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42 comments on The European cold is continuing

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howleyj on January 25, 2006 - 10:48am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
The folks at Austin Energy think they have it all figured out with the Plug-in Hybrid.  See http://www.pluginpartners.com/.  Their press conference in DC was standing room only yesterday; Senator Hatch left the Alito mark-up to make a statement in support at the Press Club.  Any thoughts on this innovation?
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Generaly on January 25, 2006 - 1:18pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
There is no doubt in my mind that the plug-in hybrids are the next step.  Ya gotta love electricity, it's produced from all kinds of sources, and wired straight to just about every home and business in the country.  Storage is the problem... but with the application of a few bucks, hybrids solve that problem.  I see plug-ins as the next step to commercially available fully electric vehicles.

On the other hand, I think that we are going to have to wait to get "permission" from the "powers that be" to start using non-liquid fuels for our cars...  this is because of the road tax issue, and the fact that electricity would become a major competitor for liquid fuels.

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howleyj on January 25, 2006 - 2:04pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Generaly you're right about the way transport fuels are wired into our political system.  The backbone of state and local politics is the "transportation budget" which is fed by a combination of gasoline taxes, bonds and federal pork.  Developers, construction companies and bond dealers supply the campaign contributions.  Anyway, that's how it works in my little east coast state!
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howleyj on January 25, 2006 - 2:05pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Generaly you're right about the way transport fuels are wired into our political system.  The backbone of state and local politics is the "transportation budget" which is fed by a combination of gasoline taxes, bonds and federal pork.  Developers, construction companies and bond dealers supply the campaign contributions.  Anyway, that's how it works in my little east coast state!
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Generaly on January 25, 2006 - 3:29pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Why did they have to hurt the poor EV1, it wasn't bothering anyone, or was it?    

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1

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light299 on January 25, 2006 - 7:13pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I totally agree. Plus, people don't want to PLUG their car in to charge. I have enough trouble remembering to charge my laptop, mp3 player, and cell phone. How 'bout we get REAL innovative and make it easy for people. When you buy the car, you also get an inductive charging mat. Plop it on your garage floor, plug it in, and forget about it. (It can be done; the EV1 had inductive charging in the early 90's)
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liferaft on January 25, 2006 - 11:20pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Visit the CalCar web site for lots of info re: plug-in hybrids (GO-HEVs or PHEVs).  Some claims:
Cost increments for a plug-in hybrid compact vehicle will be 10-20% more than for a regular hybrid ... a plug-in HEV with only 20 miles all-electric daily range is 62% lower [in well-to-wheel emissions] ... mass-produced PHEVs [which don't exist yet] have reached life-cycle cost parity with gasoline-powered vehicles ... Californians welcome ready access to a car that could be hooked up via an extension cord to provide emergency backup power for a few home appliances[!]
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42 comments on The European cold is continuing

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