Toyota Plans Hybrid That Runs on Batteries

Technology

Toyota Plans Hybrid That Runs on Batteries

July 19, 2006 - 1:30am

from the Associated Press

Already a leader in the hybrid market with its Prius sedan, Toyota Motor Corp. plans to develop a hybrid vehicle that will run locally on batteries charged by a typical 120-volt outlet before switching over to a gasoline engine for longer hauls.

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Can someone

by Anonymous on July 19, 2006 - 11:38am

Can someone explain to me how a car that runs on batteries, that need to be charged by electricity...which usually comes from buring coal....helps the environment... please I am confused....ok you ofsett the cars emissions but create more somwhere else....

3 reasons

by Anonymous on July 19, 2006 - 3:27pm

1) a car engine has to fit under your hood, so there are obviously some limits to the kind of pollution control technology you can fit in there. A powerplant can be any size, so a coal fired plant, even though dirty compared to other plants, creates a given amount of energy more cleanly than a car engine. 2) Lots of people have access to cleaner power sources such as wind, solar, hydro, natural gas, etc. 3) Should the electricity industry get cleaner (through new technology or legislation) plug in cars will instantly see a benefit.

To be honest...

by jjackson on July 19, 2006 - 2:29pm

I'm a little confused about this, too. But I think the idea is that 1) the emissions of the power plant, while staggering because of volume, are less dense and forboding than those that come from a car and 2) the electrical power is more efficient.

But somebody else chime in, too. I'm not quite sure.

hybrids - fossil fuels

by Anonymous on July 19, 2006 - 7:31pm

Using a hybrid vehicle and staying completely on grid doesn't make sense in my mind. However, if you can use any amount of "homebrewed" solar or wind power to generate the charge for your vehicle then hybrid vehicles do make eminently good sense for the environment and your personal checkbook.

Hybrid fuels/Energy

by Anonymous on September 15, 2006 - 11:16am

This may be a temporary situation because the possibilities if cleanly generated power (solar or wind) are increasing and there may be a day when we, as consumers become net producers of electrical power.