Seems the "Big three" are finally starting to wake up and smell the coffee. I hope for their sake that it's not too late. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/automobi...70&emc=eta1
"in a part of the Midwest dominated by coal-burning power plants, a plug-in Prius would generate 1 percent more carbon dioxide" Hmmmmm... What they don't mention is that is only 1% more of an already extremely low CO2 emission. Gotta love those "non-profit" groups.
Personally, i love how they tried to spin it... saying taht the big 3 were working on development, and oh yeah, so's toyota, but they don't think the battery tech is ready for production yet... but this prototype from D/C is still just great... Makes it sound like the big 3 are pushing for it, while toyota is just sitting back saying "we want to, but just can't yet". :lol: Also, it seems to me that, regardless of the source of your power, it's important to get plug in hybrids out there and available. it's a lot easier to petition the government for better environmental laws concerning power plants (thus forcing them to "clean up their act") than it is to convince people to change the way they do things and start plugging in a car.
I believe those sprinters use a Benz diesel powerplant conventionally. This is derivative of the old OM617 that waqs in the w123 turbo diesels of yesteryear, and is very long-lived. They get good gas mileage due to this powerplant, putting a plugin/hybrid component in them is a good thing too.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(keydiver @ Sep 30 2006, 08:16 PM) [snapback]326322[/snapback]</div> They certainly spent fewer words in the situation where C02 emissions would DROP in the West coast where we are NOT dominated by coal... and happen to be the biggest car market. They also miss the point where battery cars can help make all electricity cleaner and more efficient... and cheaper per KWH with off-peak charging.
I'll take the 1% more pollution in the clean (when comparing to China) US air compared to "stablizing gas price" by wasting billions of dollars and thousands of American life from people that hate us in the first place. Those Hundreds of Billions yearly alone could fund our Solar/Wind power systems.
