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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper Hybrid cars are practical, the cost vs conventional vehicles is not a huge increase, and there really isn't any reason for not using them across the board. So fuel economy regulations happen to make sense to me. [/quote] Typically, electric-hybrid vehicles cost $6,000 to $7,000 over the same size conventional car. So at an average low ball figure of $15,000 for a small car, a hybrid will cost over $20,000, a 33%+ increase, fairly substantial. Now, if we're talking about using hybrid technology in an SUV (and assuming the same hybrid cost premiums), then we can take a $25,000 SUV and increase it to $30,000+ for a hybrid SUV, then it's only a 17% price increase. My bet is that the cost increase for a hybrid SUV will be porportional to that of the smaller models. The real transport breakthrough with hybrid technology will be when it is incorporated into trucks on a large scale. Can you imagine the increase in ton/mile fuel efficiency when hybrid 146,000 lb trucks are out there? What will that do to shorthaul and medium haul rail dynamics? [/quote] You really have littile idea how hybrids save fuel. They would make almost zero difference in an over the road truck. [/quote] Hybrids save fuel by allowing regenerative braking to produce electricity for storage which can be drawn on later, that is their big feature. Other than that, the system of batteries being recharged by the prime mover when needed really doesn't save that much over direct drive systems. An over the road truck will spend as much time in regenerative braking as any other vehicle. [/quote] OK, you're close on how they work, but way off on good applications. All the hybrids I know of are direct drive with an electic motor assist. In some, the engine runs all time while some can run "straight electric" under certain conditions. In all, the engine can provide power directly to the wheels. Energy expended in over the road operation is almost entirely overcoming air resistance (plus some grade resistance on hilly routes). Only a miniscule fraction of the total can be recovered when braking. A trucker can drive all day and only step on the brake a couple of times to buy fuel or eat. Urban/suburban driving has a much higher % of recoverable energy. A good application of hybrid techology to trucking would be school busses, garbage trucks and UPS package cars. It would be just plain silly in an over the road semi tractor. [/quote] Apparently you've never driven over Western two lane highways. The up and down profile of these roads, combined with slow speed RV's slowing down traffic every 20 minutes or so and having to slow down for every podunk town along the way, would provide a good testing ground for a hybrid semi. Try driving from Great Falls MT to Lewiston ID sometime with all the truck traffic between the two cities. You'll see what I mean.
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