The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.

That is the official name of the familiar roads we know as I-10, I-95, I-5, etc.

The Intestate part is obvious, but why “defense highways”?

The story boils down to the vision and efforts of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In 1919, Lieutenant Colonel Eisenhower was part of an army convoy that crossed the country from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco.  The 81 vehicles took 62 days to cross the country at an average speed of 6 miles per hour.

After his stint as Supreme Allied Commander in WWII, and having seen the Autobahns in Germany, Eisenhower became convinced that it was imperative for the United States to build a high speed highway system to move materiel and troops in time of war.

The Interstate Highway System had other major benefits, changing the social and commercial fabric of the country.  America became a mobile culture.

How was the $129 Billion highway system paid for?  Through gasoline taxes.  At the time it was proposed, some of the critics called it a “socialistic scheme to transfer the cost of providing deluxe highways from those most benefited to the already heavily burdened landowner.”

Sound familiar?  Are there many around today who still bemoan the interstates as a socialistic scheme?

Now the parallel with the proposed alternative energy economic stimulus strategy being contemplated by the incoming Obama administration.

Endependence thinks a great case can be made to promote spending on alternative energy infrastructure as a matter of national defense.  We need to insulate ourselves from the spikes in the cost of fossil fuel energy and their toxic effects on the environment.  America should become the world leader in harvesting and using renewable energy.

We can pay for it with a gasoline tax, or a carbon tax.

A suggestion for a name for this move toward energy independence that ends dependence on polluting fuels:

The Barack Obama Interstate Alternative Energy Defense Network.

Here is the link to an article about the Interstate Highway system:

http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/summer/interstates.html

Yesterday we looked at the technologies that are most likely to be adopted in the near term to improve fuel efficiency.

Here is how much various technologies can improve fuel economy.

Diesel Engine  25% - 30%

Gasoline Direct Injection plus Turbocharging up to 12%

Dual-clutch transmission up to 10%

Cylinder deactivation 7%

Continuously variable valve timing 5%

Stop-start system 5%

5 speed automatic transmissions 3% - 4%

- Automotive News, November 3, 2008

Now, let’s look at the cost of these technologies as projected by the National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA).

Here is how much these technologies will add to the price of a car.

Diesel Engine $1,000 - $3,000

Gasoline Direct Injection plus Turbocharging  $122 - $810

Dual-clutch transmission (continuously variable transmission) $100 - $139

Cylinder deactivation $203 - $229

Continuously variable valve timing Cost not available

Stop-start system $1800 - $2,000

5 speed automatic transmissions $76 - $167

Based on the cost versus the fuel mileage gain, it appears that Gasoline Direct Injection plus Turbocharging has the best profile.

Ford Motor Company is introducing a system called EcoBoost that combines gasoline direct injection and turbocharging.  Here is a video (kind of dry) about the system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVncFb7GMOs

Here are some videos about what to look for when you are shopping for a new car:

http://endependence.info/research/videos-c-1-v-20.html

http://endependence.info/research/videos-c-1-v-8.html

The technology is out there.  If the government (meaning the taxpayers) is going to help the Big 3 (Detroit 3) automakers, we should insist that they bring these and other energy saving technologies to market in the short term.