Comments on: Honda and Nissan Consider Plug-in Hybrids

By: richard atamian

richard atamian — Tue, 24 May 2011 21:47:53 +0000

very interesting commentary but wish it could be brought up to date now that the Chevrolet Volt is in production. Like one of the authors I too drive a Toyota Prius but am seriously considering purchasing fhe Chevrolet .

By: samm

samm — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:21:38 +0000

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By: jhgkjhgkjhkjhkj

jhgkjhgkjhkjhkj — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:37:44 +0000

I know! Really people?

By: BOBBY768O

BOBBY768O — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:32:18 +0000

GET A LIFE

By: Truck End

Truck End — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 06:40:11 +0000

this would be best looking electric car from Honda, & also hope to have some more mile run like ford car. sure this will make good & active car for coming times

By: Macy Fischer

Macy Fischer — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:16:06 +0000

what does it run on?? i need this answer for a ppt im doing for school..anyone know???

By: SergeiRostov

SergeiRostov — Sun, 10 May 2009 04:08:34 +0000

Ford made a 150-mile range all-electric car way back in 1994. Maybe it’s time it started up again.

By: rickw

rickw — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:51:14 +0000

A couple of comments:
1. Right now there are issues with our electrical grid. That's why there's all this talk about Smart Grid. Additionally (as someone else mentioned) using electric cars in some ways trades coal for petroleum. So we have a supply problem to solve (along with the storage/battery problem).

2. Another part of the problem that no one seems to want to admit is Consumer Preference. People seem to want to drive huge, hulking vehicles that can accelerate to 60 in < 5 seconds. Remember that "F = m * a" stuff from high-school physics? Hybrids or electrics are working on the "F" part. What about reducing (instead of increasing) the mass? That's going to have to be part of the solution.

By: hybridgreg

hybridgreg — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:27:02 +0000

DDT,
Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) is not the gas that is used in US homes that are on the pipeline. In the US, we use compressed natural gas CNG, which is a less dense form of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) CNG and LNG are processed from naturally occurring supplies found in North America. So, although Europe may used Propane gas, in the US we have the world’s largest supply of Natural gas. The major difference being that Propane is a heavier than air gas and Natural Gas is a lighter than air gas. This property actually makes natural gas (hybdrogen gas) safer to use in vehicle applications by virture of its property to immediately rise if there is a leak. Propane, being heavier than air will accumulate in pockets within the vehicle creating a greater risk for explosion. Natural gas is/can be the key for US energy independence. Also, as I said above, the infrastructure is already in place in the USA. Urban homes use natural gas for heating and cooking (rural areas and home heating oil areas excepted).

By: DDT

DDT — Wed, 06 May 2009 01:20:08 +0000

One problem with hydrogen at the moment is that its production is not from a renewable source. So even if you do have a car that runs on hydrogen it may be more polluting than using petrol, as there is energy loss at each level.

Fossil fuel extracted, and refined then brought to the plant or power taken from powerstation
Water is brought or pumped to the plant.
Hydrogen extracted from water then compressed
Hydrogen pumped to stations/houses
Then burnt in ic engine or fuel cell

What you see here is how energy is lost in each level, the fact that fossil fuels have to be burnt to produce another fuel is one loss of energy through heat noise etc which then is burnt or used in a fuel cell, also loss through heat etc. So that is 3 losses in energy extraction refinment of fossil fuels then being burnt to create electricity to produce hydrogen then used in car.

Petrol is refined taken to station and burnt in your ic engine. Two loss of energy where it is burnt in the engine and when it is extracted, refined.

What is needed is a renewable method of hydrogen production then it would work.

Im not sure about the US but in all of the EU the gas line is natural gas which can also be used in ic cars with a conversion kit and is known as LPG