On Sun, Dec 02, 2007 at 11:23:53PM -0800, William Chops Westfield wrote:
> 
> On Dec 2, 2007, at 6:23 PM, Byron Jeff wrote:
> 
> >> Prius is done flat out wrong in my opinion. Its a petrol engined car
> >> that they have stuck some electric wiggly bits on.
> >
> > That's not the impression I got from my reading. I do understand  
> > that once
> > the car gets up to crusing speed, it's primarily driven by the gas  
> > engine.
> > However, the low speed startup seems to be completely electric.
> 
> That is not the case except for extremely slow starts (even by my
> conservative standards.)  Startup acceleration uses both gas and
> electric motors, typically.  Somewhere around 30-45 you can cruise
> on only the electric, though, if the ground is level.

OK. So the compromise was to not make the electric powerful enough to stand
alone. Got it.

But that compromise isn't because of an inherent deficit to electric.
It's possible to put together an electric car with the ability to function
standalone.

The challenge is how to build a support infrastructure that supports
reasonable refilling when out. The car companies simply are using the
existing gas/diesel infrastructure to do it.

It's funny that they think that a electric/hybrid car owner would have a
problem plugging in the vechicle at night or at work. It would save gas and
money.

A better hybrid infrastructure would have the mindset of electric at all
times except in an emergency. Two gallons of gas/diesel should be able to
get a car either home or somewhere to recharge.

The real question is what is the most effective way to carry and implement
this backup so that the car is still safe to drive while it limps home.

That means that it needs enough power for reasonable speed and acceleration
and must be as small and light as possible. Now of course the electric
system could do with if sufficient power can be supplied to it.

Just on a whim I looked up a 12 kW generator because I was reading about
electric car systems requiring 144V @ 75A = 10.8 kW. Dimensions are half
the size of a car and it weighs 1300 lbs. That's a bit much to just carry
around.

Electric cars give the concept of running out of energy a whole new
meaning.

BAJ
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist