University of Virginia Library

Alternatives

The automobile is, today,
the source of 60 per cent of
the nation's air pollution (more
than 85 per cent in some
cities). Yet, the automobile
industry refuses to look to
alternatives, deciding instead to
meet the 1975 emission
standards by installing
expensive catalytic converter
systems, which have been
shown to decrease in
effectiveness after moderate
use, and which require
excessive maintenance.

The federal government is
not expediting matters, either.
With the President's
impoundment of over half of
the $11 billion scheduled for
environmental programs this
year, research into
transportation alternatives has
been effectively curtailed.

There exist several viable
alternatives to the internal
combustion engine (ICE) at
this time. The only one
presently in commercial use is
the Wankel Rotary Engine
Mazda, having limited success
at present. The rotary engine is
smoother, simpler, faster,
smaller, and more efficient,
than the ICE. It also burns
clean enough to pass the 1975
emission standards, which
Detroit will have trouble
passing even with the catalytic
converter.

The only prohibition right
now is the price, which would
definitely not be a problem
were GM, Ford, and Chrysler
to get into the act. Research is
also being conducted on a new
version of the steam engine
(Rankine engine), a battery car
and an electric automobile.