5 ms·

This is why a real hybrid car would be ideal. Front axle driven by ICE, and rear by electric motor and a battery with say 100 mile range. For 90% of the rides,

This is why a real hybrid car would be ideal. Front axle driven by ICE, and rear by electric motor and a battery with say 100 mile range. For 90% of the rides, the 100 mile electric drive train is enough, and you almost ride operational cost free if you also have solar panels and charge at home. There is no anxiety for extreme weather or those occasional long trips because the ICE got you covered. I don’t know if any car does this combination without breaking the bank.

okokwhatever 3y ago
Bravo!
CharlieDigital 3y ago
Prius Prime. Not 100 miles, but enough to do quite well for daily errands.
vegardx 3y ago
Plug-in hybrids makes very little sense, compared to pure hybrids or battery-electric vehicles. You end up with a complex drive train and a lot of added weight. To me it makes more sense to just use a hybrid if range is an issue. You need quite a large battery to drive 100 miles, and in your example you end up with an engine that is only used 10% of the time, but costs quite a significant portion of the overall cost of the car. You also have the added maintenance costs, which are higher for plug-in hybrids due to much more complex drive train. The reality is that for most people this is a non-issue. The biggest issues in temperatures that low is that your combustion engine won't start because your 12V battery has failed. All solvable, by just using a block heater. Which incidentally is the same way you can mitigate a lot of the range losses due to cold battery in EVs.
- wil421 3y ago
  BMW makes an PHEV X5 with 40 miles of range and the normal straight 6 B58 motor. No small underwhelming I4 in a transverse FWD config. It’s between the Model X/Y in price. I have a kayak/bike trailer I use in the warm months. For my daily 35 miles commute I could use electricity and still have the capabilty to do long drives with all my kayak or biking stuff plus all the kids stuff. I’m a huge BMW fan but the Model X was freaking awesome. The Model Y felt like a Ford Pinto with the hardest suspension you could find.
ThePowerOfFuet 3y ago
>Front axle driven by ICE, and rear by electric motor and a battery This makes no sense. Use the ICE to run a generator, and have full-electric propulsion; this way you can run the engine at the sweet spot for efficiency as needed. This is exactly what diesel locomotives do; the diesel engine has no mechanical connection to the traction system, which is entirely electric.
- justusthane 3y ago
  That's called "series hybrid", and there are a number of such cars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle_drivetrain#Series_hybrid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle_drivetrain#Seri...
- SigmundA 3y ago
  Series hybrid drivetrains are worse efficiency at highway cruise speeds. The mechanical double conversion is much worse than a straight mechanical transmission. They only make sense in city stop go which is why nearly all hybrid cars are parallel and connect ICE to wheels at highway speeds. Trains sacrifice drivetrain efficiency in order to get precise traction control to prevent wheel spin and to greatly simplify power routing to bogies. They make up for the efficiency loss with low rolling resistance steel wheels on steel track and really good aero due to long trains cars all drafting.
pjc50 3y ago
I'm surprised I've never seen "trailer hybrids" where you attach a generator to the towing hook. I'm betting there's some rules which prohibit this.
- bonton89 3y ago
  I saw a guy made one of them by chopping off the back then of an old cavalier, turning the front into a trailer and repurposing the engine as a generator. A more purpose built one of these you could solve the "can't use an EV for long trips" problem.
- SigmundA 3y ago
  I think it's just not worth it. A Model Y takes about 18Kw to hold 70mph, a 20Kw diesel generator on a trailer is about 2000 lbs dry no fuel and $20,000. I guess you could go with say 10Kw generator and run a deficit and double your range while having to both charge and fill up fuel then your looking at around 1000 lbs dry and $10,000.

okokwhatever 3y ago

Bravo!

CharlieDigital 3y ago

Prius Prime. Not 100 miles, but enough to do quite well for daily errands.

vegardx 3y ago

Plug-in hybrids makes very little sense, compared to pure hybrids or battery-electric vehicles. You end up with a complex drive train and a lot of added weight. To me it makes more sense to just use a hybrid if range is an issue. You need quite a large battery to drive 100 miles, and in your example you end up with an engine that is only used 10% of the time, but costs quite a significant portion of the overall cost of the car. You also have the added maintenance costs, which are higher for plug-in hybrids due to much more complex drive train. The reality is that for most people this is a non-issue. The biggest issues in temperatures that low is that your combustion engine won't start because your 12V battery has failed. All solvable, by just using a block heater. Which incidentally is the same way you can mitigate a lot of the range losses due to cold battery in EVs.

wil421 3y ago
BMW makes an PHEV X5 with 40 miles of range and the normal straight 6 B58 motor. No small underwhelming I4 in a transverse FWD config. It’s between the Model X/Y in price. I have a kayak/bike trailer I use in the warm months. For my daily 35 miles commute I could use electricity and still have the capabilty to do long drives with all my kayak or biking stuff plus all the kids stuff. I’m a huge BMW fan but the Model X was freaking awesome. The Model Y felt like a Ford Pinto with the hardest suspension you could find.

ThePowerOfFuet 3y ago

>Front axle driven by ICE, and rear by electric motor and a battery This makes no sense. Use the ICE to run a generator, and have full-electric propulsion; this way you can run the engine at the sweet spot for efficiency as needed. This is exactly what diesel locomotives do; the diesel engine has no mechanical connection to the traction system, which is entirely electric.

justusthane 3y ago
That's called "series hybrid", and there are a number of such cars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle_drivetrain#Series_hybrid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle_drivetrain#Seri...
SigmundA 3y ago
Series hybrid drivetrains are worse efficiency at highway cruise speeds. The mechanical double conversion is much worse than a straight mechanical transmission. They only make sense in city stop go which is why nearly all hybrid cars are parallel and connect ICE to wheels at highway speeds. Trains sacrifice drivetrain efficiency in order to get precise traction control to prevent wheel spin and to greatly simplify power routing to bogies. They make up for the efficiency loss with low rolling resistance steel wheels on steel track and really good aero due to long trains cars all drafting.

pjc50 3y ago

I'm surprised I've never seen "trailer hybrids" where you attach a generator to the towing hook. I'm betting there's some rules which prohibit this.

bonton89 3y ago
I saw a guy made one of them by chopping off the back then of an old cavalier, turning the front into a trailer and repurposing the engine as a generator. A more purpose built one of these you could solve the "can't use an EV for long trips" problem.
SigmundA 3y ago
I think it's just not worth it. A Model Y takes about 18Kw to hold 70mph, a 20Kw diesel generator on a trailer is about 2000 lbs dry no fuel and $20,000. I guess you could go with say 10Kw generator and run a deficit and double your range while having to both charge and fill up fuel then your looking at around 1000 lbs dry and $10,000.