CNN: Tinkerers fiddle with hybrids to increase efficiency
When these people claim to get 250 miles/gal using a modified Prius, what
they really mean is that they get 45 miles/gal plus 205 extra miles
because they charge the batteries from the electric grid. This is much
different from claiming that the Prius can be made more efficient just by
adding extra batteries. Using this logic, a pure electric car would get
an infinite number of miles/gal. Consequently, the quoted miles/gal
actually has no meaning.
Regards,
Ed
Which is essentially correct. A plug-in hybrid electric auto would start to
change the whole petroleum/ICE way of looking at personal travel. Travel
would start to be calculated is miles per charge, rather than miles per
gallon. Does anyone really think the oil industry wants people to starting
thinking in these terms? Especially with electric being much cheaper per
mile than gasoline with today's prices.
Since going all electric doesn't seem too plausible at the moment. Using
these plug-in hybrid calculations like 250 Mpg seems like a good way of
conveying to the general public the potential of this technology. If
someone used a car like a plug-in hybrid every day for a modest commute and
errands, and plugged it in overnight, then 250 Mpgs could be a reality. The
car would go 250 miles on one gallon of gasoline! What an improvement!
