Comments on: Toyota’s Next Hybrids: Li+

By: Plug in Hybrids

Plug in Hybrids — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:20:03 +0000

Why don’t toyota put A solar panel built in to the roof of the car or behind the seat on the package tray to hook up to the charging system to help charge the batteries while it is parked so you don’t have to plug it in if you have sun light?

By: Gary T

Gary T — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:13:05 +0000

Most solar panels up to this point have been rather heavy for the amount of power generated. For this reason, their transportation would absorb a substantial part of the energy they capture. This looks set to change with new thin film and dye sensitised panels which are in some cases built into a plastic sheet. Once these become efficient enough, then it would make sense for the car to be continuously trickle charged during daylight.

By: Dave D

Dave D — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:16:53 +0000

A properly designed and built plug in Prius will give the commuter (under 60 miles round trip) an all electric drive commute, with all the benefits that implies, while preserving the unlimited range and flexibility of a standard automobile

By: Ken Stathos

Ken Stathos — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 01:39:45 +0000

I don’t see why someone hasn’t built a hybrid with a solar panel built right into the roof of the car. It could be charging all day long while sitting in the parking lot or while driving. You could even buy your own panel to plug into anytime you wanted while sitting in the driveway or have a small one sitting in the front windshield all day long plugged into the cigarette lighter. I also heard you could use the car with the plug to power your house in an emergency. Now that’s a hybrid.

By: Plug & Pedal

Plug & Pedal — Wed, 16 May 2007 16:44:04 +0000

Add Bicycle Pedals to assist in the recharge and we could eliminate diabetes as well as green house gasses.

Another good idea would be to uses active systems to control navigation, then we eliminate, auto insurance, traffic cops & accident attorneys

JohnWHindes@Hotmail.com

By: Jane UK

Jane UK — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:47:16 +0000

I am looking to buy a plug in hybrid car (plug in version) if possible and wondered if anyone has come across a 4 x 4 option as we live on a farm high up and can get snowed in..

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:49:39 +0000

Alex, doesn't it make sense that a higher mileage car would have the greatest reduction in EPA mileage. They changed the testing procedure to more closely match actual performance in everyday driving. The estimates are now more accurate, I would image that all cars mileage dropped by about the same percentage, so the higher the mileage the larger the mileage difference. compare two vehicles by percent of change not MPG alone. We have a 2004 Prius and we average in mixed driving 49 MPG. Sounds like the new test will give consumers better information.

Alex, I did check at the EPA's website and the range of change that I found was from about 9% (Buick Lesabre) to the Prius at 16%. The GMC Yukon MPG dropped 14%. One variable that will affect the Prius performance is temperature. We notice a change of about 4-5 MPG when it gets very cold. More conventional systems change less as a percent of total performance from ambient temp because of stored energy potential in the battery system. If the EPA tests include a factor for different temps then the hybrids will be hit a little harder.
The EPA did add a cold weather test to the MPG calculations running the vehicles at 20 degrees in the lab. This explains why the hybrids suffered a greater loss as a percent then most conventional cars. The more active and involved the Hybrid drivetrain is as a percent of the total operating time the more impact the newtest standards will have.
I did not see any data that said that the Prius mileage dropped 15 MPG in city, highway or combined,

By: jenny

jenny — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 10:27:43 +0000

This new technology will further increase the performance of Edelbrock parts and with the fuel efficient vehicles. This could mean that hybrid vehicles will be continuing their domination of the auto industry in the future.

By: Buck R.

Buck R. — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 21:03:07 +0000

Don't forget to include the transmission losses when calculating the benefit (or not) of a plug-in vehicle. It is easier to control pollution at a point source like a power plant, however if that plant is 2 states away the transmission losses could be significant.

By: Pat F. AZ

Pat F. AZ — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 19:06:16 +0000

APS, our local power company, paid 1/2 the cost of the solar pannels for our home. I drive a Prius and would LOVE to be able to have a plug-in option so I could drive on solar power!