Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf
Though I've never understood why most people seem to think of the plug-in hybrid as having/wanting to run on battery only until that's depleted, then running on IC engine alone. Seems to me that on anything more than a short trip, you would get better results using both together.
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I think a lot of people are hooked on the
idea of never having to buy gas again. However, I think the first time they get a $400 electric bill they just might have second thoughts. Energy costs in any form and while we're running out of oil faster than we're running out of the coal and natural gas that powers our electrical grid, the goal should remain focused on efficiency. Hybrids offer an opportunity that gas engines just can't, by storing the energy of braking and coasting, but a Yukon Hybrid, even if it were a plug-in, is just going to use more energy to get it down the road than a Yaris that burns gas.
At some point the weight of the battery is going to cost you more energy to carry around than it's worth and I'm sure every manufacturer is playing with that size and watching the market's response to their competitors. Expect every Volt to sell off the showroom floors in a hurry, but only the sales the next year will determine if other manufacturers make adjustments to their product line ups.