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Old 08-28-2021, 09:10 PM   #1135 (permalink)
ByDesign
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Colorado
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Start with the biggest pigs? What made you decide thinking was a good idea? Actually, I agree with the premise, but the premise is missing the practical.

The hiccup is developing a new technology that will achieve the expectations of current products. The IC (Internal Combustion) engine has been in development for 140 years, and motorized vehicles for 120-ish. Early cars were electric, but we wouldn't have much for cars now if we had to stay with that way back then.

Introducing a new tech like Hybred that meets the expectations of current automotive offerings is a vvvvveeeeerrrrrryyyyyy tall ask.

So much easier to pick a small, maybe niche vehicle to do your learning with. First hybreds were in the 1990's, and the industry has learned a TON since then. If they had done trucks first (actually Ford did "bread trucks" (light delivery) early) things would have flopped. They need bigger electric motors, more battery, more charging and there was nothing to support all that. Having EV and Hybrids trickle out until they fully developed all the surrounding tech to support them in volume was actually really smart.

As a little history, GM made a vehicle that turned off certain cylinders to save fuel when power was not needed. They made several blunders in the process, then because of the big advertising and then the product failure, no other manufacture could touch that for a very long time. Now we see it in many vehicles, but it's mostly done quietly. Technology, especially sensing and control systems, have come of age, and deactivating cylinders now works well. So, with this in mind, if someone had done trucks first as Hybrid or EV, we wouldn't have the wide spread acceptance of them now. I for one, am thankful.
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