big company buy technology and dont release this so there product will carry on but this technology would advance the world
2006-08-21 22:46:11 · 4 answers · asked by ewan b 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
General Motors was accused of withdrawing it's EV1 electric car from production for fear that it's success would destroy their profits. This conspiracy theory is probably not true as any business will make a product they think will outsell their current products if economically viable, especially if they can gain a lead on their marketplace and provide a unique selling point, possibly even control the market through patents. That does not seem to be the case with the EV1 because at the time it was released the technology was way behind what we have today and it probably would not have been as reliable,serviceable or usable as petrol/diesel alternatives. There probably are corrupt execs in various motor companies with a vested interest in maintaining the use of oil/petrol but this cannot last for much longer. The big issue at the moment is why we don't see more production of greener electricity - the technology to replace nuclear etc is not new and extremely viable.
2006-08-22 03:36:09 · answer #1 · answered by simon r 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's called being greedy. I know of a person [I know and used to work with his son in fact] who invented a 4 "barrel" carburetor for an engine that even when revved would use LESS gasoline than a 2 "barrel". Normally, when you kicked in the other 2 "barrels" on the 4 by giving it gas, it would suck relatively large amounts of gas and you could almost see the gas gauge needle moving along with the speedometer needle. Well, this person started making them in his machine shop next to his garage [by garage I mean a business you take your car for service i.e. mechanic's shop] and selling them. I never found out if it was GM or FoMoCo, but one of them offered him about a half million dollars for the patents and all rights to the carburetor. Now, in the early 1970s this was a very large amount of money. But, it was nothing compared to what the automotive giants and oil companies would have lost by everyone knowing there was a way to make cars more fuel efficient and have great performance.
2006-08-22 06:31:00 · answer #2 · answered by quntmphys238 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
True but the other side of it is that they are safe guarding the future of thier companies and of thier employees.
2006-08-22 05:52:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Probably all of the major oil companies.
2006-08-22 06:29:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋