Mole wrote:
I agree - but maybe we're missing the point a bit. When the Honda NSX was launced, it was trumpeted as the first all-aluminium car. We laughed our socks off because it was so heavy but the point was that Honda got lots of valuable experience in developing aluminium structures.
The same might be true of the Prius. It's not that good but it is giving them valuable development of electric drives and control systems so that they'll be ready for when (and IF) fuel cells (or something similar) become viable.
it is true that FOAK machinary is often expensive (and frequently, though not always, unreliable)
It is also true that the roll out of any new technology depends heavily on the generosity of the "Early adopters" who are able and willing to pay over the odds for it and put up with the teething problems
However It is also true that, as in the possible case of the prius, the technology can prove to be a clever but neverthless expensive dead end.(Remember betamax, laser disk and V2000).
Heres what I think will happen with hybrids.
Sooner or later they will be given special Tax status by the government (To encourage greeness or some such nonsense) However, to qualify there will be a special bit in the MOT that states that, where fitted, hybrid systems must function (Like ABS, Its not compulsery to have it but if you do it has to work) the result of this is that when the battry packs die (5-6 years??) owners will either be faced with a huge replacement bill or they will be scrapped! (a bit like a broken timing belt on a 16 valve corsa!) more often than not, the latter will be the likly outcome.
What I would like to see is policies that make vehicles last longer. I may discuss this in a difernt thread
I agree with pretty much all of that and for what it's worth, I DON'T think that battery-electric is the way forward and I'm also sceptical about fuel cells. I think BMW are on the right lines burning hydrogen in spark ignition engines but I'm no expert in this particular field!
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