[UFO]

Originally Posted by bennelson

It's my understanding that the correct use of the term "hybrid", when used talking about transportation, is that the vehicle can run off a combination of more than one energy source.

By that definition, a Prius is NOT a hybrid, it's just a gas car that happens to get pretty good fuel economy by recovering some of the energy that would have otherwise gotten wasted (regen brakes) and some other clever tricks.

A PLUG-IN Prius WOULD be considered a hybrid.

However, in COMMON use, a hybrid has simply come to mean a car that can move partly under engine power, partly under electric motor power. This does, unfortunately, lead to some strange things, like the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, which gets ONE more mile per gallon than it's non-hybrid twin, by using a beefy starter motor and belt to help pull away from stop signs.

I think what really has everyone's feathers in a ruffle, is that the original design for the Volt meant that it COULD be driven on ONLY THE BATTERIES. Yes, it would be a short-range EV, but an electric car, none the less. After that, the generator would kick in, only to provide the electricity for the electric motor. Yes, it's now like a diesel/electric locomotive, but the engine still never connects mechanically to the wheels.

But that is still the case. I'm glad it's in the configuration it is, because it can still run all electric, but it can also operate directly off the ICE in an efficient manner. Ultimately it's just another version of Prius with a plug-in option, but it's a proven design.