3 ms·
There's a neat feature in the BMW X5 xDrive45e (a petrol plug-in hybrid SUV) - when you enter a low emissions zone, it automatically switches to battery power.
by CraigJPerry 6y ago
There's a neat feature in the BMW X5 xDrive45e (a petrol plug-in hybrid SUV) - when you enter a low emissions zone, it automatically switches to battery power.
Moving emissions away from the tailpipe in heavily populated areas seems like a great idea.
There's no free lunch though. The emissions are still happening, just in different places where they're, ideally, less likely to affect people.
It's a better situation but it's not yet perfect.
- lenitabinol 6y agoEven neater feature in electric vehicles!
- nether 6y agoMost forms of municipal power generation are much lower emission than a piston engine. Hydro, wind, and nuclear especially. Just having the generation take place with a near-constant RPM steam turbine is vastly more efficient than a stop-n-go motor.
- CraigJPerry 6y agoYeah and the emissions are in one place so capture should be more economically viable I’d have thought.
- andylynch 6y agoLondon taxis are supposed to do the same. Decent idea for hybrids.
- londons_explore 6y agoI'd like to see someone do analysis on what percentage of "Zero emissions capable" London taxis actually spend any reasonable proportion of time powered by electricity. I suspect the drivers, not wanting to wear out their batteries, set the vehicles to use the engine the whole time, which is a built in feature (the 'save' drive mode)... It's time we said "no taxi may run an engine inside zone 1, and if they do it's an £80 fine".
- andylynch 6y agoI’m sure is varies. The ones I’ve talked to really like the electric mode, but more importantly like spending less money on gas and time at petrol stations.