Another life-time study . . .

This CMU study "Validation of plug-in vehicle life-cycle air emissions and oil displacement benefits" tries to explore the relationship of incentives between hybrid, plug-in hybrid lite, plug-in hybrid heavy, and battery powered vehicles. My first introduction to "Life-time Studies" was the notorious CNW Report that tried to claim hybrids cost more per mile than a Hummer. Well timed, the report came out just before the announcement of the end of Hummer production.

One easy take away is the CMU study gave a high weighting to emissions costs with coal sourced, sulfur dioxide playing a major part. Yet having grown up around and visited refinery areas, they too have a sulfur dioxide problem and I didn't see it addressed in the CMU study. But this also reveals the problem with such studies, 'the problem of the commons.'

If a population has a "commons," there is no or little incentive for capital improvement or maintenance of the shared property. The incentives favor those who most exploit the resource. What I'm seeing in both "life-time" studies is a concentration on the cost to the commons with little regard for the return on investment to the individual. The problem of the commons is the individual incentives don't favor the commons and this was one of several fatal flaws in the CNW report. The same seems true in the CMU study.

I have been thinking about a plug-in lite modification to my 2003 Prius as part of a mid-life upgrade. However, my plug-in would include not only the traction battery but also engine and transmission block heater and 12V battery topping charger. The idea is to use grid power to display gasoline. Certainly there is evidence this approach would work.

Many mileage rallies begin with forced-charging before the event as this does not count against the results. This warms the engine and transmission and tops off the traction battery. But I've never approved of this tactic because it ignores warm-up costs and artificially adds charge to the battery. Still, it is common enough practice even if it won't show up in a life-time study.

I'm going to re-read this study to see if I've missed some subtle aspects. But the first reading leaves me unimpressed.

Bob Wilson

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