Comments on: Toyota To Go 100-Percent Hybrid

By: jordan

jordan — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:42:43 +0000

i dont think that we will ever stop using oil do you guys really think that people are going to go and watch cars with absolutly no noise go up and down the drag strip

By: sana

sana — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:14:08 +0000

There is tendency of gaining electricity from sunshine. I we put everywhere solar cells we can charge all cars. It doesn’t have to be from coal.

By: The Flying Dutchman

The Flying Dutchman — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:24:50 +0000

Plug-in hybrids won't burn gas, but they will indirectly, burn natural gas and coal, as that is how most of our electricity is generated - by burning them. Oil and natural gas should peak in production by 2020 and coal will follow soon after. And our population is projected to increase continually over that time period till it's 400 million in 2035.

So plug-in hybrids need to be coupled with a massive effort to generate electricity from means other than burning fossil fuels if we really want to have a rosy transportation future.

By: Timothy Stampfli

Timothy Stampfli — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:13:53 +0000

NO, really, I am

By: Jacques DONIAT

Jacques DONIAT — Mon, 14 May 2007 15:00:27 +0000

For high characteristics, low cost, and totally safe batteries for future HEV, it is now necessary to look at new technology NiZn batteries : with no more cycle life issue, and high power ability, NiZn becomes a choice system.
See scps-group web site.

By: Panama Jack

Panama Jack — Mon, 14 May 2007 03:04:02 +0000

I think that EV’s, hybrid and other fuel efficient vehicles would sell better if the manfacuture would put on line a DETAILED owners manuel with a very DETAILED trouble shooting section they would sell a great deal more cars. This would ease the worry of not having a service center near you. In the 40s and 50s the “Shade Tree” mechanic was the life of the car industry. I think that more lower income (do it yourselfers) would aspire to get one of the vehicles.

By: jwo

jwo — Fri, 11 May 2007 18:18:33 +0000

US consumers vote with their wallets and they buy big engines because they want the acceleration, bragging rights, boat towing ability....whatever.....

Detroit only produces the intersection of what the market wants and what they think they can profitably produce.

They also see hybrids as a stop-gap on the way to fuel cell or EVs, but don't yet feel they have the battery tech or can commoditize the fuel cells yet.

By: DON RICHTBERG

DON RICHTBERG — Fri, 11 May 2007 16:58:04 +0000

We are drowing in oil (or lack of it) because Detroit will not get out of bed with the oil companies. As long as these two industries keep shaking hands we will never become independant of “Detroit’s Oil Autos.” The hybrids are only a beginning and Detroit refuses to get on board let alone see other alternatives that the foreign markets are experimenting with. As long as Americans continue to buy low gas mileage cars we will never see the end of higher priced oil. Wake up America and let’s all stop being the “OIL PIGS” that Detroit created!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 11 May 2007 16:00:16 +0000

Martin,

Current and future LiIon or LiPo battery configuration is to simply join multiple low voltage cells together to achieve the total voltage desired. Within this wiring circuit, charging is directed to individual cells to assure a balanced charge is achieved. Each cell only requires 1 or 2 hours to fully charge. If you are traveling cross country you should be able to take a long lunch and double your range. Besides if you are driving 1,000/day you are either traveling at 125 mph for 8 solid hours, 70 mph for over 14 hours or you are on the road way too long. If any of this this is the case I hope I am not on the road at the same time you are.

By: Martin Poon

Martin Poon — Fri, 11 May 2007 05:37:30 +0000

Refering to “Toyota by Gandalf” I am all for full electric but I’ll never buy one because I drive cross country. I cover about 1,000 miles a day. That won’t work with a 400mile plug in range. What would be awesome is that if I could ‘swap’ the batteries at a ‘gas station’. Hopefully someone is looking into that.