3 ms·

So a Model T was greener than a modern car?

5 points by bootload 18y ago

dcurtis 18y ago
Wow, green or not, I am amazed that the Model T got more than 20 miles per gallon. That seems extremely efficient for the first mass production car ever.
- vaksel 18y ago
  The key thing that kills mileage is weight. Model T has a weight of only 1200 lbs. By comparison even a tiny dedicated race car like a Lotus Elise weighs close to 2000 lbs. Hell if we go back 2 decades, the poster child of tiny cars, the Honda CRX has a weight of 2200 lbs. Even the all time tiny car, the classic mini cooper was 1400 lbs.
motoko 18y ago
Flagged for link bait. The full title is: "Comment is free Response So a Model T was greener than a modern car? No way" Also, stupid question, the Model T and the modern car are not comparable. You can't commute on a modern highway to work in to Model T. You can't commute to work on a horse, either.
- bootload 18y ago
  "... Flagged for link bait. The full title is ..." Settle petal. The title was edited to reduce the word count and still reflects the intent of the article. The idea that the Model-T is greener than modern cars is a compelling one when GM, Ford et.,al. drag their feet releasing an efficient car that uses less carbon emissions and produces less waste. The engineering and technology exists to solve this problem yet "how many cars" can you walk down the street, pay your money and pick up a non or very low emission car? In the petrol shocks of the 70's when OPEC throttled petrol supply Western car manufacturers ignored smaller the more efficient smaller cars. The Japanese did not and stepped up to the challenge. Now as more pressing challenges appear again, Western car manufacturers once again drag their feet.
  - motoko 18y ago
    Compelling? It's wrong.
    - bootload 18y ago
      "... Compelling? It's wrong. ..." Contrary statements are fine if you can explain why. Why is this wrong?
      - motoko 18y ago
        "The idea that the Model-T is greener than modern cars is a compelling one" The entire article is about debunking the idea "the model T was more 'green' than a modern car" ---to the extent that the magic word "green" has any rational meaning that can be discussed at all. I have nothing more to add.

5 points by bootload 18y ago

Wow, green or not, I am amazed that the Model T got more than 20 miles per gallon. That seems extremely efficient for the first mass production car ever.

vaksel 18y ago
The key thing that kills mileage is weight. Model T has a weight of only 1200 lbs. By comparison even a tiny dedicated race car like a Lotus Elise weighs close to 2000 lbs. Hell if we go back 2 decades, the poster child of tiny cars, the Honda CRX has a weight of 2200 lbs. Even the all time tiny car, the classic mini cooper was 1400 lbs.

motoko 18y ago

Flagged for link bait. The full title is: "Comment is free Response So a Model T was greener than a modern car? No way" Also, stupid question, the Model T and the modern car are not comparable. You can't commute on a modern highway to work in to Model T. You can't commute to work on a horse, either.

bootload 18y ago
"... Flagged for link bait. The full title is ..." Settle petal. The title was edited to reduce the word count and still reflects the intent of the article. The idea that the Model-T is greener than modern cars is a compelling one when GM, Ford et.,al. drag their feet releasing an efficient car that uses less carbon emissions and produces less waste. The engineering and technology exists to solve this problem yet "how many cars" can you walk down the street, pay your money and pick up a non or very low emission car? In the petrol shocks of the 70's when OPEC throttled petrol supply Western car manufacturers ignored smaller the more efficient smaller cars. The Japanese did not and stepped up to the challenge. Now as more pressing challenges appear again, Western car manufacturers once again drag their feet.
- motoko 18y ago
  Compelling? It's wrong.
  - bootload 18y ago
    "... Compelling? It's wrong. ..." Contrary statements are fine if you can explain why. Why is this wrong?
    - motoko 18y ago
      "The idea that the Model-T is greener than modern cars is a compelling one" The entire article is about debunking the idea "the model T was more 'green' than a modern car" ---to the extent that the magic word "green" has any rational meaning that can be discussed at all. I have nothing more to add.