Slashdot Mirror
Plug-in Hybrids May Not Go Mainstream, Toyota Says
mattnyc99 writes "Honda's challenger to the Prius — the Insight hybrid that we discussed so lividly a month ago — got its official unveiling today at the Paris auto show, with insiders confirming it would be cheaper than the world's most popular 'green' car while still hitting the same fuel-efficiency range. But the hybrid-electric showdown comes in the midst of a sudden rethink by Toyota about plug-in hybrids. Apparently all the recent hype — over the production version of the Chevy Volt, plus Chrysler's new electric trio and even the cool new Pininfarina EV also unveiled today — has execs from the world's number one automaker, and alt-fuel experts, questioning how many people will really buy electric cars, whether people will really charge them at night to keep the grid clear, whether batteries will make them too expensive and more. "
unlike gas, which you can only get from one place, electricity would allow you to charge your car while you push it home. Convert calories to green energy, what a win-win situation.
So what could you do to charge your car?
* hook a generator up to a stationary bike
* lay out a few yards of solar panels for a few minutes (if you are only a few miles from home)
* knock on someone's door with an extension cord in your hand and ask to use a few cents of power
* harness some wind power using a wind strip
and last/worst case
* actually use a gas can and use a generator to charge for the few miles home.
converting energy into electricity is so easy and so flexible, it's hard to think what couldn't be used.
Read my Very Short "Stories"
I prefer doubloons per league.
You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
That would have to be some kind of solar panel to be able to charge your car at night.
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
What is the dirtiest method of power?????
Sex!!!!!
And hey maybe you didn't know but us tree huggers are also pushing for more green power generation.
Alien sex!!!!!
I think you mean miles per kilowatt hour.
Please no! Let's not go mixing metric and imperial.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!