An Electric Future? Not yet.

According to the December issue of "Automobile Magazine," the Frankfurt Motor Show, held in Frankfurt, Germany declared that electricity has won the three way battle for the future of the automobile. Hydrogen and hybrids have lost.

I'm not so sure.

Automobile points to the concepts shown at Frankfurt. Most of them were electrics from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Renault and Mitsubishi. Taken together, these companies represent the entire spectrum of cars from compacts to luxury.

Audi, in particular, completely embraced electricity with its e-tron concept.

Its got 308hp coming through the four electric motors that drive each wheel. In theory, it'll do 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.

That's the beauty of the electric motor, it lays down all of it's torque (the spinning force of an engine) instantly. There's no buildup, or revving, like in an internal combustion engine. So power isn't a problem when it comes to electric cars.

No, the greatest hurdle is the charging. That's what will hobble these cars.

Some people think that charging up large amounts of electrical vehicles will overload, and wipe out, the US power grid. Some studies have proven this to be false. But that debate is a moot point. The real problem, the real weak spot, is that the vehicles have to be charged in the first place.

For example, the e-tron. It would take 8 hours to charge it with a 220 volt outlet. With a 440 volt outlet the time gets cut to around 2 1/2 hours. Either way it's all too damn long.

The original purpose of the automobile was to create a form of freedom. Drivers could go anywhere after cranking an engine and hitting the throttle. All a car asks for is maintenance and gasoline.

There's no waiting. No eight hour charges and no plug ins.

That is why the electric car won't be the dominant form of transportation. At least not with the technology we have now. People won't buy a vehicle that requires them to map out their days, commutes and trips around charging times. It's inconvenient.

If the last ten years of technology have taught us anything it's that we won't tolerate anything inconvenient.

Electric cars will be popular in large cities or other places where destinations are fairly close, and charging times aren't as influential. Also, someone will surely create a quick charge system that will significantly lower charging times. However, that will probably reduce the life of the batteries, which are the most expensive parts of an electric car.

That is why hydrogen should get more attention. It's almost a renewable resource and, when used, produces only water. There's no charging. It's like gasoline and involves a filling station, which is much more familiar to consumers.

Hydrogens's critics point out that there is no national distribution system. But they've forgotten something. Gas stations didn't magically appear all over the US when the Ford Model T came out. It took time.

That is why the future of the automobile will be a bastardized one: change takes time. Gasoline, diesel, electric, hybrid and maybe even hydrogen cars will roam our streets all at the same time.

Someone saying that one power source has won is very shortsighted, and foolish.

The Next Mini, Now with 50 Percent Less Practicality

The degree of practicality is what often defines how cool a car is.

Impractical cars, like a Ferrari, are considered cool because they have ridiculously powerful engines that suck gas down faster than a black hole, stylish bumpers that can't get over a standard speedbump and prices that will buy at least four standard houses.

This inherent lack of usability, and high price, ensures that the most expensive cars will be driven rarely, which means it's an important event when people see one in person. Hence, the car is cool.

A Toyota Camry, on the other hand is very practical. It will seat at least four people, its trunk will carry everything from groceries to mom's potted plants and the price is something people can afford. Thus, it is seen everywhere and doesn't garner the same amount of attention.

So what does this have to do with the next Mini? Well, take a look.

Behold, the Mini Coupe Concept. This is what happens when Germans get creative and start playing with the roofs on hatchbacks.

For comparison to the original model:

All that glass and metal disappeared in the Coupe. It saved somewhere between 175 and 200lbs.

But there's still a trunk. It's not nearly as large as the standard model's hatchback, but at around eight cubic feet it's enough to carry a couple of boxes.

When they trimmed the roof they also threw out the backseats. By getting rid of the rear seats, ones that only children could sit in for a short period of time, Mini has increased the coolness factor of this car.

Now, that is a rather typical thing to say about a car, that it's cool. But when it comes to cars, and most products, image is everything. While Mini is still associated with sporty, fun to drive hatchbacks, it doesn't turn heads and garner a double-take any more.

When they first came out, people took notice of the hatchback because it was a fresh design. Now, they're seen everywhere and the redesign a couple of years ago didn't change enough to keep it fresh. So something new is needed.

By introducing some impracticality, and drastically changing the profile of the car, Mini created something new and interesting. It's something that will turn heads when it starts rolling down the streets, which will revive interest in the brand.

Combine those looks with a very nice interior and you've got a desirable compact car.


By wrapping the well equipped interior with a fresh package, and a decent sized trunk, Mini has found the intersection where useful and impractical meet at what should be a reasonable price.

When this is built, and it's going to reach showrooms eventually, let's hope that BMW doesn't change a thing.

It's a Mini-Vette

Behold, what you get when you Xerox a Corvette and hit the 70 percent button: the Opel GT (1968-1973).

It's a wee German car from Opel, another company that GM keeps in its wallet like an extra credit card. Thankfully GM decided to keep Opel around instead of axing it in their bankruptcy massacre and sell off.

Anyway, back to the car. It really is like a small Corvette. It's got the classic long hood, short trunk that's long been the definitive look for a sports car.

The headlights don't pop up, they roll over. Inside the car is a lever that the driver has to crank to turn the lights over. It would be pretty annoying, but at least it's simple.

You'd never see anything like that in a modern German car. Instead, they use a voice activated button that pops up under the brake pedal and the driver has to press it three times (with their pinky toe) while reciting the refrain of "Ode to Joy" backwards.

The GT, then, is pretty much the antithesis of the German car industry as we know it today.

For proof, just look at the name: GT. It's not GX45882726il. Just two letters. It's enough.

The car is so basic that it doesn't even have a trunk lid. Seriously.

Luggage, or what little you can fit in it, has to get shoved in behind the seats. Which is fine because, really, how much cargo can you fit in a car this small?

To give you an idea of just how tiny this thing is, I've heard stories of these things driving under semi-truck trailers without any problems. Or decapitations. It's a tiny grand tourer (GT) that two people are meant to use for a short weekend getaway.

That's what's refreshing about the GT, it knows what it is and it doesn't compromise. It doesn't try to offer luxury appointments, which would add weight.

Instead, the designers just used some molded black plastic and extended the doors into the car's roof. It reflects the GT's slightly sporting intentions.


The interior has a single purpose: hold the passengers while the car moves. However, like many other interiors I've featured, it doesn't feel claustrophobic. The windshield and door windows are huge in comparison to the rest of the car. It's airy. (But the bud vase is someone's stupid idea of an add on. No self respecting car in the world should have a bud vase.)

Oh, and the lever that seems to be sticking through the steering wheel? It's the lever that the driver cranks to turn on the headlights.

All the power comes from this small four-cylinder engine.

Under that ribbed, chromed valve cover are either 67 or 75 miniature horsepowers, depending on the size of the engine.

Honestly, it's not a lot. But when the car weighs as much as an empty Rubbermaid container, you don't need a lot of power.

That's what the GT comes down to: doing a lot with a little and doing it as simply as possible. After all, when you're having fun, does it matter how complicated your car is?

I think not.

Mechanic Fail

The title says it all.

I have learned a very important thing. Between the hours of four and five in the morning, and after staying up for over 20 hours, one does not think properly.

The Die Hard battery is perfectly fine.

In all likelihood, so is the alternator. However, I'm still going to test it just to make sure.

As it turns out, there was just enough acid corrosion between the battery and the end of the battery cable. If I'd been in my right mind that night, I could've just cleaned it off and gone on down the road.

Instead I bought an $89 acid filled brick that I don't need.

There is a lesson here. Check the battery terminals something close to regularly. If there is a large amount of yellow/whitish fluff covering it, it needs to come off.

This is especially important if you have a side post GM style battery like mine. There's only one place for the corrosion to go: between the battery and the bolt.

As I discovered, that kills the connection and the current.

So, there's just one thing left. Anybody need a GM battery?