Posted on 09/08/2026 4:59:11 AM PDT by Skwor
The auto industry has a new solution to Americans’ fear that electric vehicles will run out of juice: a gasoline engine.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
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I’m a red-blooded horsepower junkie, worked in the industry and proudly drive a really loud and obnoxious Shelby. This work by Toyota is worth noting. It’ll never replace what I love about automobiles, but it’s a great step forward for the hybrid market.
My apologies but I can’t manage to create a usable hyperlink, so here’s the video:
https://youtu.be/r2L5VOtf47Y?is=srGOJhWtbRyF7ZZ7
“Once you understand it, everything else is just silly- Toyota eCVT”
Priuses (Prii?) for everyone!?!?
Lol, yes it is called a hybrid. Toyota has had them for many yrs. It’s not a new concept.
Hybrids always did make sense. All electric never did.
They figured that out in the 1920s.
I had to ask AI about “The Cool Cardgame” - “YOOLOO is a fast-paced, abstract tactical card game for 2 to 8 players where players secretly lock in a pre-ordered sequence of cards and try to outsmart opponents over 10 rapid rounds.”
Uhhh…duh.
I know you want weight on the front of the trailer, but shouldn’t that generator be a little further back, closer to the wheels?
Hybrids make sense until you have to replace the batteries. Not exactly cheap.
“never drives the wheels like a Toyota hybrid.”
Actually, the engine in the Toyota hybrid does drive the wheels - through an interesting twist on the planetary gearset that ends up being an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) without any belt, moving pulleys or anything more than a big and a little electric motor. It’s pretty ingenious.
I drove one recently, and while it still has some of that annoying lack of coupling between increasing RPM and increasing vehicle speed, it was quite pleasant to drive (and with mid-40’s MPG - much more so than my wife’s Subaru Outback with its ‘conventional’ CVT.
Brilliant ,ROFL
Now there’s a German guy with a sense of humor!........
“EVs at best are niche products until battery technology improves massively. Enough of the Green wackadoodles pushing this crap.”
Try not to let your ideology get in the way of your rationality.
Your “niche products” include the current #1 best selling vehicle worldwide, the Tesla Model Y. I recently picked up a used 2024 Model Y Dual Motor with under 50,000 miles in “like new” condition for under $36,000. It has a factory powertrain warranty, including battery, of 120,000 miles. It holds five people comfortably, with ample room for cargo. It does 0-60 MPH in under 5 seconds. It’s a blast to drive, looks nice, and Full Self Driving (FSD) is amazingly good.
Yes, I do wish it had even more range. Since the recommendation is to charge to 80% max for everyday driving, it has about 220 miles of effective range under real-world driving conditions (AC, real terrain, etc). That’s plenty for day-to-day use, but more would be nice for long trips.
All that said, the Supercharger network along highways is extensive these days, and the time for a 20% to 80% charge is about 20 minutes…enough to stretch your legs or grab a bite to eat. I have a level one charger I can take with me, that will (slowly) add charge from any 120V outlet.
My cost to drive 30 miles varies from $0.91 to $3.18 (that’s going from my home electric rate of $0.12 per KWH to the top Supercharger rate of $0.46 per KWH…the cheapest Supercharger rate locally after 10 PM is $0.20 per KWH). That compares awfully favorably with a gas vehicle, not too many crossover SUVs get real-world mileage of 30 MPG, and 91 cent gas is a distant memory.
Looking to the future, battery tech continues to improve and I imagine much improved range numbers will come sooner rather than later, along with non-flammable solid state batteries that charge faster.
The kicker of all this is maintenance. My Model Y will never require an oil change, new spark plugs, a new starter motor, a radiator flush, a new starter battery, a tuneup, new belts, or a host of other ICE maintenance items.
Electric vehicles will continue to increase their market share, because in most tangible ways they’re better.
Brilliant! They could call it a HYBRID!
As a “city car,” EVs make sense. Because, essentially, they run on coal. China has lots of coal and has to import all of its oil. EVs are great for them. We have lots of oil as well as lots of coal. It’s not clear what’s best for us. It probably depends on the mix of use and the prices of electricity and of gasoline.
MORE_TO_BREAK_PING!
I reject your assumption it is ideology; I could just as easily state your ignorance and ideology clouds yours. You are ignoring the forced economy China uses to push their local tesla manufactured sales. Forced economies do not reflect consumer desires.
Battery technology has had no significant improvements in 100 years and if you understood the technology you would know it is unlikely to happen any time soon
As to your claim “#1 bestselling vehicle worldwide, the Tesla Model Y,” it is false, unless you mean to add some kind of limiting parameter. Tesla Y only had 1 year in 2023 where they managed Number #1 sales.
https://smartbuy.alibaba.com/best-selling/top-selling-cars-in-the-world
https://blog.autobidmaster.com/2026/08/top-selling-car-brands-in-the-world/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_automobiles
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g64457986/bestselling-cars-2025/
Diesel electric locomotives aren’t new.
Using a gas engine to power a generator to make electricity is not very efficient.
“ I reject your assumption it is ideology; I could just as easily state your ignorance and ideology clouds yours. You are ignoring the forced economy China uses to push their local tesla manufactured sales. Forced economies do not reflect consumer desires.”
There is no assumption, just facts. Also, I have no idea how China suddenly entered the conversation. Teslas are well known to contain the most American-made components of any domestically produced vehicle. Buy American! ;-)
“ Battery technology has had no significant improvements in 100 years and if you understood the technology you would know it is unlikely to happen any time soon”
LOL! I guess you’re unaware of lithium ion batteries, pioneered by Dr. Goodenough in 1980. As any thinking person might expect, there’s tremendous research going on in the battery area, since there are fortunes to be made there…and yes, non-flammable solid state batteries with faster charge times and higher capacity will be here sooner rather than later. They are already shipping in some products.
“As to your claim “#1 bestselling vehicle worldwide, the Tesla Model Y,” it is false, unless you mean to add some kind of limiting parameter. Tesla Y only had 1 year in 2023 where they managed Number #1 sales.”
You are batting 1000 at being wrong here. Congratulations?
Headline: “Tesla Model Y is the world’s best selling car in 2026”
https://www.focus2move.com/world-car-market/
Maybe you should try a test drive… ;-)
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