EVcast #120: Floor on Gas Price. Yes or No?

Tuesday, November 11th 2008 @ 6:00 PM (not yet rated) post viewed 2528 times

EVcast's first "crowdsourced" event! Ryan and Jason open a teleconference line for listeners to discuss with us the topic of the day. Namely, should the US government see to it that gas prices never go below a certain dollar amount?

Don't just listen to the EVcast -- experience and be a part of it! Join us at 1:00pm Eastern, M-F, in our live video broadcast and chat along with us!

Comments

Darell Dickey
Free Access

Darelldd said on Wednesday, November 12th 2008 @ 12:51 AM:

I couldn't listen "live" and comment, so I thought I'd add mine here.

Yes.

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Gavin Shoebridge
Free Access

KiwiEV said on Friday, November 14th 2008 @ 1:38 PM:

I'm apprehensive about the idea but always willing to trial these things. Why not trial it for a year and see what happens.

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Fredderick Miller
EVcast Individual Supporter

RodMiller said on Saturday, November 22nd 2008 @ 5:34 PM:

Good Job Ryan and Jason:

I like the floor price because it might be more politically feasible. I agree with the points that Paul made re market manipulation by the oil industry, but in the end if the floor is high enough it won't matter. We will achieve our public policy ends.

A floor price will be more sellable than a tax. It will be a new policy that will have no effect and therefore easier to adopt if made to kick in at the next oil price increase cycle. It would be hard to increase the price of gasoline right now. That would never fly.

I lobbied mostly in California for five years so I know how important it is to have an approach whose effects are not obvious up front. This is why in the energy arena it has been easier to adopt effeciency standards for appliciances etc. rather than use market pricing to create change.

Granted CARB tried mandate market share to EVs and that did not work completely. It almost worked. What should the floor price be? I would say in the $4-$5 range.

Eventually, the scarity of oil will be sufficient to cause a change in the market, but we have no idea how many wars that we will have to maintain our supply while that happens. Then these measures will be moot.

I am encouraged by the continued talk of EVs and batteries in the media even with $50 oil. I agree with the NPR story that we can't commit to any one battery technology now. I am also encouraged by the intellegence of those younger than myself. Maybe they smoke less weed or their mothers drank less alcohol during pregnancy than my generation, but I know they are doing a good job adjusting and providing leadership towards solving todays problems.

Fred from the optimism capitol of Gopher world: El Dorado County.

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