Wright, an automotive expert and associate professor of journalism, Wayne State University, recently bought a Toyota Prius, an innovative hybrid with an electric engine that gets a whopping 52 miles to the gallon. "Its performance is exceptional," said Wright, a former Automotive News writer and current Grosse Pointe News automotive columnist.
But hybrids are only a short-term measure.
"Fuel cells are the ultimate solution," Wright said. Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity. The only by-product is vapor or water, which means no pollution. And water is the most common element found on the planet.
"Fuel cells have a lot of potential," he said. "General Motors, Mercedes Benz, Toyota and Honda, among others, are working on developing them."
Fuel cells could also be developed for home power, Wright said.
"We are talking pie-in-the-sky technology that is perhaps a century away, but the potential is there for every house to have its own power plant," he said. "This could solve many of our current power problems. Fuel cells are self-contained, requiring no overhead lines and no underground cables."
Wright said if you were starting a country from scratch, it would be cheaper to put fuel cell power plants in homes than build a massive power plant. "How you deliver hydrogen would be a problem," he said. "But the potential of fuel cells is limitless."
At the annual North American International Auto Show in January, Wright found many of the concept cars appealing from a design perspective, but he gravitated toward the hybrids and more fuel-efficient cars.
"This is a great, world-class show that keeps getting better every year," Wright said. "As a showcase for the world industry, it is superb. This year, there were interesting styling exercises. Cars in the '30s reflected art deco in their streamlining. Cars of the '50s reflected the buoyancy of the postwar era. Cars of the '90s reflected the unparalleled wealth of Americans.
"But the future of the automotive industry is in producing vehicles capable of 48 miles per gallon or more, making us less dependent on imported oil and reducing our dependence on oil from any source."
The automobile will continue as a pervasive part of American culture, Wright said.
"The American love affair with the automobile will continue as long as the road is open and free, as the car represents freedom," he said.
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