<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Review of a converted 3Prong Power plug-in Prius]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by naught101 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:09:16 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/1 Prius

The problem with the Prius is that it's a beast. It looks so heavy (1.3 tonnes, it's heavier than the average sedan), and its aerodynamics can't be much better than a normal sedan.

The idea is good, but The Prius doesn't get much better milage than most 80s model japanese hatchbacks. What we really need in a town car is a plugin hybrid that's REALLY light, and has really low wind resistance.

Or just more public transport ;)

check out http://www.envirowiki.info, the knowledge database for environmentalists and activists.

]]> Prius

The problem with the Prius is that it's a beast. It looks so heavy (1.3 tonnes, it's heavier than the average sedan), and its aerodynamics can't be much better than a normal sedan.

The idea is good, but The Prius doesn't get much better milage than most 80s model japanese hatchbacks. What we really need in a town car is a plugin hybrid that's REALLY light, and has really low wind resistance.

Or just more public transport ;)

check out http://www.envirowiki.info, the knowledge database for environmentalists and activists.

]]> Comment #2 by In the belly http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:59:31 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/2 don't diss my Prius...

I really can't let the "beast" slur go by without comment!

The unusual shape actually has pretty good aerodynamics.  The Prius has drag coefficient of 0.26, almost as good as the Honda (discontinued) Insight's 0.25 but a ways from the EV1's 0.19 and Aptera's 0.11.  It is quite a bit better than most any other sedan on the road.  Even more impressive is the company it keeps in CdA (drag coefficient*area).

My 1997 Accord weighed only a few 10s of kg less than the Prius, so I don't think the weight is that out of line.  Do I wish it had a carbon fiber body?  Yeah.  I wish lots of things, like maybe my job was closer to the walkable neighborhood of older homes and urban canopy that our house is in, so I could bicycle to work like I used to.

Our 1981 Honda Civic got around 45 mpg, but you couldn't fit much into it.  You have to drive like an idiot to get only 45 mpg with a Prius.  Our longterm average (city and highway) is 51.1 mpg.  Recently I've been careful and get up to 60 mpg without too much effort.

Sorry to go on.  I hate cars--really, I do--but of the choices out there now the Prius is one of the best (we looked at the Honda hybrid options, standard small cars, etc.) for getting excellent mileage and being able to carry an entire small nuclear family.

]]> don't diss my Prius...

I really can't let the "beast" slur go by without comment!

The unusual shape actually has pretty good aerodynamics.  The Prius has drag coefficient of 0.26, almost as good as the Honda (discontinued) Insight's 0.25 but a ways from the EV1's 0.19 and Aptera's 0.11.  It is quite a bit better than most any other sedan on the road.  Even more impressive is the company it keeps in CdA (drag coefficient*area).

My 1997 Accord weighed only a few 10s of kg less than the Prius, so I don't think the weight is that out of line.  Do I wish it had a carbon fiber body?  Yeah.  I wish lots of things, like maybe my job was closer to the walkable neighborhood of older homes and urban canopy that our house is in, so I could bicycle to work like I used to.

Our 1981 Honda Civic got around 45 mpg, but you couldn't fit much into it.  You have to drive like an idiot to get only 45 mpg with a Prius.  Our longterm average (city and highway) is 51.1 mpg.  Recently I've been careful and get up to 60 mpg without too much effort.

Sorry to go on.  I hate cars--really, I do--but of the choices out there now the Prius is one of the best (we looked at the Honda hybrid options, standard small cars, etc.) for getting excellent mileage and being able to carry an entire small nuclear family.

]]> Comment #3 by amazingdrx http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:35:42 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/3 Right arm naught

"...(1.3 tonnes, it's heavier than the average sedan), and its aerodynamics can't be much better than a normal sedan."

It's all that heavy steel to blame.  Carbon fiber, that's the answer.  And ditch the big transmission and over powered ICE too Toyota.

And get aerodynamic.  Better yet dump the Prius and just license the Hypercar design and the Fiber Forge process from Lovins' companies.

US auto companies won't adopt US technology, might as well get Toyota to do it in auto plants here providing US jobs.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

]]> Right arm naught

"...(1.3 tonnes, it's heavier than the average sedan), and its aerodynamics can't be much better than a normal sedan."

It's all that heavy steel to blame.  Carbon fiber, that's the answer.  And ditch the big transmission and over powered ICE too Toyota.

And get aerodynamic.  Better yet dump the Prius and just license the Hypercar design and the Fiber Forge process from Lovins' companies.

US auto companies won't adopt US technology, might as well get Toyota to do it in auto plants here providing US jobs.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

]]> Comment #4 by Adam Browning http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:56:18 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/4 clearly

you could wait for lovins' hypercar. i first saw him present on it sometime in the mid nineties.  it was just around the corner then.  and there are any number of companies with their own plans for super light, radically aerodynamic, magic battery vehicles.  feel free to wait by the showroom floor.

or, you could go with something that is actually available.  right now. as in today.  

Get Some Sun: http://www.votesolar.org

]]> clearly

you could wait for lovins' hypercar. i first saw him present on it sometime in the mid nineties.  it was just around the corner then.  and there are any number of companies with their own plans for super light, radically aerodynamic, magic battery vehicles.  feel free to wait by the showroom floor.

or, you could go with something that is actually available.  right now. as in today.  

Get Some Sun: http://www.votesolar.org

]]> Comment #5 by amazingdrx http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/ Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:30:10 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/5 Proffessor Prius

I argued with "Professor Prius", the official Toyota guy, about this at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair, two years ago.

About Toyota going for a serial plugin hybrid design like the Volt, or GM would take the lead.  He explained that the Prius has a series/parallel drive system and why it is the best design.

Wait or buy what's available?  There is another alternative, holler out to eco-spokespersons about it until they tell it to Obama.

And convert conventional cars to Hypercars the do-it-youself way.  Thanks to the hotrod/offroad do-it-yourself industries (for the ultralightening part) and the fledgling electric car conversion industry, it is possible.

Then there's Youtube to get the message out.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

]]> Proffessor Prius

I argued with "Professor Prius", the official Toyota guy, about this at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair, two years ago.

About Toyota going for a serial plugin hybrid design like the Volt, or GM would take the lead.  He explained that the Prius has a series/parallel drive system and why it is the best design.

Wait or buy what's available?  There is another alternative, holler out to eco-spokespersons about it until they tell it to Obama.

And convert conventional cars to Hypercars the do-it-youself way.  Thanks to the hotrod/offroad do-it-yourself industries (for the ultralightening part) and the fledgling electric car conversion industry, it is possible.

Then there's Youtube to get the message out.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

]]> Comment #6 by cloud http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/ Sat, 06 Dec 2008 09:18:09 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/you-dont-have-to-wait-to-plug-in/6 Give incentives to US EV companies & cars

At a moment when Congress is debating whether to bailout the Big 3 automakers to the tune of $34 billion, one has to wonder why Congress doesnt decide to spread some of the money around to the more nimble, more innovative electric vehicle transportation companies like 3Prong.  
Some Congresspeople, like Rep. Jackie Speier have proposed giving Americans tax credits to buy American fuel efficient cars as a boost to the economy and failing automobile makers.  If these where designed to benefit the smaller EV innovators as well, we would see more electrified transportation on the road a lot sooner.

]]> Give incentives to US EV companies & cars

At a moment when Congress is debating whether to bailout the Big 3 automakers to the tune of $34 billion, one has to wonder why Congress doesnt decide to spread some of the money around to the more nimble, more innovative electric vehicle transportation companies like 3Prong.  
Some Congresspeople, like Rep. Jackie Speier have proposed giving Americans tax credits to buy American fuel efficient cars as a boost to the economy and failing automobile makers.  If these where designed to benefit the smaller EV innovators as well, we would see more electrified transportation on the road a lot sooner.

]]>