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Toyota Unveils Plug-in Hybrid Prius
phlack writes "Toyota has announced a plug-in hybrid vehicle, based on their popular Prius. So far, it will only have a range of 8 miles on the battery (13km). They are going to test this vehicle on the public roads, apparently a first for the industry. From the article: 'Unlike earlier gasoline-electric hybrids, which run on a parallel system twinning battery power and a combustion engine, plug-in cars are designed to enable short trips powered entirely by the electric motor, using a battery that can be charged through an electric socket at home. Many environmental advocates see them as the best available technology to reduce gasoline consumption and global-warming greenhouse gas emissions, but engineers say battery technology is still insufficient to store enough energy for long-distance travel.'"
Que the fan-boys who will yell that burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and then pushing that power over hundreds of miles of cable is more efficient and environmentally sound that directly powering a vehicle via fossil fuel. I'm all for alternative power, and hybrids are a step in the right direction IMO, but plug-in electric? Sorry, it just doesn't make sense.
Someone please explain to me why the Toyota chose the Prius to be its hybird? The prius is the ugliest car they make. It looks like a damn turtle with those tiny little wheels (you know, just like the wheels on a turtle).
Toyota makes Scion and the Scion Tc is a nice looking car in the same size range as the Prius. Why aren't they sticking batteries in that sucker??
Electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and damming rivers. Over 50% of the available energy is lost in generation and transmission inefficiencies. The storage medium, a battery, is a highly toxic item that adds so much weight to the vehicle that internal combustion only econoboxes with diesel engines (which can burn biofuels) get comparable mileage, without the polluting manufacturing and disposal issues attendant to the electric/hybrid car's battery.
So, what is the real benefit of the hybrid/electric car? Could it be more about fashion , kind of like those oil dripping gas guzzling, pollution spewing, 1960s VW buses I see with "Love your Mother" stickers on them, than reality?
There's a great "South Park" episode about this.
Electricity is fungible? Really? I can turn it into steel, for example? What Physics classes did you take? As far as what fossil fuels can be turned into: have you ever heard of plastics? You must work in marketing.
Electricity is actually ephemeral. Unless consumed at the moment of availability, or stored in a pretty inefficient battery, it's wasted. I OTOH, am a EE.
Just one more thing the electric car fanboys ignore: our existing electric grid can barely support its current peak loads. Good luck with even 2% of the populace adopting plug-ins. All those cars charging in Silicon Valley when the State Operator declares an emergency, I can see it now!