What I learnt from charging my Prius

Wrong. A rear-end collision will directly impart kinetic energy to a Prius (which could be recaptured by braking). As would a meteor strike or a nearby car bomb detonation, an earthquake or any number of other usually unplanned events.

You could even charge the traction battery by having someone push the car while gently applying the brake with the HSD engaged.

Of course I agree that all the talk about wind and hills is simply due to a widespread misunderstanding of basic physics - unless the hill grows underneath the car as it sits still or the wind is hurricane force and directly from the rear. Other than that wind merely increases or decreases the aerodynamic drag (as does the design of any vehicle).

- Leo

I shouldn't be too hasty about this if I were you. As I understand it the solar roof thingy does nothing but run an air circulation fan to help a little bit in reducing cabin temperature when the sun shines and the car's parked. I don't think any of this energy is used to charge any battery, so it cannot be used to motivate, but I stand to be corrected.

That's what he said.

And the hand of God could come down from the sky and push it along, too.

What other ridiculous examples could you come up with?

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote in news:elmop- snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

His examples are not ridiculous. They are at the very heart of environmentalistic thought, and are quite practical, besides.

I myself have personally witnessed a meteor strike a Prius being pushed by a person who was then killed by a nearby car bomb detonation AND an earthquake, all at once. Talk about coincidences...

By the way, the word "environmentalistic" contains seven robust syllables (I counted) and is as long as a freight train, which excuses me from any further interrogation on this matter.

Yep, you're right, I'm wrong. Didn't read it right the first time. :-(

No biggie...

Only if you have a "Jesus Is My Copilot" bumper sticker.

I thought I had a pretty exhaustive list of the ways to propel a Prius with kinetic energy. Ok, maybe I forgot the charging rhino.

Did you read far enough to realize I was supporting your point, or did you get stuck on the first word of my post?

- Leo

Leo Siefert wrote in news:n739l518vk3h8c1gq1fet1fvo0jno907od@

What is the rhino's charging voltage? If it's much more than 14.4VDC, he could damage the car's battery.

I don't even wanna know where the positive cable goes...

Easily grounded, though.

News wrote in news:w9qdnSQUf4uRbMnWnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@speakeasy.net:

Pre-'56 rhinos were positive ground. Get it crossed up and you could short your rhino. The resulting sudden discharge of electrons could propel a Prius quite a ways, I think.

I hate it when that happens.