Hi Jim
On (03 Oct 97) Jim Dunmyer wrote to Alec Cameron...
 JD>  There have been many working prototypes of hybrid autos, and they work
 JD> very well indeed.
Great. I must be reading the wrong newspapers, watching the wrong channels. 
n
UK, most elec road vehicles [all? perhaps] are still battery propelled- I 
refer
to home services of milk delivery and refuse collection. As it has been since
1920s or earlier. Very civilised in that country where most people live close
to the street and where nocturnal noise can be an annoyance due to that
proximity.
The biggest problem is cost; you need TWO drivelines,
which is bad for power to weight ratio, and bad for range available from
battery alone.
 JD> and their smaller size doesn't mean proportionally smaller cost.
The tens of thousands of successful battery road vehicles, have not been a
problem cost- wise because the vehicle has extraordinary service life and
reliability. These vehicles have done well but only in places that suit-
especially where fuel TAX puts gasoline autos at a great disadvantage.
 JD> controls, and you have a heavy, expensive vehicle. Yeah, it gets good
 JD> mileage, and yeah, it pollutes a bit less, but folks aren't willing to 
pay
 JD> the price until it's mandated.
No problem. When the oil runs out, and/or when the owners of the world's oil
manage to drive the price up much higher then hybrids and other EVs will
thrive. These may actually "take off" in the third world, where there is no
great investment yet in motorways and auto factories. US and AUS will be at a
disadvantage by comparison.
Similarly, third world sites stand to benefit from solar and wind energy
because, they have very small energy needs per capita and they are not 
lready
saddled with the large capital and running costs of conventional HOME POWER
services ie gas and elec delivered to the door.  Cheers.......ALEC
... ....The wheel is environmentally unviable
--- PPoint 1.92
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