Thursday, September 13, 2007

High Tech and the Fuel Tax

John Whitehead sends Us a good view of the technical elements of fuel economy technology. Car companies claim it is a huge Expense, and cannot be accomplished within State guidelines. Some Economists declaim fuel efficiency, as it would only encourage greater travel. OPEC no longer has the Reserves to influence World Oil prices. Most sensible Economists accept the efficiency of a Carbon or Fuel Tax in slowing Consumption, while Traffic bottlenecks continue to inject their own great Cost in fuel inefficiency. The most fuel inefficient, though, remain the Speeders upon American roads, where excess Speed ruins fuel consumption calculations. It all need to be resolved at the same time with an equitable Solution; over the current abject deterioration of fuel efficiency elsewhere due to any Proposal.

The Mad Genius studies the situation, finding the disaster somewhat ridiculous. I ask what current Vehicle production has which could improve this dreck; finally arriving at the realization that current Vehicles are built with an onboard computer, which can be programed to record almost any functioning of the Vehicle. I also remember the American addiction to Lotteries, and their wastage of Millions to make Thousands. I further think that fuel pumps are currently made with onboard Computing capacity, and that connection between fuel pump and Vehicle computers takes only an on-board plug on the Vehicle with attachable fuel pump cord.

Now We have moved on to the Mad Hatter stage. We must first put in the Cost of the Fuel, something which Economists and Oil companies insist upon. We next need to program the onboard Vehicle computers to record the entire Means under which a previous Tank of fuel was consumed. Starts and Stops are fuel intensive, but Many are relatively mandatory, so We will charge only a Quarter Tax per gallon for Fuel consumed at Idle (We have to first compute how many Minutes at Idle it takes to burn a gallon of Vehicle fuel). Vehicle fuel efficiency does not maximize in most cases below 40 miles per hour, and again starts to decline after around 53 mph. Lower Speeds with low automatic gearing is not as fuel efficiency expensive as Speeding, so the fuel consumed at below 40 mph will pay only $1 fuel Tax over Cost. Gallons consumed at Speeds between 55 mph and State Speed limits would only be charged $1.50 fuel tax per gallon, plus the Cost of fuel. All fuel consumed above the stated State Speed limits would pay $3 per gallon fuel tax in addition to the Cost of fuel. Notice that the fuel consumed between 40 and 55 mph has to pay only the Cost of the fuel. The fuel Tax will actually be charged on the Replacement fuel, presenting the idea to Consumers that Care today is cheaper today than tomorrow.

The Program is Mad, I tell you, Mad, Mad, Mad! It is cheaper to implement than almost all other technological innovations for fuel efficiency. The fuel Tax would actually punish improper Driving procedure to the degree and Cost that such illicit behavior should be recounted. It provides automatic enforcement of State Speeding laws. It gives the Consumer direct ongoing measures to reduce his own Tax burden. It could even incite further Car Pooling, if multiple occupancy granted an overall Tax rebate of one Dime per gallon at all taxable Speeds per Occupant over One in the vehicle. The excess fuel tax Cost at high Speed for Commercial vehicles would slow excessively-pushed Load times to greater safety levels. Overall milage would reduce for Private vehicles, as travel increases in Cost. Total Cost: approx. $85 per vehicle, $200 per fuel pump, the Cost of the fuel, and finally, the outrageous fuel tax revenues. lgl

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