The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the most recognized names in the engineering industry. If something related to engineering comes from that institution, you can rest assured that it’s researched and accurate. This is one of those stories.
According to the experts at MIT, the United States can “slash its use of petroleum dramatically by 2035 by adding a heavy dose of hybrids to the market.” In fact, we could return to lower usage levels that we had before we entered the 21st century if auto manufacturers would simply make hybrids more appealing. That means to make them faster, more powerful and more fuel-efficient than they are now.
The researchers at the school studied human behavior as it relates to cars and driving habits. They also studied the fuel infrastructure to create scenarios of how the status quo would change with improved technologies in cars.
As for the best case scenario, the researchers believe we could reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by about 20 percent if we pursued an “aggressive adoption of hybrids” by 2035. In order for that to happen, though, we need to have about “55 percent of new cars on the road to be hybrids or plug-in hybrids.” That would mean about 44 percent of the vehicles on the road would are powered by gasoline.
The point of the study was that it’s easier right now to improve the fuel efficiency of existing models rather than trying to force hybrids on everybody. And even if they do continue pushing hybrids, we won’t see the positive effects that they have for about another 20 years. That’s good news if you’re a truck lover like me. This MIT study is one of the few I’ve found that isn’t trying to push alternative fuel technology down our throats. From the sound of it, the researchers would have no problem with you or anybody going to their local GMC truck dealer to get the kind of vehicle they prefer. And like I said at the beginning, if MIT says it, you can believe it.
