On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:47:20 -0000, Dave Plowman (News)
wrote:

In article ,
Doctor Drivel wrote:
You are missing the whole point. It is not a plug in hybrid in the
previous sense.
The engine is not mechanically connected to the drive train. It's
like an electric car but you carry round a petrol generator to charge
the battery when required. Engine runs at constant speed.

Using a highly taxed fuel to generate electricity? Very logical.

Regeneration recovers potential and kinetic energy and stores it in
the battery.

Which has its uses under some conditions.

Must be fiendishly complex, heavy and expensive.
It is an attempt to cover all bases.


It is fiendishly simple, and cheap to run. Mass production will drop the
price to nothing.

And the Pious has dropped to near nothing during its production run? I've
got news for you...


It might make more sense if the whole generator side could be detached and
left at home when undertaking short journeys? At least then you are not
always burdened with that. As someone who lives at the top of a hill, I am
ever so aware of the impact of some extra weight on climbing ability.

--
Rod