A plug in hybrid would allow you to use mostly electricity on short trips. Say for under 50 miles.
Then you could plug it in at night.
Only about 20% (I think) of gas energy hits the wheels. Gas is 36kwh per gallon. So in 30 miles, a 30mpg car has spent 7.2kwh of energy. A much greater % of electric energy hits the wheels. Probably close to 100%.
If Toyota could get a car with 10kwh of storage that would be enough for about 50 miles or so. You'd have to be able to program it somewhat, so that he engine didn't turn on and try to top off the battery all the time, as it does now.
Right now Prius has about a 2kwh battery and it weighs 100 pounds. So batteries would have to become more energy dense. I think Prius is 45wh/kg. You'd need about 100wh/kg. Then using 100kg of batteries (220 pounds) it would be an electric car on short trips and a gasoline one on long trips.
This could really help the US kick the oil dependency habit as most trips are 50 miles or less round trip. You could even possibly charge it in parking garages eventually. Electricity is very cheap at 10c/kwh retail.
Does anyone know if they have one in the works or have one in Japan?
Then you could plug it in at night.
Only about 20% (I think) of gas energy hits the wheels. Gas is 36kwh per gallon. So in 30 miles, a 30mpg car has spent 7.2kwh of energy. A much greater % of electric energy hits the wheels. Probably close to 100%.
If Toyota could get a car with 10kwh of storage that would be enough for about 50 miles or so. You'd have to be able to program it somewhat, so that he engine didn't turn on and try to top off the battery all the time, as it does now.
Right now Prius has about a 2kwh battery and it weighs 100 pounds. So batteries would have to become more energy dense. I think Prius is 45wh/kg. You'd need about 100wh/kg. Then using 100kg of batteries (220 pounds) it would be an electric car on short trips and a gasoline one on long trips.
This could really help the US kick the oil dependency habit as most trips are 50 miles or less round trip. You could even possibly charge it in parking garages eventually. Electricity is very cheap at 10c/kwh retail.
Does anyone know if they have one in the works or have one in Japan?