Re:More Range in Chevy's Volt Means You Hardly Ever Need Gas
by ZeroGravitas on Tuesday August 04, 2015 @07:42AM
(#10002720)
It would take an in-depth study to be sure, but we may already live in a world where a hybrid is better than a conventional car on most measurements, and if we don't we're heading in that direction.
The basic theory is that an ICE that only need to cover part of the driving range can be more efficient than one that needs to scale from pulling out of the drive to speeding down a freeway overtaking a lorry at short notice. Bus manufacturers were experimenting with flywheels and all sorts of crazy tech to take strain of the main engine because this hit them hardest for various reasons.
As battery and electric car tech improves and lowers in price, purr electric cars will encroach further onto hybrids, but the same forces will let hybrids encroach further onto ICE territory at the same time.
The basic theory is that an ICE that only need to cover part of the driving range can be more efficient than one that needs to scale from pulling out of the drive to speeding down a freeway overtaking a lorry at short notice. Bus manufacturers were experimenting with flywheels and all sorts of crazy tech to take strain of the main engine because this hit them hardest for various reasons.
As battery and electric car tech improves and lowers in price, purr electric cars will encroach further onto hybrids, but the same forces will let hybrids encroach further onto ICE territory at the same time.