Hybrid Taxis Would Slash Smog
Taxis To Go Hybrid
Jennifer Koh, Red Herring, February 21, 2007
The Cleantech Venture Network said Wednesday it is working to convert taxis to hybrids, in a move that it says could save $50 billion in fuel costs over a decade and slash smog in cities. ... North America has 196,000 taxis, which drive an average of 10 times more than regular passenger cars. “They are the largest contributors to smog in our cities,” said Jim Harris, a managing partner for the Cleantech Innovation Institute. ... Switching cabs to hybrids will save cab drivers an average of $1,200 to $1,500 per month on fuel, he said.
No, actually it would be PLUGIN hybrids that would save energy and $$. So why not convert the cabs to plugin?
I bet the hybrids will be flex fuel too! Right?
The real story? Read about the billion dollar funds raised. Money=power.
In "Who killed The electric car" it was the switch to hydrogen fuel cell hype that killed the PLUGIN electric car.
More mass delusional activity designed to delay plugins? Sadly, that looks to be the case here.
It appears (part of, after salaries and junkets)the billion will go to GE finance corporation to offset higher lease costs for hybrids.
How about a billion dollar plugin battery order instead, to spur mass production. Donate the batteries to the cities that signed on to the plan to buy plugin hybrid vehicle fleets.
Posted by: amazingdrx | February 25, 2007 at 10:03 AM
PHEV do not save energy, the save petroleum fuels. PHEV or HEV cabs and buses would also reduce pollution in the city.
Posted by: Kit P. | February 25, 2007 at 10:24 AM
amazingdrx
Just your own delusion that there is a conspiracy to delay plugin hybrids. People and companies with billions do not spend it the way you would. Perhaps that is why they got the billions and you do not.
Posted by: Brian Wang | February 25, 2007 at 12:48 PM
Kit P
It seems to me that the PHEV does save energy because it goes over 6 times further per BTU on elect than on gasoline. (850 BTU per mile at 4 miles per kWh vs 5700 BTU per mile at 20 MPG)
If you travel say 20 miles and assume that the PHEV is on elect 80% of the miles and gasoline 20% of the miles. At 4 miles per kWh it will use 54600 BTUs to go the 80% and 23000 BTUs to go the 20% for a total of 77600 BTUs. On gasoline for the 20 miles it would use 115,000 BTUs. 115000 minus 77600 is a savings of 37,400 BTUs.
Posted by: barry hanson | February 25, 2007 at 12:48 PM
How you doing on your first billion?
Buy nuke-u-ler power contractor stock! That'll get you started.
"Hotcakes Preferred" as Malachi Constant's broker remarked in "Sirens Of Titan".
Posted by: amazingdrx | February 25, 2007 at 01:10 PM