Intimidating Drivers

[houstonscott]

Hauling batteries around will never be efficient or desirable or clean. You pollute more just happens somewhere else.

HS

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Hauling batteries around will never be efficient or desirable or clean. You pollute more just happens somewhere else.
HS

I don't have any data to back it up, but I agree with HS.

A battery is just a container for energy generated somewhere.

 

[dgl24087]

My only issue with Prius drivers in my neck of the woods is that they seem to all drive in the left lane at 45 mph, especially on I-81.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't have any data to back it up, but I agree with HS.

A battery is just a container for energy generated somewhere.

Ahh, but you don't understand the Pruis. You never plug that model of Prius in. It charges the battery from the engine and regenerative braking as you drive. The battery then gives the electric motor power to help with starts and accelleration, thus saving gas. It attempts to recover as much lost energy and store that in its battery until needed. The model of Prius that we are discussing is all about using that gallon of gas to the fullest potential. And that's why HS is not taken seriously here. He keeps making statements that are not accurate about this model of Prius.

Did you know this about the Prius? Are you starting to understand how it works now? The lightbulb is coming on. The sky is opening up. The angel music is playing and you should be having an ah-ha moment right about now, just like anyone else (me included) who starts to get it. It truly is an efficient car that does not get its batteries charged somewhere else by some other source of fossil fuel. It is a gas powered car. Not an electric car as you and I used to think of electric cars.

I hope that clears some things up for you. It did for me.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Ok Moss, your observations about the Prius versus a pure electric vehicle are correct. I was seduced by his sophistry.

BTW, a form of the so-called hybrids have been routinely used in this country for nearly a hundered years.

 

[brain55]

If you drive within the proper parameters you can get the most out of your hybrid too. I can consistently get 2 mpg better than my wife in her Camry because I'm more aware of how it works and how to get the most out of it. Slow take offs, coasting more, getting up to speed and backing out of the throttle, using cruise control, etc.

Brian

 

[Midniteoyl]

Ahh, but you don't understand the Pruis. You never plug that model of Prius in. It charges the battery from the engine and regenerative braking as you drive. The battery then gives the electric motor power to help with starts and accelleration, thus saving gas. It attempts to recover as much lost energy and store that in its battery until needed. The model of Prius that we are discussing is all about using that gallon of gas to the fullest potential. And that's why HS is not taken seriously here. He keeps making statements that are not accurate about this model of Prius.

Did you know this about the Prius? Are you starting to understand how it works now? The lightbulb is coming on. The sky is opening up. The angel music is playing and you should be having an ah-ha moment right about now, just like anyone else (me included) who starts to get it. It truly is an efficient car that does not get its batteries charged somewhere else by some other source of fossil fuel. It is a gas powered car. Not an electric car as you and I used to think of electric cars.

I hope that clears some things up for you. It did for me.

Not to get in this... but - Energy is energy. Whether is comes from burning coal or burning gas (which was refined, using energy) you have used the same amount to charge those batteries. Actually more due to resistance, friction,motor, and battery losses. The end result is a net increase in energy use.

 

[dave1949]

Not to get in this... but - Energy is energy. Whether is comes from burning coal or burning gas (which was refined, using energy) you have used the same amount to charge those batteries. Actually more due to resistance, friction,motor, and battery losses. The end result is a net increase in energy use.

Recaptured energy (regenerative braking) is energy too, it just isn't being 100% wasted in the form of heat dissipation.

The ultimate clean and cheap energy source is the sun. When battery technology reaches the point where quick charge transfers can take place, higher storage capacity, etc., batteries charged from solar panels or wind turbines will convert solar energy to motive energy. Battery research and development is not standing still, the costs of climate change are driving this effort, however indirectly.

It is short-sighted to assume that batteries are, or can be, only charged by burning a fossil fuel somewhere other than in an engine. It just ain't so. At current solar PV prices, it is easy to achieve equivalent fuel costs of 50 mpg in an EV. The technology is not even half-mature yet.

 

[dieselcrawler]

This thread got so far off track from the OP.

Reguardless of the brand... being in a small car, or truck (think S-10/Ranger/Tacoma) can feel intimidated.

We have 5 kids and one more on the way if all goes well. We need the seating that our 8 passenger Excursion gives us. We also regularly make use of it's trailer towing abilties. The diesel moter gets better fuel mileage than the equivilently powered gas model and performs well. Bottom line is that a small car doesen't work for us... wife and I both like our trucks and are willing to pay the cost assocciated with driving them.

I have driven lifted big tired trucks for 20 years... not because I am small but because I simply like them. So does my wife. So do our kids. Normal driving in a lifted truck likely SEEMS agressive to drivers in compact vehicles even if it is not blatantly so. I have spent enough time behind the wheel of compacts to know that I prefer the safety of 7000 lbs plus of my trucks when impact with another vehicle is involved.

Bottom line is to each their own... be it vehicles tractors guns or religions...

Take care out there... be safe.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Recaptured energy (regenerative braking) is energy too, it just isn't being 100% wasted in the form of heat dissipation....

Elevator mechanisms have done that for a long time also. DIscharge on the way up, recharge on the way down.