Zoom - The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future

Zoom - The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future

Looking at the title Zoom – The Global Raca to Fuel the Car of the Future, I presumed I’d get a series of various alternative-fuel vehicle approaches that is being pursued today in battling the global warming issues.

Instead, the book focuses on all that is wrong with the current oil based automobiles, criticizing the automobile industries for not doing enough in their automobile R&D and the dilly-dallying of geo-political propagandas in moving towards a better source of energy in fueling these automobiles. Basically, it is an overview of automobiles and their makers of its past – on how they became what they are today, how it contributes to the economy and the future of its existence in fueling the economy.

Both writers are full of passion for this process, by carrying the reader into their vision for our transportation future with emotion rather than reason by lobbying the idea of a hydrogen future. However, both authors are not clear on how the economics of a hydrogen future and its impact. At least they are honest about the fact that the world is not running out of oil and won’t for a long time.

The nine chapters of the book are divided into three parts. Part I, springs the argument that even though the auto industry and “big oil” grew up together, their interests don’t align together and why the future prospects for big oil does not look bright (this part has do more with geo-politics than oil reserves).

Part II discusses how GM botched the EV1 and gave the advantage in hybrids to Toyota. Despite that, the authors’ argue that GM, Ford, and Chrysler must see this as an opportunity as America is awakening to the reality of the global crisis…. Not sure about this one though….

Part III - The IFs. If America decided not to do it, what happens? Who will save us? China supposedly, which is no surprise as it is the next largest continent on the planet. With their solution for transportation, it maybe a better path of choice for the world and leaving it to America to create innovative cars that don’t use carbon-based fuels…. Trust me America won’t sit still…they will come out with one…

I liked the book as it gives some insights on how our industries and political systems got to where we are today and how we are tackling this web of mess we go into the first place. However, I feel it is a bit shallow and driven by the authors’ agenda rather than an examination of the bare facts of what the world is really facing – everything has to do with costs, supply and demand in an economic world.

Review by: Hathyia Husni Amir Husni

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