I was watching an episode of Mythbusters today, with Adam and Jamie testing various devices to obtain ultra-high fuel economy. They used purchased items or home-made tricks obtained via the Internet.
I never believed that magnets on the fuel line or the "300-mpg carburetor" ever worked, and indeed, they didn't. I've heard from several readers who firmly believe that adding acetone to gasoline would make a substantial difference. I was skeptical about that, and the Mythbusters test -- on a dyno -- dispelled it. It simply doesn't work.
All of this got me thinking about the conspiracy theories I hear from readers about how Big Oil and Big Auto are in bed with each other, which is why we'll never get truly high fuel economy -- B.O., it seems, is paying off B.A. to deep-six any plans of a truly efficient car, which would cut into oil profits.
Okay, I'm open to conspiracy theories -- yes, I do think there was a gunman on the grassy knoll, and don't get me started about September 11. But in this case, I think it's all just science-fiction. Yes, I do think there's give and take between the two sides -- you can't tell me they don't meet and discuss all this stuff.
But here's something to think about. When the Ford Model T was around, it accounted for more than half of all car sales worldwide, because it was inexpensive, innovative and accessible. Fast-forward to now. If an auto company could come out right now with a conventional, inexpensive, gasoline-powered midsize sedan that got 100 mpg, how many do you think it would sell? How huge of a chunk would its market share be? And what oil company, no matter how big, could offer enough money to keep it off the streets? Here's the reality, folks: the 100 mpg car doesn't exist because we don't have the technology to make it exist. If we did, there isn't a competitor on the planet that could keep it from being built.
