Re: Article: Plug-in hybrid

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote: 
In article <jason-1408051025090001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
 jason@xxxxxxxxxx (Jason) wrote:


CORTE MADERA, Calif. -- Politicians and automakers say a car that can both
reduce greenhouse gases and free America from its reliance on foreign oil
is years or even decades away.

Ron Gremban says such a car is parked in his garage.

It looks like a typical Toyota Prius hybrid, but in the trunk sits an 80
miles-per-gallon secret -- a stack of 18 brick-size batteries that boosts
the car's high mileage with an extra electrical charge so it can burn even
less fuel.


Is this like buying a book-sized battery pack to stick to the back of your iPod so that you can go longer between charges?

yes. and claiming higher mpg when in fact all you're doing is substituting motive energy from gas to motive energy from the electric utility company. once you're outside the range of the extra battery pack, mpg goes back to where it was before, or worse due to additional charging losses.

.