I wrote:
The Prius buffer fills up quickly and braking energy is wasted after that (not regenerated). A Prius with extra batteries easily gets over 100 mpg, even without plug in capabilites.
I should explain for those who are not aficionados (or "otaku" in Japanese) that a Prius is equipped with regular brakes as well as regeneration. Regeneration converts kinetic energy to battery charge, and the regular brakes convert it to waste heat. Also, the Prius dashboard display shows a graph of the battery charge. When you drive down a long, steep hill and put on the brakes, the battery quickly fills up. After that, regeneration stops and the regular brakes operate, and you lose the energy.
(Ed Storms has a Prius and he lives at the top of a long, winding, steep hill -- a mountain, really -- but he may not have noticed this because I got the impression he does not use the brakes. You might call this the slalom school of driving.)
Furthermore, the Prius ICE is specially designed for hybrid use, and it is more efficient than an off-the-shelf ordinary ICE would be. I am sure the new Chinese car will also have a specially designed ICE.
This engine would not work effectively in an ordinary car. It is designed to be run at one speed, with a constant load.
- Jed
