Despite the onset of the latest high energy price era, it goes without saying that the car will remain the main mode of transportation in the United States as the 21st century progresses.

First mass-produced on a national scale by Henry Ford, subsidized by the construction and expansion of the public interstate highway system after World War II, and immortalized by such films as George Lucas's American Graffiti (1973), the car and car culture is intrinsic to modern American life.

The car fuel alternatives

Cheap oil is not intrinsic, however, and that's a major reason why the nation is exploring car / vehicle fuel alternatives. Many options exist, each with strengths / weaknesses, and currently there's no clear winner.

Hence, in a very real sense, your say in the matter will play an important role in determining what fuel most Americans will use for car transportation in the decades ahead.

Speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford (NYSE: F) CEO Alan Mulally said the automaker is committed to improving miles per gallon efficiency and reducing emissions via implementing technological advances.

And the technological advances Ford's looking to incorporate to help stabilize its market share? Direct fuel injection, smaller-cylinder engines with turbo charges, lighter weight materials, hybrids, and diesels, among others. Moreover, Mulally said Ford's goal will be to increase fuel economy without sacrificing engine performance or auto safety. Ford's shares drifted three cents lower to $7.95 in Thursday afternoon trading.

In general, analysts were encouraged by Ford's presentation, despite the company's lack of a time-table for efficiency improvements or announcement of changes to specific vehicle models, other than a promise to apply diesel fuel and technology to improve the mpg of its popular but fuel-guzzling F-150 pickups.

General Motors (NYSE: GM), believe it or not, is working toward alternative propulsion systems as energy prices continue to be seen at new highs (while still showing wild volatility), and the electric Volt is just one of its efforts. What will power the electric vehicles of the future? That's a billion-dollar question, since batteries are probably the largest barrier to really commercializing the fully electric vehicle -- from any manufacturer.

GM, according to sources this week, wants its fuel cell technology -- a leading contender for high-energy batteries -- to be commercialized as soon as possible. If fuel cells could be refined even further than where they are today, the economic and practical viability of totally electric cars could be seen soon. So far, talk like that has been full of hot air. But then again, automakers see pent-up demand for this technology as gas prices go absolutely nuts. Oil stands right at $100 a barrel right now. You make the call.

If GM does not get there first, you can bet the competition will -- and will feed the insatiable consumer demand that lies waiting in the proverbial wings. The good news here is that innovation and speed will happen as the race to be first in this "fuel cell" space becomes more heated. As history has shown, in the end, the winner will be the consumer, much to the chagrin of oil producers.

In this week's issue of The New Yorker magazine, writer Elizabeth Kolbert outlines why the car of the future has not arrived. ("Running On Fumes" - Does the car of the future have a future?")

Kolbert documents what many have feared: that two commissions ("projects") between the U.S. Government's Executive Branch, one in the Clinton Administration and one in the current Bush Administration, and automakers General Motors (NYSE: GM), Ford (NYSE: F), and Chrysler, that were supposed to design a high-mileage, next-generation car have, in fact, done very little.

Reveo is a technology incubator which has proven that they are worth keeping an eye on. At least indirectly, Reveo competes with companies such as IBM (NYSE: IBM) and 3M (NYSE: MMM). To date Reveo holds over 300 patents in the fields of electrochemistry, optics, fuel cells, and advanced materials. This is the kind of company that invents and develops the technologies of which your future shall be built upon.

Reveo invites independent investment and has their portfolio available online. Their mission is to spin off companies based on technologies which Reveo has created and made viable. The growing list of Reveo subsidiaries includes cutting edge technology companies such as: VRex Inc., Chelix Technologies Corp., eVionyx Inc., Xellerion Inc., and PetaComm Inc. These are all companies which are busy punching wide openings into the future.

In addressing the need to provide a solid and focused business platform from which to accomplish their goals, Reveo created the Edison Technology Portfolio (ETP) Strategy. This strategy provides the frame work needed to launch Reveo's subsidiary companies with the ability to immediately exploit marketable technologies with a minimum of administrative tangle. In other words, Reveo spin off companies are able to hit the ground running.

If being up to date with leading edge technologies and the opportunities presented therein is of interest to you, then you owe it to yourself to check this company out. With a successful stable of spin off companies already in hand, it stands to reason that Reveo isn't going to disappear any time soon. I see a wealth of opportunities here... do you?

General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) ended the day at $36.22, up 5 cents or 0.14%, holding onto its general upward trend this week, and over the last three months where it has gained some 10%. Not bad at all for a slow moving giant conglomerate. Today GE also announced that is has developed a protoype of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for large power plants, allowing environmental improvements in power plant operation. This is part of GE's ecomagination program.

Tomorrow morning you can visit here to see liveblogging of GE's earnings report starting at 8:30am. GE is expected to announce growth in all of its segments except for, as usual, NBC/Universal.