Are plug-in hybrids the future of american transportation?

Question

The Volt will cost $35,000 because the battery integrated into it costs $12,000. You'll be able to drive 40miles per charge. If the price of gas is high enough then there will be a big market for the Volt. Toyota is planning to release a plug-in hybrid in 2010, but it will only get 7miles per charge...

Most americans do not spend $35,000 on a vehicle. It will probably be at least 10years before the Volt is affordable for most americans.

Answer 1

I think non-plug in Hybrids are the way to go. My mother just bought one about a month ago, and it's amazing. She bought the Prius... and she buys 50% less gas! Now, yes, it is on the pricier side ($42,000), but the Canadian government gives us a rebate of $1000-1500, I believe, because of its eco-friendliness.

And the savings on gas will eventually catch up to provide even more savings!

The things we do to our planet are so greedy...so I hope that the 1st-world countries really make a shift in the next 10-20 years to take care of our planet.

Answer 2

I think so.  Plug-ins are great because they use electricity generated far away by either a Mirant coal fired plant or a Calpine NG plant.  The emissions are not made in your area!

Answer 3

For now I believe so. There is a lot of research/ testing going into fuel cell battery's, and from what I have heard they have been proving very reliable/durable.  I am hoping the cost will drop soon. The power companies are doing there best to build a new power grid to accommodate the all the power demands in the up coming years, that is why the increase in cost. The public will not look at nuke power as green cus of past history, but times have changed and we now can break down the waste chemically back to a neutral state. Wind, Hydro, are fine but the increase in population and demand is growing faster than we all have planned for.

So People stop making baby's!!!!!!! :)

Answer 4

don't forget, the rates for Elec. are going through the roof,  The rates in CA are going up by 28% because of the drought and the water that runs the hydroelectric dams is so low.

We may just be digging a bigger hole.

Answer 5

No I think fully electric vehicles are the future of transportation.  Electric vehicles are simply more efficient than gas vehicles because electric motors are ~90% efficient (internal combustion engines are around 25% efficient).  Plus electric vehicles will last longer and have lower maintenance costs because they have roughly 10% of the parts that a gas vehicle has.

The more a vehicle relies on electric storage and less on gasoline, the better it will be.  The only benefit of plug-in hybrids is that they have longer range, but as battery technology improves, it will negate that advantage.  ZENN is already developing an EV with 250 mile per charge range in 2009 (see link below).

In the short-term electric vehicles will cost more than gas vehicles, but that will change as the battery technology continues to improve, and as more of them are made.