[nathanbedford]

Toshiba claims it has invented a revolutionary lithium-ion battery which can be charged in minutes, about as long as it takes to gas up a conventional car. It intends to market these batteries to the hybrid market. Significantly, they are much more compact and would presumably restore trunk space. More, they would require less plug in and therefore not just move the pollution problem upstream to the electricity generating plant.

Now lets hear the cowboys pile on about their SUVs. I just want to say that hybrids will have a place, first as a commuter or delivery vehicle or fleet vehicle then perhaps for heavier duty.

[been_lurking]

Now lets hear the cowboys pile on about their SUVs.

Not that you have an agenda or anything....

[Woodman]

It depends on whether you are looking to hybrids for fuel economy or ecological impact. The easiest and cheapest alternative is to run standard ICE's on CNG. There is little to no pollution and the engines become almost maintenance free (no carbon build up).

[pageonetoo]

[KarlInOhio]

Toshiba claims it has invented a revolutionary lithium-ion battery which can be charged in minutes, about as long as it takes to gas up a conventional car.

That's just scary.

1 gallon of gasoline = 1.3*10^8 Joules = 36.1 kilowatt hours.
To deliver 10 gallons of gasoline worth of electricity in 5 minutes would be 361 kWh / 0.083 hours = 4.3 megawatts of power.
A typical house main supply is 200 amps @ 110 volts = 22 kilowatts.

So to charge your car with 10 gallons of gasoline's worth of electricity in 5 minutes, you need to plug in the equivalent of 200 houses' maximum electricity supply.

Even if electric motors are significantly more efficient than gasoline engines and you recharge every day instead of once a week, that is still a lot of power. I think you're going to need a thicker extension cord.

[RayChuang88]

Toshiba claims it has invented a revolutionary lithium-ion battery which can be charged in minutes, about as long as it takes to gas up a conventional car. It intends to market these batteries to the hybrid market. Significantly, they are much more compact and would presumably restore trunk space. More, they would require less plug in and therefore not just move the pollution problem upstream to the electricity generating plant.

My guess is that Toshiba may have quietly signed a big deal with the Honda Motor Company to exclusively use these batteries for the next few years. That could make possible to build Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid drive system with a relatively small battery pack, which drastically reduces the deadweight of the car. I can see the next-generation Civic Hybrid sedan using the Toshiba battery system, and this could also lead the way for Honda to put IMA into their larger vehicles such as the Pilot SUV and the Odyssey minivan.

[MortMan]

What are the current-draw characteristics of the new battery? Speed must be provided with higher current, IMO, and could conceivably exceed average wiring installation capabilities.

Just curious.

[ExSoldier]

Now lets hear the cowboys pile on about their SUVs.

Okay one more post before I leave for the gun show! The army has a hybrid Humvee that works offroad or it's in the development stages. Toyota brags it's entire line, including Land CRUSHER and Sequoia will be hybridized by 2008. IF it proved to be up to 4x4 challenges, I'd get one in a hearbeat. As it is, the next logical step that's coming for most of the monster full sized 4x4's like Suburban and H2 and H3 is diesel using the ultra efficient and powerful european versions. A diesel 1996 (last year they were made) Suburban gets 20mpg+ that's about Miami to DC on one tank of fuel.

[GOP_Raider]

Now let's hear the cowboys pile on about their SUVs.

I live in a state replete with "cowboys" and I think I would get made fun of if I strolled up to the honky tonk rollin' in this:

Call me a skeptic, but that thing looks gayer than Freddie Mercury walking through the Castro. That and I would surmise it would be tough to strap a deer on top of that thing.

But that's just me...