Comments on: Plug-In Incentive

By: Stuart Irwin

Stuart Irwin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:48:34 +0000

I would like to clarify one point: Plug-in hybrid vehicles are already available in the ideal application: School buses. Enova and International developed a Hybrid School bus that can achieve double the mileage of a conventional bus, which gets 6-7 mpg on a good day. School buses have very repeatable start/stop routes and are in use 5 days per week.

By: Jack Watkin

Jack Watkin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:14:06 +0000

An answer for Ron. How do you think we get heat for tosters and heat for all electric homes. Electricity thru heat coils. No need for the engine to heat up before the heater or defroster will work.

By: Jack Watkin

Jack Watkin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:10:27 +0000

As a builder I am already building into homes the necessary structure to incorporate solar panels. How many square miles of roof do we have in California going to waste by not having solar panels installed on them. This is better than covering the mountains and deserts with wind and solar units. With solar homes connected to the grid we can put energy back into the system for use by others and reduce the need for more gas or coal fired generating plants. Tax incentives and rebated will go a long way to make this happen. My next home will be 100% energy self sufficient. THINK ABOUT IT!!!

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:57:24 +0000

How do plug-ins work in the northern tier of states? We need heaters and defrosters and sometimes 4 wheel drive. If these can be taken care of, they could be great for commuting.

By: Jim Stack

Jim Stack — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:49:23 +0000

Check on the true cost of Nuclear, it’s the highest of any power. It uses lots of water , has not place for the waste it has made for 30 years that will be around for 2 thousand or more .

Renewable energy is the best choice and goes down in cost with use.
Plug-in are very efficient, they can even store energy from off peak for use on peak. try that in your SUV.

By: Grant

Grant — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:08:51 +0000

Until we get off the bandwagon of building natural gas power plants, and move to the more economical nuclear power, all we will be doing with these plug ins is transferring the cost from one energy source to the other.

Wind and solar are too expensive as a mass power producer, and require way too much land for what they produce. Sure they are fine for the private user that wants to reduce his power demand at home, but come on.

We haven’t built a nuclear plant in 30 years, but we have built thousands of natural gas ones. In the mean time, the price of natural gas has soared, as has the price of electricity.

If we really want to solve our energy problem, we need to tackle the source, as well as the use. We need to build more nuclear, and we need to drill here and drill NOW!

By: Jim Stack

Jim Stack — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:08:51 +0000

We have meaga watts of excess electric off peak. AT night many power companies dump the excess, that’s why they off Time Of Day pricing.
I’m willing and have a plug-in A123 system due this month. It’s $10K I feel is well spent. It will make 6K systems available in a short time. Like cell phones. PC’s and solar panels they keep getting better and lowewr in cost each year. Lithium batteries will follow this trend.

By: Jim Brandmueller

Jim Brandmueller — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:54:59 +0000

All of this sounds great, provided you are willing to support increased electrical infrastructure which will have to include nuclear and clean coal as options. Without these we don’t have enough electrical production to meet the need of too many electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

And just so I don’t hear it: I doubt the State of New Mexico thinks their state is a wasteland and would be willing to cover the state in solar cells which would be required to handle Southern California’s proposed use of electric and plug-in hybrids!

By: Fred Vore

Fred Vore — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:48:22 +0000

I am ready for an all electric car. I will be willing to pay extra just to get out from under the thumb of the oil companies and all the other greedy ones down the line that like to rip off the consumer. We can send a man to the moon, but we can’t make an electric vehicle.

By: Dale

Dale — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:05:55 +0000

A $5000 rebate would almost pay to replace a battery pack. I have spoken with several dealers and all have expressed concerns about battery life and reliability. Until there are significant improvements, lead/acid is the most reliable and cost effective for energy and potential cost but the weight will reduce economy. Someone please find a solution.