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I've been trying to make the point that I'm not just talking about the driving experience of a single car. I'm talking about the grander society we live in, wit

I've been trying to make the point that I'm not just talking about the driving experience of a single car. I'm talking about the grander society we live in, with millions of these cars operating, and the huge factories that make these cars, the direction of the company making them, the decisions to not go full electric, but to market it like this, etc. I'm sure the driving experience of these cars is similar. That's not the point. The cars themselves are extremely different in their technology and manufacture. Calling a hybrid an electric car is misleading and wrong. It's a hybrid. Edit: I'm no longer allowed to post, HN is telling me to "slow down". So here is my response to the comment below. I am not misunderstanding how these cars work. I am aware of how they work. They are manufactured with a gasoline engine. Whether or not it is used by the end consumer is irrelevant to the point I am making. A car that is manufactured with a gasoline engine is not an electric car.

BoorishBears 9y ago
Again, I think these PHEVs on a grand scale, will be a huge benefit and are more practical than a jump to EVs. The amount of investment needed to facilitate EVs on a grand scale involves orders of magnitude more money and manufacturing (which generates pollution itself) than PHEVs. PHEVs will be able to reduce a huge portion of the conditions that we burn gas which create the most pollution. The problem with calling a PHEV with 50 miles of range a plain "hybrid" is the public has a clear idea of what a hybrid is, EV range measured in feet instead of miles. High range PHEVs are EVs that become hybrids when the battery dies. I don't have a problem with calling them electric cars as long as we also have the BEV designation when it comes down to specifications, because the net benefit of PHEVs become mainstream will be massive, and only serves to open the way for BEVs.
mhermher 9y ago
Maybe you misunderstand how these cars work. They are fully electric if you want them to be. You never have to put a drop of gasoline in them if you don't want. Does that make sense? They're not hybrids in a way that the Prius is a hybrid. I think maybe you haven't picked up that distinction. Your comments sort of don't make sense otherwise.

BoorishBears 9y ago

Again, I think these PHEVs on a grand scale, will be a huge benefit and are more practical than a jump to EVs. The amount of investment needed to facilitate EVs on a grand scale involves orders of magnitude more money and manufacturing (which generates pollution itself) than PHEVs. PHEVs will be able to reduce a huge portion of the conditions that we burn gas which create the most pollution. The problem with calling a PHEV with 50 miles of range a plain "hybrid" is the public has a clear idea of what a hybrid is, EV range measured in feet instead of miles. High range PHEVs are EVs that become hybrids when the battery dies. I don't have a problem with calling them electric cars as long as we also have the BEV designation when it comes down to specifications, because the net benefit of PHEVs become mainstream will be massive, and only serves to open the way for BEVs.

mhermher 9y ago

Maybe you misunderstand how these cars work. They are fully electric if you want them to be. You never have to put a drop of gasoline in them if you don't want. Does that make sense? They're not hybrids in a way that the Prius is a hybrid. I think maybe you haven't picked up that distinction. Your comments sort of don't make sense otherwise.