Monday, September 17, 2007
The Real Scoop on Plug-in Hybrids
They won't cause blackouts, and they don't actually have to be plugged in.
By Kevin Bullis
I was happy to see an article attempting to help readers understand hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the widely read magazine Condé Nast Traveler last week. These vehicles have the potential to dramatically reduce petroleum consumption, but of course the only way they'll catch on is if people know about them.
I wasn't as happy after I read the article.
No, today's hybrids cannot drive 30 miles on electricity alone. They're designed to go only a couple of miles before the gasoline engine kicks on.
No, we do not need a new kind of battery to make plug-in hybrids work. Kits exist today for converting conventional hybrids into plug-in hybrids (it can be done in about two hours). The major automakers have higher standards for plug-in batteries, but GM engineers say that they already have the batteries they need. The challenge now is incorporating them into big battery packs. But that's been done before with other batteries, and GM engineers say that they'll have the new packs ready for testing this year. By 2010, GM aims to have the packs in production vehicles. (See "Electric Cars 2.0.")
And no, plug-in hybrids won't cause blackouts. There's plenty of excess electricity capacity at night, when most people will be plugging them in. Indeed, eventually plug-in hybrids could be used to prevent blackouts. (See "How Plug-in Hybrids Will Save the Grid.")
But here's the biggest problem with the article. It defines a plug-in hybrid as "a hybrid you have to recharge just like an electric car." This is exactly wrong, and it is just what automakers are concerned that people will think. One reason people haven't adopted electric cars is because their limited range and long charging times make long trips difficult. (One electric-car champion boasted to me that he takes road trips all the time in his electric car. But he has to hunt down RV parks and take two-hour breaks along the way for recharging.) The whole point of a plug-in hybrid is to get around this problem.
Plugging in a plug-in hybrid is strictly optional. If you plug it in to recharge the battery, you can drive to work and back using electricity alone, which will save you money and reduce carbon emissions. (See "Plug-in Hybrids Get Green Grades.") You can also make the first miles of a road trip using electricity alone. But if you prefer not to plug it in, or if an outlet isn't handy, the car simply runs on gasoline. Indeed, a plug-in hybrid can get much better range than a conventional gasoline car because it uses gasoline more efficiently. GM's Volt plug-in is to have a 600-mile range using gasoline, with 40 miles more if you happen to plug it in.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments
To: Presidente Calderon
To: Senator Dianne
To: vice_president@whitehouse.gov
Cc: comments@whitehouse.gov
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2007 12:09 AM
Subject: be aware of CLIMATE CHANGE TRUE FACTS
GLOBAL WARMING DUE TO GREEN HOUSE EFFECT IS FALSE.
- It is a tricky sentence from Petro-oriented-men that want us to believe in, TO CONFUSE EVERY BODY- and you too.
- IT IS A CRAISY IDEA to send satelite MIRRORS to BLIND AND REDUCE incoming solar energy to avoid climate change -due to a mitic green house effect-.... Sun has never been harmfull to Earth....... Sun Radiation is in a perfect Thermal Equilibrium with Earth ever since.... is`nt it so?............ we Humans are the danger to the planet.
REAL CAUSES of global warming:
Real causes are down here, where HUGE amounts of waisted heat from more than 6 billions tons of hot gases -per year- are generated while burning fuels -from our motor vehicles, water heaters, boilers, thermoelectric generators, driers, ranges, ovens, etc-. We dont have to be scientist to understand a math equation, which evidence that the problem results from the extra added heat -we humans put in to atmosphere-:
IR sun energy + extra waisted heat from burning fuels = atmosphere overheating
= more evaporation = denser clouds = flooding storms = polar deice = actual kaoz
- Do you know what happens now that petroleum XX century is gone ......very simple.....the depleted AND EXPENSIVE petroleum will go down to 1 dollar per barrel and petroleum industry will crack....... once in XXI century we replace all fuels-WITH CLEAN NATURAL SOLAR ENERGY?- that is free, so peaple can save money to buy many thing else -as a an electric car -and so on----- politically impossible?....IT SEEM LIKE FICTION MOVIE….....but remember that sun is not a problem -it is the solution-
TWO SOLUTIONS:
1. Urge to replace all combustion devices, equipments and engines -WITH SOLAR AND ELECTRIC POWERED ONES-.
2. As well as urgent is to reforest the world with billions of trees – they are magic factories that will clean air from CO2, by:
Sucking CO2 + Absorbing solar UV and solar heat = to return us pure and fresh OXIGEN -instead-
Trees never heat the air -so- the craisy green house effect does not happen -that's a lie-
As PETRO-dependants, We are cooking our selve's in this global pot, due to a PETRO-effect.
HOW YOU CAN HELP? :
- I urge any body who has responsability of enviromental care and have funds -you must support any projects where products (vehicles or equipments) pursue this change over -to a new solar and electric eco-culture-.
-I urge Presidents all -to issue compulsory regulations to stop using any apparatus, device or engines where combustion of fuels take place -of any hidrocarbons (liquid or gas) alcohols, biofuels, carbons or hidrogen too- because all react exothermicaly generating the hot gases that over-heat the air -depleting oxigen O2 and ozone O3 as well while they burn to CO2 -which excess is getting a letal concentration level, too-.
- Now, I hope you understand it better -the real global warming problem- & communicate it to all your friends -what is going on- to become more that GREEN peaple -but co-responsible ECOLOGY ORIENTE PEAPLE- don't relay on heaven help, only. PLEASE STOP BURNIG FUELS.
jose ma jimenez, Senior Chem. Eng, MS from UMass,
Zapopan, jal. Mexico
chema
11/17/2007
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thomatt12
03/04/2009
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