>  Ideally, a fossil-fuel engine wants to be pulling around the middle of
 >    its power band for max economy.  This problem, to me, suggests, using
 >    small engines in conjuntion with battery power, in a gas-electric
 >    or diesel-electric car.  A small motor pumping hard (and therefore
 >    efficiently) all the time, keeping batteries charged at a rate which
 >    will keep them up between heavy and light-duty cycling.  
Pete,
 So-called 'hybrid' technology isn't at all new. The only problems are weight 
and complexity, both of which lead to expense. After all, you're installing 2 
complete power trains in the vehicle, with the only positive tradeoffs being 
smaller batteries and smaller engine. Neither of those will offset the 
negatives.
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