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For you it's the best of both worlds, but for most drivers it's the worst. 1. More expensive than an equivalent ICE car 2. Less environmentally friendly tha

For you it's the best of both worlds, but for most drivers it's the worst. 1. More expensive than an equivalent ICE car 2. Less environmentally friendly than an EV 3. More complicated than either 4. Harder to fix when something goes wrong because now you have two powertrains crammed in one package 5. Zero cool factor

sharpneli 6y ago
As for the 3 and 4 it all depends on how it's made. If its Volvo style PHEV then yes, correct. It has normal ICE and gearbox on front and electric motor on rear. If it's Toyota style PHEV then no. Because then the comparison is not a gasoline car with gearbox etc but it's Toyota's classic hybrids that started with Prius. You basically just take that kind of hybrid, slap in a bigger battery and you're done. They already have electric motors in them instead of traditional gearbox. 5. Case in point: RAV4 Prime. That thing is cool.
- kube-system 6y ago
  Yes, most people probably do not realize that Toyota hybrid systems are less mechanically complicated than a comparable gasoline vehicle. Whereas a gasoline vehicle typically has a complicated gearbox, or even a belt-type CVT, Toyota hybrids do not. They instead have a simple planetary gearset that enables varying the speed of the engine by varying the speeds of the two electric motors.
EricE 6y ago
motor/generator for a range extender is very simple. No gearbox, much smaller than gas engine to drive a car. Indeed Mazda was flitting with using the rotary for the range extender - rotaries are TINY. There was an RX-7 repair shop behind mine and the guys could pick the engines up out of the engine bay by hand - couple hundred pounds tops. A rotary for a range extender would probably be a bit bigger than the average cars starter. Runs at fixed speed in the optimal power band for the engine makes it incredibly efficient as well as reliable. Yes, it adds more complexity but it also gets you something you can't get with an all electric - hundreds of miles of range in minutes with a simple gas tank fill up. Yes, it would be great if the technology was mature enough to go pure EV. But batteries and power delivery for them isn't there for the vast majority of people. So rather than stick our heads in the sand, what's wrong with transitional technology while we work on plugging the gaps? Our new inability to compromise is going to be the death of western society :p
p1mrx 6y ago
Also, a well-designed EV can park almost indefinitely with no maintenance, because the big battery keeps the 12V battery charged. That doesn't work on a hybrid, because the big battery is often drained during normal operation, and you have to worry about the fuel going stale.
- toast0 6y ago
  I don't know on a full EV, but i know my PHEV has a relay for the big battery. When the car is off, the big battery is disconnected, and the 12v will drain (and would tend to die). I had to jump it a couple times, it just needs enough power to get the relay closed, the big battery usually has enough to run the car and start the engine as needed from there. Would have been nice if they didn't bury the 12v in the trunk, underneath the big battery though.
- cmrdporcupine 6y ago
  Not true. a) the Volt keeps about 10% battery charge unavailable for driving. To help maintain the battery and also for the purpose you mention. b) the Volt keeps track of when you last ran the ICE, and runs it every few months on a "maintenance cycle" to keep the fuel and fuel system from going stale
- kasey_junk 6y ago
  Is long parking time an interesting stat for cars? Anyone I know parking a car for a long time it’s a 4th or 5th car and there are tons of cheap solutions for it.
  - p1mrx 6y ago
    Depends on the owner's usage patterns... I don't want to be the "television is no friend of mine" guy, but I look forward to a future when jumper cables are basically obsolete.
    - kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
      Lithium ion jumper batteries have already made them obsolete.
bit_logic 6y ago
It would cost more than ICE, but less than a full EV since the battery is smaller. It can be more environmentally friendly if it means getting more aggregate EV miles driven by everyone, since the battery in one Tesla could be used to build four PHEVs. The Prius is one of the most reliable cars on the market. This whole EV = less complex = more reliable idea is way overrated by the EV community.

sharpneli 6y ago

As for the 3 and 4 it all depends on how it's made. If its Volvo style PHEV then yes, correct. It has normal ICE and gearbox on front and electric motor on rear. If it's Toyota style PHEV then no. Because then the comparison is not a gasoline car with gearbox etc but it's Toyota's classic hybrids that started with Prius. You basically just take that kind of hybrid, slap in a bigger battery and you're done. They already have electric motors in them instead of traditional gearbox. 5. Case in point: RAV4 Prime. That thing is cool.

kube-system 6y ago
Yes, most people probably do not realize that Toyota hybrid systems are less mechanically complicated than a comparable gasoline vehicle. Whereas a gasoline vehicle typically has a complicated gearbox, or even a belt-type CVT, Toyota hybrids do not. They instead have a simple planetary gearset that enables varying the speed of the engine by varying the speeds of the two electric motors.

EricE 6y ago

motor/generator for a range extender is very simple. No gearbox, much smaller than gas engine to drive a car. Indeed Mazda was flitting with using the rotary for the range extender - rotaries are TINY. There was an RX-7 repair shop behind mine and the guys could pick the engines up out of the engine bay by hand - couple hundred pounds tops. A rotary for a range extender would probably be a bit bigger than the average cars starter. Runs at fixed speed in the optimal power band for the engine makes it incredibly efficient as well as reliable. Yes, it adds more complexity but it also gets you something you can't get with an all electric - hundreds of miles of range in minutes with a simple gas tank fill up. Yes, it would be great if the technology was mature enough to go pure EV. But batteries and power delivery for them isn't there for the vast majority of people. So rather than stick our heads in the sand, what's wrong with transitional technology while we work on plugging the gaps? Our new inability to compromise is going to be the death of western society :p

p1mrx 6y ago

Also, a well-designed EV can park almost indefinitely with no maintenance, because the big battery keeps the 12V battery charged. That doesn't work on a hybrid, because the big battery is often drained during normal operation, and you have to worry about the fuel going stale.

toast0 6y ago
I don't know on a full EV, but i know my PHEV has a relay for the big battery. When the car is off, the big battery is disconnected, and the 12v will drain (and would tend to die). I had to jump it a couple times, it just needs enough power to get the relay closed, the big battery usually has enough to run the car and start the engine as needed from there. Would have been nice if they didn't bury the 12v in the trunk, underneath the big battery though.
cmrdporcupine 6y ago
Not true. a) the Volt keeps about 10% battery charge unavailable for driving. To help maintain the battery and also for the purpose you mention. b) the Volt keeps track of when you last ran the ICE, and runs it every few months on a "maintenance cycle" to keep the fuel and fuel system from going stale
kasey_junk 6y ago
Is long parking time an interesting stat for cars? Anyone I know parking a car for a long time it’s a 4th or 5th car and there are tons of cheap solutions for it.
- p1mrx 6y ago
  Depends on the owner's usage patterns... I don't want to be the "television is no friend of mine" guy, but I look forward to a future when jumper cables are basically obsolete.
  - kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
    Lithium ion jumper batteries have already made them obsolete.

bit_logic 6y ago

It would cost more than ICE, but less than a full EV since the battery is smaller. It can be more environmentally friendly if it means getting more aggregate EV miles driven by everyone, since the battery in one Tesla could be used to build four PHEVs. The Prius is one of the most reliable cars on the market. This whole EV = less complex = more reliable idea is way overrated by the EV community.