive 4-wheel car. They won't. Examples of the vehicles I'm referring to are the TriVette, made in the mid-to-late 1970s, and the HMV Freeway, made in the early 1980s. Both of these are 3-wheel vehicles. The TriVette is a performance vehicle that accelerates and corners better than a Corvette (and, in fact, better than most performance cars of the period) while still delivering 60 mpg. The HMV Freeway is a pure commuter vehicle that guaranteed 100 mpg at 40 mph.I would like to propose a project to make these extremely efficient vehicles available at an affordable price to consumers. This would amount to a subsidy, in effect, for a handful of relatively small manufacturers, but I believe it would be as beneficial to the public as agricultural subsidies.This is how it would work:The Department of Energy would finance the design and construction of a small number of vehicles; these would then be sold (at cost or less) on consignment basis through existing automobile and/or motorcycle dealers. Buyers would have to arrange their own financing, insurance, registration, etc. In this respect, the program is a "shared cost" program, half the cost being borne by purchasers, half through the Department of Energy.The larger benefit to the public will be that the small manufacturers will have a steady customer in the Department of Energy, thus better able to control their costs. The purpose is to give these small companies a chance to compete on a level playing field with the "big boys," although, in fact, I can see no objection to large corporations competing- I just don't think they would be interested.I would propose 6 different design types, ordering 500 units apiece annually from 6 different manufacturers. The cost to the government (and, subsequently, to the consumer) should not exceed $7500 per unit. That would cost $22.5 million initially, but the DoE would be reimbursed as the vehicles are sold.I think this is a VERY cheap program that would quickly become self-financing, could actually create some good jobs for Americans, and keep some manufacturing here in the USA.

What do you think of this idea or comment?
(You can change your vote at any time)

I agree

No opinion

I disagree