Toyota to test plug-in Prius PHEVs on public roads

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 19 2007, 01:11 PM) [snapback]481770[/snapback]</div>

Cell phone batteries have occasionally been recalled, due to instances of "spontaneous emission of super heated gasses, and rapid self-disassembly"... the Kyocera 7135 smartphone, for example, made the news when its batteries began to self-destruct 3 years ago. Other phones have had similar issues. So has the Dell laptop computer, much more recently.

I'd also prefer to not be driving something at highway speeds when it decided to "self-disassemble"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarkMN @ Jul 19 2007, 09:12 PM) [snapback]481773[/snapback]</div>

Well, this is a common misconception. If you compare the efficiency pathways of the electric and the ICE car (well-to-wheel efficiency) you could see that the electric car at least 2 times more efficient than the ICE one. It is advisable to look over the pollutant numbers as well:

<div align="center">Debunking the Myth of EVs and Smokestacks</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 19 2007, 08:09 PM) [snapback]481991[/snapback]</div>

This inspired me to look it up. Seattle City Light is 3.76 cents for the the first 10 kWh, and then 7.93 cents

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 19 2007, 11:09 PM) [snapback]481991[/snapback]</div>

Well, the "Generation" charges are only $0.06490 / kWh. However, then you need to add the "Transmission", "Distribution", and "Transition" charges. I have no idea what "Transition Charges" are, or how "Transmission Charges" differ from "Distribution Charges".

Generation Charges: $0.06490 / kWh
Transmission Charges: $0.00550 / kWh
Distribution Charges: $0.04760 / kWh
Transition Charges: $0.03030 / kWh

for a total of $0.1483 / kWh

 

I heard someone on CSPAN2 talk about plug in hybrids. I feel after hearing this that they have a lot of promise. Most people would plug in during non-peak hours, this would 'balance the grid". You would probably pay less for the electricity that way. Another option in windy states (most of the west), would be that it could theoretically make wind energy more usable. Wind tends to increase at night. You plug the car in at night. Another possibility is that you might theoretically be able to sell back electricity to the utility that you make parking your car during the day-- this could be used as reserve (theoretically) if their were a loss of power. Partly spent batteries could also be stored.


I think this would initially be sold as a "commuter car" with no attempt to make this a car for trips, etc. There could be infrastructure and so forth which is way more feasible than hydrogen. I would be perfectly happy with a car that could only go say 200 miles. I don't think this would be a sole option that everyone would get.



But anyway with solar or wind energy, you could run a totally green car. Even without I think the studies indicated that the a plug-in is more friendly than it might appear because it uses the power at off peak times.
It also creates power that could be sold back.

--des

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Jul 19 2007, 08:50 PM) [snapback]482007[/snapback]</div>

As Clett so nicely pointed out - these are not the same batteries. They aren't managed the same, etc. And if you are concerned for your safety on the highway - get the heck out of your gasoline car. There are few things we could stick in a car that are more dangerous than a tank full of gasoline.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(des101 @ Jul 20 2007, 11:33 PM) [snapback]482687[/snapback]</div>

I can't figure out why you think they wouldn't work beyond commuting. These cars will be ever bit as capable as the Prius... with the ADDED benefit of a few miles of battery-only miles. After the battery is depleted, it becomes a gasoline hybrid just like the Prius... until you can plug it in again. This is a long-range car, that has short-range EV capability.

Ah, are you talking about a battery-only car? For that I agree - an emphasis on commuting is a perfect fit. There is NO other automobile better suited to commuting than an EV. But I thought this was about PHEVs? Maybe I'm confused... For the record, we use our 100-mile-range EV every day, and for well over 90% of our trips. We need the Prius for the one or two times per month that we stray outside our range.

Absolutely. Solar is what powers mine. And those who use the grid use almost 100% off-peak power. We can power millions of EVs just on the under-utilized off-peak power we already have - though most people fear all these scary extra power plants that we'll need for EVs. Please note that the gasoline industry is the single biggest consumer of electricity in the world.