The Case for Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles: A Better Alternative to All-Electric Vehicles

American Thinker ^ | 01/20/2023 | Walter Myers III

[SeekAndFind]

All-electric battery vehicles (BEVs) have become all the rage, particularly with the political class, who see them as a magical means to combat climate change. We know, of course, there is no such thing as magic. But that won’t stop politicians from making proclamations, followed by policies that bring about bad, even destructive, results.

Climate science is highly complex, as the Earth has gone through many warming and cooling periods over billions of years with widely varying amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere long before man arrived on the scene. I have no reason to doubt the global climate is warming, and that humans are significant contributors. But the crusade to end gasoline-powered vehicles by forcing consumers to purchase BEVs is as simpleminded as it is unscientific.

With respect to CO2 emissions, it is true that BEVs, overall, have a distinct emissions advantage over conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. Yet politicians seeking to ban the purchase of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, as has become law in California beginning in 2035 and soon to be followed in Washington state, Oregon, Massachusetts, and New York, have made the gross mistake of pursuing a policy prescription without thought to the environmental, economic, and logistical issues their policies will create. This is not to say BEVs can’t be a part of combating climate change. But they shouldn’t be the only solution when it comes to vehicle emissions.

In the policy push toward BEVs, little consideration has been given to the benefits of an attractive alternative: hybrid vehicles, which also deliver significantly lower CO2 emissions relative to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. Hybrid vehicles come in two forms: hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), such as the well-known Toyota Prius, and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), such as the Toyota Prius Prime.

[pfflier]

The article was more about the CO2 impact of various vehicle styles and really didn't discuss the daily practical use envelopes.

The Hyundai Sonata is a plug in hybrid that claims it can charge on 120V line voltage. That means, I think, that I wouldn't need a dedicated charging station or a garage rewire.

One straight up question I have is, as long as there is gas in the tank, will a hybrid ever need to be charged using an external source to still run on just batteries? Hyundai's literature infers regenerative feedback braking and a rooftop mounted solar array will recharge the battery.

[dangus]

Of course, it seems terribly wasteful to build a whole frickin’ second power train. A gas-powered battery charger would make a lot of sense, no? I sure hope regulations don’t prevent that. For example, I have no idea what kind of fuel economy you’d get. If it were good, you’d think they’d’ve developed it already. But if it weren’t so good, it’s work great as a back-up, if the EPA didn’t score the car terribly for having it.

[Leep]

I had the “solution” years ago.
Interstate travel would be limited to commercial,government and emergency vehicle travel only.
Most of what is now state roads would be converted to autotrains.
Load your 3 cylinder gas car on the train and see the USA.

[Crolis]

Series hybrids operate like that. Basically the gas engine is just a highly optimized generator that supplies electricity to the motor which drive the wheels, electronics and battery. The engine only needs to run when the battery level gets too low or at high speeds when there is a constant demand.

I remember seeing somewhere there is a list that groups hybrids into series (like above) and parallel (where the electric motors and engine can both be linked or unlinked to drive the wheels).

Seems like a highly optimized diesel electric series hybrid could be really efficient. The tech runs locomotives and subs.

[Sequoyah101]

I debate these figures since the full cycle production of tractive force production for both BEV and IC have almost the very same efficiency from whatever burner tip produces the power be it a boiler, gas turbine or just burning fuel in a gasoline engine.

I don’t think it matters though since we are going hell bent for leather to the BEV good or bad, like it or not.

So it is written, so let it be done. The Pharaohs have declared it.

[nascarnation]

I think we need to invest in mining equipment mfgrs like Cat and Komatsu. The amount of mining required to source these battery packs has to be monumental.

[Sequoyah101]

Interesting you should mention. I have been trying to figure out what sectors are best to invest in. I have a hard time with this since I believe I overthink trends. I think EVs are a stupid idea as are solar cells, turbines and the whole of the green zero mess. But, it is coming hell or high water right or wrong and I can’t change that. No amount of reason or logic seems to be able to blunt the headlong rush into a dark tunnel. We are going to be forced to throw away a perfectly good energy system and replace it with the unknown and likely unreasonable. We will simply trade one set of problems for new ones at unnecessary and unreasonable expense.

Companies will go where they make money so what direction is making money likely to take that one can invest in to also make money? It needs to be a sector type investment and not just a company since I don’t think any of us are smart enough to pick the next Apple or MS or Google or Amazon or whatever. Most of us don’t have enough bullets to shoot at all the possibilities to pick that one or few winners without hitting a bunch of duds. We also don’t have enough money to invest in the few winners and the many duds to have a material win from our effort.

Cat and Komatsu are existing directional sector related investments that may fill the bill. One might make more by some obscure under valued or emerging niche supplier but I don’t know who that is or have time to find it or even know where to look.

While Cat and Komatsu may surge for a bit they will come back down as people realize that effort has moved from one mining sector to another perhaps.

It is going to take a mountain and more of copper to make all the stuff necessary to move this much more electricity and build this many more motor windings.

Did you know that once upon a time copper producers saw fiber optics as a threat to the need for copper? Or that paper and ink producers saw the computer and the “paperless” office as a threat to their business? Neither one came true.

[saleman]

A hybrid will never need to be recharged.

A plug in hybrid can be recharged and is designed to run on battery much longer and in more conditions than a standard hybrid

[alstewartfan]

How about gasoline powered cars for all? I like it.

[Jim W N]

How about gasoline powered cars for all?

Not if its supply is directed by the the government instead of the open and free market. Fugeddaboudditt.

[redcatcherb412]

Firm believer in my plugin hybrid. Live in rural area use about 30 miles a day on just home stuff, use my pickup for distance driving. When you use a hybrid like that you can get some great use out of it.

I bought id used, 12 years old last year and set the trip odometer at that time, this is what I have used in a year. 3 of the fuel gallons was the hybrid computer forcing the gas engine on to use fuel before it goes stale. But still great stats I think.