Smug not Smog said:
I know I'm late to this conversation... just joined the club with my wife's '06 Pious. I too am salivating over the idea of a hybrid truck-like-thing. I'm thinking something akin to the Honda Ridgeline.
I don't know if it would work in a big truck, but wouldn't an electric motor with a small deisel engine to recharge the battery make sense? I've been told that's how the Germans powered their U-boats oh, say, 60 years ago! Maybe recharge times too long for a land vehicle? I don't know. Just an idea and I'm sure they thought of it.
Smug,
Better late than never... I just joined as well with my wifes '06 Prius.
As for the German U-boats... The US had them too. Both used the diesel engine to charge the batteries (usually at night) to allow them to submerge and take out targets (surface ships) the rest of the time. Internal combustion inside a can underwater will only work for a short time and be detramental to the crew. Another thing about the diesel subs, the batteries probably weighed more than a both of our Prius' together.
Now a days the subs are all nuclear. No more night surfacing to replenish the batteries. They can stay under for months on end now. I was stationed on one for 3 years, believe me I know. The only thing we ran out of was food and toiletries. We are probably a good 30 to 40 years from a safe nuclear car that would run for years off a fuel pellet the size of a walnut. Then, where would we put all those spent fuel pellets... maybe it will take even longer.
For now, the Prius will have to do. Maybe, a diesel Prius would get us even better gas mileage.
How's your '06 doing on gas so far? Got ours in late July. Getting around 53 mpg so far, nearly 3000 miles on it already.
