Hybrid Powertrains... Pointless?

[hotgemini]

Secoh: I disagree with your solution, in my opinion raising the tax on petrol and diesel both to a uniform $1.00/L would be a better solution and given their lower fuel consumption it should give diesels a competitive edge.

[intehnet]

Turbodiesels make so much more sense at the moment.

530d + msports package

[smellytofu]

Because it takes a bit of energy to bottle hydrogen I belive

I've heard it takes more energy to produce the same amount of hydrogen. So you're only moving the source of pollution to one concentrated area in higher amounts rather than spread over a larger area.

[Jim]

Secoh: I disagree with your solution, in my opinion raising the tax on petrol and diesel both to a uniform $1.00/L would be a better solution and given their lower fuel consumption it should give diesels a competitive edge.

I recon all domestic fuel should be taxed at the same rate. not 38c/L for petrol and 80% for diesel. LPG is going to get taxed in a few years time which I'm sure will make it no longer a cheap option.

[kwottro]

530d + msports package

Sorry, still looks weird...

[Evo_Lee]

It's interesting to see it seems only Europe is promoting diesel. Japan is all for Hybrid and iirc before I left Japan announced they will stop selling diesel for passengers cars, opening the market for cheap imports to Europe. Plenty of cheap ML270d are being flogged to UK. The States are embracing the technology of hybrids with Toyota helping makers like Ford etc. So we are kinda divided...diesel fuel is a little more expensive but more efficent. Hybrids were expensive but technology advancements have allowed them to come down in purchase. I've always like hybrids, for it's evironmental friendly approach...only thing is when it's time to replace the bank of batteries it'll cost you.

[Evo_Lee]

Fark it, we're all going to be in moving around in little PODS in the future who needs to drive.

[itsnotagsr]

It's interesting to see it seems only Europe is promoting diesel. Japan is all for Hybrid and iirc before I left Japan announced they will stop selling diesel for passengers cars, opening the market for cheap imports to Europe. Plenty of cheap ML270d are being flogged to UK. The States are embracing the technology of hybrids with Toyota helping makers like Ford etc. So we are kinda divided...diesel fuel is a little more expensive but more efficent. Hybrids were expensive but technology advancements have allowed them to come down in purchase. I've always like hybrids, for it's evironmental friendly approach...only thing is when it's time to replace the bank of batteries it'll cost you.

So what are trucks going to run on??

[Evo_Lee]

Trucks are exempted, only a few nominated gas stations around Japan are allowed to sell diesel. As I mentioned passengers cars owners can no longer buy diesel, it was announced few years back...so by now I'd say it's all phased out. Furthermore manufacturers have not released any diesel powered cars since...not that there were many domestic models made available.

[fury]

I wonder how easy it is to dispose of the batteries at the end of the life of these hybrids?

I would have thought just having a car that shuts down at idle would probably cut down on a s.load of emissions & petrol I would have thought in the cities with start-stop traffic.

[Nero]

bio-diesel...fuel of the future and better in economic terms than ethanol or shale oil.

[Evo_Lee]

I wonder how easy it is to dispose of the batteries at the end of the life of these hybrids?

My point exactly, I guess we will soon find out in a few years times. Either sell the car before it dies or trade up for a new one. I believe most of the battery components is recyclible, maybe a good time to start buying Panasonic and Sanyo shares...they are the key supplier to Toyota.

Also how come we haven't done more with solar-power since batteries are more advanced and compact then before. Didn't the old 929 having a solar panel in the sunroof to recharge the batteries.

[smellytofu]

Solar power is unreliable... but I think that you might see solar panels on the roofs of vehicles... I think cost makes it uneconomic. Good solar panels still cost a bucket load of money.

[Captiva Fan]

Didn't the old 929 having a solar panel in the sunroof to recharge the batteries.

I think all it did was power a small fan or two to suck hot air outta the car; I'm only about 66% sure, but that's my recollection.

[smellytofu]

That's what I remember too.