Hybrids are no longer ugly beasts thanks to Tesla and Lexus.
It is a September to remember. Apparently the demand for Hybrid cars and trucks is stuck. Elon Musk has opened up his intellectual property for Tesla. Now, anyone with an interest or desire to change the world of transportation can do so off his hard work, know-how and success to date.
Making a change in your consumption is a fast and proven means to impacting change. Unlike a few years ago, even when Lubie Love – The Movie, was released in 2009, today we have the ability to own lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles. Today we have the ability to impact our environment positively when we travel. We also have the complete option to stay in one place and have most items that we need or could want delivered directly to our doors.
I have recently completed a 10 year personal study on the impact of going carless. Yes I did this while living in a major metropolitan areas (New York City and Denver, Colorado).
During this time, fracking has solidified itself as a “viable” alternative to traditional oil exploration. While few consumer vehicles are powered by Natural Gas in America, the major oil companies are sure making an economic bet that it is a sustainable energy source. The outcome is dirty water in places where water is already a scarce resource. States like Colorado are benefiting economically from the fracked economy. It is a current natural resource that farmers and land owners are now able to sell besides their crops and livestock. And being able to feed a family is not something to sneeze about.
What anti-Frackers can do to stem the tide is change their consumption habits. They can buy a hybrid car to start. They can buy an electric car. Each reduces directly the demand for Fracking.
Yet the energy required to power the grid will likely need to be supplemented in the short-term by “dirty fuels.” I classify natural gas as a dirty alternative because its byproducts are not chemically free solutions. I get that Governor John Hickenlooper enjoyed his glass of frack fluid (CleanStim) to prove a point on safety. However, not even an oil executive would serve such a solution to his family and friends as a party favor.
In Denver, the city has an excellent Light Rail system. It is excellent because you can get to some key areas of the city by rail – in many situations faster than if stuck in a car. Private industry – mainly car2go and Uber, enable the rail traveler to complete a trip easier than what existed 10 years ago. That is if time is not a factor. Being constantly connected to the internet with mobile technology enables the traveling public by rail to be extremely productive today. And this reason alone makes not owning a vehicle in a suburban centric place like Denver feasible.
The choice though needs to be viable, feasible, affordable and convenient.
Last week, rather than wait for a car dealer special in December, I found a comfortable hybrid vehicle. It gets, according to the sticker, 42 miles to the gallon. Comparing that to the 2007 Nissan Murano featured in Lubie Love, the choice for a Lexus was a no brainer.
Am I disappointed that Elon Musk’s production of a mass consumer electric vehicle has yet to roll off his production line in California. Of course. Yet the pathway to electric is now a viable reality. Technological advancements will enable so many more consumers to buy and rely on a far better vehicle than what was once, only 5 years ago, possible.
Should you be in the market for a Lexus Hybrid, please visit the Denver dealers at Kuni or Stevenson Lexus. Ask for Mike P at Kuni and Bob O at Stevenson in Lakewood. And if you need a way to conserve water when washing your car, head over to the folks at Waterway.