[geeks] electric cars

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: Dan Duncan <dand at pcisys.net>
" 
" On Mon, 23 Oct 2006, Sandwich Maker wrote:
" > trains are already extremely efficient, something like 100 ton-miles
" > per gallon.
" 
" Trains are also diesel hybrid-electric, at least in the US.  They
" have been for quite some time.

locomotives have had electric transmissions since just about their
invention around ww1.  there have been hybrids but the few i know of
were rare one-offs made for specific jobs.

" One of my big questions about the current crop of hybrid cars is
" "Why are they using gasoline?"  In a hybrid design, especially
" a series hybrid design where rpms don't need to vary by much,
" why don't we see more efficient fuels than gasoline?

yeah - in an autoweek drive, a diesel jetta got almost the same
mileage as the prius, and much more comfortably.  a diesel prius would
be easy - it's the echo/scion/yaris engine, which has a common rail
tdi version in other markets.

it has to be plain convenience - they're selling the sizzle but not a
lot of steak.  customers wouldn't go for a diesel hybrid even if it
would save them more.  toyota is very coy about battery life and
replacement and disposal costs as it is.  and the prius weighs ~800
lbs more than the echo it's derived from, with less interior room.

a diesel echo - british spec, for example - is rated in their driving
loop at ~3/4 the mileage of the prius, for about 1/2 the initial
purchase price.  even at $3/gal fuel, you have to drive a lot of miles
to make up the ~$10k difference...  and just how much pollution did
the prius manufacturing process generate?  i've heard that for
conventional cars, it was equal to the amount they'd emit even 20
years ago.  that argues that keeping an old car on the road is more
environmentally friendly than junking it and buying -anything- new.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought