12 comments on The Bullroarer - Monday 21st July 2008
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12 comments on The Bullroarer - Monday 21st July 2008
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GAIA Host Collective
"Word is that hybrids are not right for long commutes from the rural fringe not served by buses. Plug in models with large batteries will need to be recharged at work for the drive home ie an overnight charge won't cover the round trip".
I couldn't disagree more, the advantage of PHEV's, is that the first 60km uses only the battery and the rest on re-charge from a small fuel efficient engine. Still get 1-2L/100Km, way better than any ICE-only car.
No reason why many people will not be able to re-charge from work, in Canada, everyone plugs in their cars to electric block heaters in winter, plug-in's available at work, supermarkets, sports stadiums, parking lots.
My informant who drives a VW diesel tells me his hired Prius (not plug in) revved so hard when the battery was low that it used 7L per 100km. He's told everybody they're only suitable for around town. Of course if the Hyundai Elantra LPG hybrid could use CNG instead and also plug in we might get the best of all worlds. Dunno if the minimum wage worker in Gosford who works night shift in the Sydney CBD wants to pay that sort of money though. Which is the top priority for long distance commuters..solar hot water, fuel miser car, moving closer or local job that pays less?
Boof, when I lived in Gosford and worked Night Shift in Sydney, I took the train...
(Also it's much easier to catch a few hours of kip than you can while driving up the F3!)
Don't know why anyone would think a Prius isn't a superb highway car, unless by highway you mean Autobahn and expect to cruise at 180km/hr. That it won't do. At 55 miles/hour I get 55 miles/US gallon (4.3l/100km) or better. My last long trip I averaged 61 (3.9), aided by the road construction keeping the speeds down. The small engine operates very efficiently at the power level required for reasonable highway speeds, plus with with small engine that need not actually run just to creep along, it does very well in congested highway traffic (which is plenty common, after all) and in the city. It's a very nice, comfortable highway cruiser for long trips.
Exactly right - PHEV's should be the norm.
people who have long commutes will simply have to adjust to the new reality - which means living cloe to a train line or - better yet - living closer to where they work.
Driving 60km+ each way each day is just foolish - and will no longer be affordable.
I think I will have to get a motorbike and keep the car in reserve (anyone with a family will know that motorbikes are pretty useless for most things aside from moving one, perhaps two passengers from A to B). Other options don't really exist for most people here.
I won't hold my breath for public transport to appear. Then again, it's a marginal seat so if the calls grow loud enough, then just maybe......