RE: Cayenne S Hybrid

[XitUp]

Ed. said:

Sorry, I am not convinced any weight will be saved by not carrying around the extra metal to make a V6 a V8 when you have to carry an electric motor and batteries that can move a 2.5+ tonne car.

Me niether, but I've read they are using other materials to bring weight down.

Ed. said:

Also have a look at US sales of hybrids, they needed to come with an 8 year drive train warranty before people would buy them. Batteries cost $10,000 to replace and that figure has not come down nor is likely to while demand for precious metals needed increases. Who's going to buy a second hand hybrid a day out of warranty?

Still I guess an 8 year shelf life for cars will keep the manufacturers and the taxman happy.

Really? You can get Prius battery packs for $3k...which ones cost ten?

Ed. said:

Added: while some of your pictures are relevant, Iceland's power solutions are hardly readily transferable and there is still only one of those red snakes.

Icelands power solution is transferable to other areas with similar geological conditions.
Just like wind farms are good for countries with windy coast lines but not so much for others. Horses for courses, innit.

[Mr Gear]

XitUp said:

Mr Gear said:

dickieandjulie said:

I believe the reason for these 'alternative' vehicles is an EU directive that a certain % of a manufacturers vehicles must exceed certain CO2 and MPG levels.

I believe you are right. So, as with most EU legislation, it has no place in common sense, and creates white elephants like this.

Most of the advances in car technology are a result of needing to meet regulations.

Stop crying.

I don't disagree with you. If the car industry had it their way, they'd never change a thing. But it appears cars like this are a result of this legislation rather than a logical step to producing rational vehicles that are forward-looking.

Edited to say: And that isn't an anti-hybrid statement... that's an anti-2.5 tonne V6 hybrid statement.

Edited by Mr Gear on Tuesday 24th February 10:24

[sad61t]

Ed. said:

...
Added: while some of your pictures are relevant, Iceland's power solutions are hardly readily transferable and there is still only one of those red snakes.

On a domestic scale geothermal energy can be used in the UK:
EcoHeatPumps

My gas central heating is on its way out, and my neighbours' in our back-to-back terrace must be in a similar state. A communal ground source heat pump for the 6 dwellings would work out cheaper than each of us replacing our gas heating & electric immersion heaters, plus there's the long term saving on gas bills each quarter. It's got to be worth investigating.

Regarding going back to horse & cart, (rhetorically) how long would it take for HM Gov to tax hay based on g/km of CH4?

[Mr Gear]

sad61t said:

Ed. said:

...
Added: while some of your pictures are relevant, Iceland's power solutions are hardly readily transferable and there is still only one of those red snakes.

On a domestic scale geothermal energy can be used in the UK:
EcoHeatPumps

My gas central heating is on its way out, and my neighbours' in our back-to-back terrace must be in a similar state. A communal ground source heat pump for the 6 dwellings would work out cheaper than each of us replacing our gas heating & electric immersion heaters, plus there's the long term saving on gas bills each quarter. It's got to be worth investigating.

Regarding going back to horse & cart, (rhetorically) how long would it take for HM Gov to tax hay based on g/km of CH4?

That's not actually geothermal- it uses a similar principal for transferring heat that a fridge uses. But even so, it's fantastic that it works at all.

[MrTappets]

Isn't this like having low-fat lard?

[XitUp]

MrTappets said:

Isn't this like having low-fat lard?

In what way?

[Ed.]

Mr Gear said:

sad61t said:

Ed. said:

...
Added: while some of your pictures are relevant, Iceland's power solutions are hardly readily transferable and there is still only one of those red snakes.

On a domestic scale geothermal energy can be used in the UK:
EcoHeatPumps

My gas central heating is on its way out, and my neighbours' in our back-to-back terrace must be in a similar state. A communal ground source heat pump for the 6 dwellings would work out cheaper than each of us replacing our gas heating & electric immersion heaters, plus there's the long term saving on gas bills each quarter. It's got to be worth investigating.

Regarding going back to horse & cart, (rhetorically) how long would it take for HM Gov to tax hay based on g/km of CH4?

That's not actually geothermal- it uses a similar principal for transferring heat that a fridge uses. But even so, it's fantastic that it works at all.

No idea what it costs in the UK but they are not uncommon in Canada, for heating and cooling.

[Cuprasport]

Whilst I understand the requirement of Porsche, Toyota etc to produce hybrid cars, suvs etc to meet Government emission legislation etc, from green / Eco perspective I'm not sure it all adds up. I remember watching Top Gear (also did a bit of looking myself) and the carbon footprint for making the batteries was very high. I think it's all to keep emissions down not for Eco friendliness.

We need to look an alternative method of propulsion / energy storage for our cars etc beyond batteries and fossil fuels and remove our reliance on fossil fuels. I for one will keep running a performance car until they come up with an affordable viable alternative.

Hydrogen anyone??

[Mr Gear]

Cuprasport said:

Hydrogen anyone??

OK. But you won't get it to work without a battery electric vehicle to add it to, totally negating the point you just made.

[XitUp]

Cuprasport said:

Whilst I understand the requirement of Porsche, Toyota etc to produce hybrid cars, suvs etc to meet Government emission legislation etc, from green / Eco perspective I'm not sure it all adds up. I remember watching Top Gear (also did a bit of looking myself) and the carbon footprint for making the batteries was very high. I think it's all to keep emissions down not for Eco friendliness.

If Top Gear said it then it must be true...

Cuprasport said:

We need to look an alternative method of propulsion / energy storage for our cars etc beyond batteries and fossil fuels and remove our reliance on fossil fuels. I for one will keep running a performance car until they come up with an affordable viable alternative.

There are plenty of alternatives, they are just not widely used yet.

Cuprasport said:

Hydrogen anyone??

No.