Does this make you drool or what?

I was thinking about 'traction batteries are the limiting resource' and impacts on behavior:

• existing hybrid maker with significant market penetration
• new car ventures with no product
• clever individuals

For a successful hybrid maker, a single, plug-in traction battery risks taking the resources needed for two or more hybrids. In this case, making plug-in vehicles while traction batteries are the critical hybrid resource cuts sales and profits. ... not a good business decision. Two people in one plug-in or one each in two hybrids?

A new car venture has the option of trying to compete with successful hybrids with a briar patch of patents. They will not have volume production at first so battery limitations are less important. For them, EV or EV-extended range makes sense by avoiding the patent briar patch and having to enter a hard market, one with successful, mature hybrids.

Clever individuals are aware of costs but live by their curiosity. They tend to be innovative like a new car venture but take their base approach of add-on to an existing, successful hybrid. Since they often get batteries from non-traditional sources, they don't compete directly with successful hybrid makers ... except to draw attention to plug-in technology. But they are limited by the available pool of successful hybrids and are treated as somewhat parasitic to the established car makers.

I'm not too worried about slow adoption of plug-in hybrids. Some of the early fleet studies indicate the discipline to use them correctly is not yet there. However, I would like to see the established hybrid vendors do 'plug-in lite' by peak charging the existing traction batteries and block and transmission heaters and some block and transaxle insulation. A premium option, it would simply let folks start with a car tweaked for the upper MPG quadrant.

I suspect new car vendors, those respecting patents, will be offering EV and EV-extended range. That is the only market area not filled with significant numbers. Then there is this pesky battery resource problem.

As for the clever individuals, what is not to like about their efforts? Other than they often see the world through different eyes.

Bob Wilson

 

More importantly ... and it just dawned on me, what kind of mpg's did you get on your lunch break. Be honest now. Did you go stealth? or what?

.

 

Wow, I think the OP just was having some fun, not sure why people got upset at the "jealous" comment. Surely they were joking...

Very interesting. I checked out a Nissan Leaf in person Sunday and I liked it a lot.

 

I can't speak for everyone but I fake upset for fun.

 

I received an email from Plug-In Conversions Corporation and it stated that they are doing R and D on their plug in conversion for the 2010 and would have something within 6 months. I am hopeful that I will get something within a year. If I don't I am considering the Nissan Leaf for my future. I love my Prius but I believe in electron power.

 

looking forward to drool over the pictures your going to post.