Re: RE: Hybrids (was: Hybrid Escape)

From: Jeff Durling (jdurling@bellsouth.net)
Date: Thu Jun 03 2004 - 21:20:40 EDT


Hehe, yup!! read a big series of articles that were being wrote in
several different places (editorials in car mags (several), one or tow
of the big mags such as newsweek or time, and quite a few online
sources) Anyway, they all were coming to the same conclusion. It is
just a smoke and mirror type ploy. The fuel cell is cleaner burning
which in turn make the consumer happy to have a clean burning car but
on the back end it uses basically the same amount of oil to produce
(some figured it was more) due to the much higher need for electricity
and the process itself lends itself to high fossil fuel consumption.
They may find ways to circumvent that in the long run but any business
is going to aggressively try to protect their interests (in this case
oil companies) so that will not be a primary focus i think. Of course
coal comes into play more here also since it can be used for this type
of process but in the end all the pollutants just come out of a factory
than a car. Nice idea but the back end logistics need to be
legitimately brought forth and looked into solving.

Jeff Durling

BTW, DC announced a few months ago that the hybrid durango was dead,
not due to it being possible to build, but they felt there was a lack
of interest.

On Jun 3, 2004, at 6:40 PM, Ted Wiegandt wrote:

>
> Ahhh Fuel Cells....what marketing...
>
> What people don't realize is that 'wells to wheels' diesels are more
> efficient than fuel cells. Also, modern diesels are getting very
> clean.
> There is a ton of cost in refining or preparing hydrogen. Where are we
> going to get the hydrogen? From water.. that takes electricity..and
> where
> did you get the electricity? Refine from crude oil to gasoline to the
> hydrogen..that takes energy and has emissions. Fuel cells may be zero
> emissions, but the production of hydrogen is not.
>
> Ted
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net]On Behalf Of Jason
> Bleazard
> Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 9:11 AM
> To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
> Subject: DML: Hybrids (was: Hybrid Escape)
>
>
>
> Jeff Durling wrote:
>
>> I am saying I don't think hybrids have a future, i actually do, but
>> only when they get smart.
>
> Just for the sake of discussion, I would respectfully disagree. I've
> always thought of hybrids as R&D platforms, mainly useful for working
> the bugs out of the batteries, motors etc. for fuel cell powered
> vehicles. As a solution to the problem, I think hybrids are temporary
> at best.
>
> As much as it pains me to say so, I agree with Dieter Zetsche that fuel
> cells are the way things are headed, and diesel makes a better
> temporary
> solution. By the time Honda, Toyota, Ford and GM have worked all the
> bugs out of their hybrid vehicles, fuel cells will be here. Then we'll
> see them pulling the gasoline engines out of their hybrids and
> replacing
> them with fuel cells as a power source. That, in my opinion, is the
> main purpose of hybrids, to develop a platform ready to run with a fuel
> cell once those are ready.
>
> Chrysler seems to prefer to put their research directly in to the fuel
> cells rather than fool around with hybrids. I'm not sure which
> strategy
> is better. I know they were talking about a hybrid Durango, and I've
> heard talk about a hybrid Ram, but so far it's just been prototypes. I
> haven't seen them bringing anything to market in any big hurry. They
> ARE trying to bring more diesels to market, though.
>
> --
> Jason Bleazard http://www.bleazard.net Burlington, Ontario
> his: '95 Dakota Sport 4x4, 3.9 V6, 5spd, Reg. Cab, white
> hers: '01 Dakota Sport 4x4, 4.7 V8, Auto, Quad Cab, black
>
>



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