Interesting question at
- posted
18 years ago
Interesting question at
Currently the US market Hybrids are gasoline-electric models that use a smaller gas engine/electric combo. Most are electric powered with the gas engine primarily charging the batteries and providing additional boost during hard accelerations. The batteries also get charged through the breaks when stopping. The car does not get plugged in, period. Ford, Toyota and Honda all produce this style of hybrid and GM maybe going with that style instead of the Saab plug-in model.
Jeremy
Jeremy, I understand what you're saying, and you may be right. But, as I understand the Saab model, it does all of the above, plus the plug-in, but does not require being plugged in.
The option of plugging in is an attractive one; I can buy off-peak electricity at 1/6th the cost of daytime power, so I could recharge on the cheap at night. No idea if that means that the cost of the car would ever be offset, and that'd be a _lot_ of battery to carry around at today's technology.
Plus the option for plugging is is somethign Swedes/Scandinavians are familiar with from Blockheaters too, so not such a weird thing for them to think about.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.