x2.

The gentlemen who Founded RIT, RPI, Cornell, Stanford, and MIT were all liberals. All have excellent engineering programs. Just sayin.

Broad generalizations aside, I wouldn't say political beliefs have any effect on the talent of an engineer. I'd say its all in whether or not they have the knack for it.
Oak Ridge has some pretty serious stuff going on with fuel cells, but that very thought came up at a conference almost two years ago. If we started converting more and more of the existing US fleet to battery based hybrids using conventional technology, the consumer would be more inclined to swallow the "pill" of fuel cells in stages as first a gasoline/fuel cell hybrid, and then full fuel cell. People don't like change.

That said, the fuel cells running around there now currently have the capacity and technology developed to meet our needs. The problem is manufacturing them for a cost the consumer will accept. By comparison, battery based cars not only cannot be manufactured for a similar cost - but the capacity and technology required to manufacture them does not exist.

Both are still in the future. How far? We cannot say for certain.

But by comparison, things like locomotives and long haul trucks can be made to run on giant fuel cells. They cannot run on batteries.

 

That actually goes against recent poll results as far as the make up of the 'Tea' party.

But yeah, generalizations are stupid. I am certainly not going to mind posing auto manufacturers a realistic challenge, and using less fuel is a noble goal, but I do mind when it starts taking away choices from the consumer and/or it is based on some near-religious hysteria.

 

You need to expand your circle of friends then.

 

This has been my experience as well (mechanical engineer). We talk politics at work all the time, so does everyone around us, and it is RARE to hear anyone on the liberal side. Then again, I live in South Carolina, God bless this place.

I noticed that Z28x and formula79 are in New York and California. That probably has a lot to do with what they see in the work place, just as my being in South Carolina does.

I will say this though, educated people are often more wealthy and wealthy people often lean towards the conservative side in my experience. Even my wife converted to the darkside after being raised by two long haird, protesting, athiest parents from the Bronx!!!


Now back on track. Someone (think it was Z28x) mentioned comparing the Volt to the EV1 of the 90's as if there was something significant to talk about. Sure, the EV1 was a pretty basic car compared the modern EV's with all their gadgets and amenities, but in 1996 it had a stated range of 70 to 100 miles. In 1999 the Gen II EV1 was released and the NiMH powered cars featured a 100 to 140 mile range.

In 2011 Ford and Nissan are looking for roughly 150 miles (do we know if thats the minimal, normal, or high end of the range?) from their EV's. That is FAR from impressive. It's borderline pathetic.

We have increased weight from modern day safety standards and demand for creature comforts to thank for that though. Then again, 150 miles is STILL pretty pathetic.

And then there is still that little thing about how inefficient it is to convert coal or gas to electricity, pipe it to your house, store it in your cars battery and then turn it into thrust through an electric motor.

 

To the close minded? no thanks. I work around a few, just being around them makes me feel dumber.

I live in NY State, most educated and professional people I run across are pretty open minded.

Kind of the opposite up in NY, the poor lean conservative. Of course I'm generalizing there always exceptions. You see a difference between old and new money.

Lets not forget, the EV1 was leased at a loss. The true cost of those cars was something like $60k-$80k in 1999 dollars. Ford and Nissan plan to sell their EVs for a profit in the $30k range. Tesla model S vs. EV1 is probably a more fair comparison based on price. Tesla is trying for a 300 mile range and seating for 7, not 2.

 

There are closed-minded people on both sides of the "aisle", in all walks of life, with all different beliefs. Then again, someone who stands by a certain core set of principles is not 'closed-minded' IMO, it's actually what distinguishes those who have strong opinions from the wishy-washy types.

 

Afew what? People who are close minded or people who are liberal?

I think what you're equating is open minded = liberal = educated.

For the record, I have a bachelor's and a doctorate and I am anything but liberal leaning.

 

Wow Albany looks a lot like Los Angeles!

 

That is certainly a lofty goal and I will believe it when I see it. Also, the Tesla cars seem to be more stripped down from what I have seen so far compared to the Leaf or Focus EV.

And I still contend that there is not a lot of use for a 150 mile range EV. At the very least you will need a second gas powered vehicle to go on family vacation or even drive to the airport (if you don't live near a major one) for a business trip, visit with family, etc. Shoot, 150 miles might not even be enough for a weekend camping trip, unless you can find a place to charge your car in the wilderness, haha.

 

BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering here and as the ole' country song goes, "you got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything!".

 

All the engineers I know, self included, are conservative for tax reasons. Once you figure out who protects your wallet, and who goes after it, it is pretty cut and dry.

-Geoff

 

There have been some ridiculous arguments in this forum, but whether or not engineers are "conservative" or "liberal" has got to take the cake.

 

There is no one "Tea Party". A good amount of them are anti-war and pro liberty, pro 1st amendment liberals. Every group is different.


Defiantly, there is not shortage of closed-minded or ignorant people in this country. The ones I can't stand the most are the ones that don't understand things cost money. I'm a math guy and I like to hear numbers. I can't stand politicians that say they are going to cut spending but can't name one substantial program or give any dollar amounts. Same goes for the people that think a trillion dollar war is going to have no impact on national debt or the economy. Same goes for the people that want $99 Trillion of Social Security retirements and Medicare.

No visible smog over Albany, I've never seen it over NYC either, too windy I guess.

 

You sound like a good liberal, if there is such a thing Then again, I would be shocked to see an engineer who was not a numbers person.

As for the comment about whether engineers are liberal or conservative, it's not really an argument, but us stating observations. It might make a good poll question in the lounge....

 

That kind of poll question would get shut down very quickly. Much like this thread will if it doesn't get back on point.