TZUTC: -0800   
   MSGID: 2196.consprcy@1:218/700 2ddccad3   
   REPLY: 2051.consprcy@1:2320/105 2ddca763   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Win32 master/4fa2ba380 Dec 13 2025 MSC 1944   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.33-Win32 master/4fa2ba380 Dec 13 2025 MSC 1944   
   BBSID: REALITY   
   CHRS: CP437 2   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   -=> Rob Mccart wrote to KURT WEISKE <=-   
      
    KW> Yes. I had a plug-in Prius. I'd charge it at home on a 110 volt plug   
     > and be able to go to the store on electric, pick up kids from school,   
     > and so forth. When the charge drops, you're essentially driving a   
     > regular hybrid car.   
      
    RM> How long would it take to charge it up on a regular 110 volt system?   
      
    About 4 1/2 hours on a plain old 110v plug.   
      
    RM> They had a story on the electric cars and one thing that came out   
    RM> was that they are not as efficient to run as they often claim.   
    RM> They are a little cheaper than gas if you charge them at home   
    RM> but if you use the fast chargers the cost goes up enough to be   
    RM> higher than using gas for the same trip   
      
    With my BMW, when I first got it, I found a home utility rate plan that   
    dropped the overnight price of electricity, and it was cheaper charging   
    at home than buying gas. Our rates went up 15% in a year (gotta keep   
    those shareholders happy!) and the calculus changed.   
      
    Charging at work ended up costing about as much as gas, because they   
    were charging more for power.   
      
    I missed my first gig at this company - we sold hybrid battery electric   
    solar systems, essentially a smart battery/solar combo that would   
    figure out whether to sell power back to the utility, run off of solar,   
    or charge the batteries, based on historical usage and weather   
    forecasting.   
      
    We had 4 free chargers as a nice perk, running off of one of our own   
    systems.   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
    .   
      
    KW> Drive down a big hill and you'd get a couple of miles of "free"   
     > electric range.   
      
    RM> That much?..  That's something..   
      
    KW>Another interesting design is the Volvo VC90, a full-sized SUV. It   
     >started out as an AWD gas car. They took out the rear differential,   
     >replaced it with an electric motor, and put the batteries in the   
     >driveshaft hump. The gas engine drives the front wheels, the electric   
     >drives the rear.   
      
    KW>You can drive all electric, blended, or all gas. I wonder how they   
     >handle the change in handling going from rear to front wheel drive?   
      
    RM> That's quite the thing.. I don't know you'd notice much difference   
    RM> switching from front wheel drive to rear wheel drive unless you were   
    RM> really pushing the performance or on slippery roads.   
      
    RM> The only real difference I notice is when trying to get out if   
    RM> you're trying to avoid being stuck in the snow..    B)   
      
    RM> I Much prefer rear wheel drive for high performance cars though.   
    RM> I had a 575hp Chevelle SS and you could use spinning the rear   
    RM> tires to help steer the car through tight corners and such..   
    RM> I suppose along those same lines, if you didn't know what you   
    RM> were doing, those spinning wheels might also steer you where   
    RM> you Don't want to go..     B)   
      
    RM> ---   
    RM>  * SLMR Rob  * * Make a cat float?  You need a blender and ice cream...   
    RM>  * Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)   
       
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