[SGVLUG] [OT] Especially for Tom & his Prius.... [my rebuttal, then I'll shut up]

[Dustin Laurence]

On Tue, Jul 11, 2006 at 12:34:57PM -0700, Christopher Smith wrote:

> My understanding was that someone (I think VW) came up with a filter,
> using one of these foam gels, that trapped particles on the way out.
> They need to be replaced every bazillion or so miles, but otherwise work
> pretty well and actually get diesels to compete very well with
> gasoline-powered vehicles (I think they were even talking about getting
> a vehicle to hit SULEV, but don't quote me on that).

I think that's right for particulates, but apparently they still have
enough problems with other stuff to have that one-year absence planned.

> > And advanced diesel hybrid is probably the most efficient city vehicle
> > we actually know how to build.
> 
> Nah, purely electric and fuel cell vehicles beat it. While we can build
> them, there are problems with usability outside of city commuting.

Hmm, well, "we know how to build" means (to me) it actually works with
the same sort of price, performance, and reliability as gasoline
passenger cars.  I didn't make that clear, but it *was* in the context
of "actually doing something" and to do that you need to get them in the
hands of 50,000,000 people or so.  People expect and demand the
convenience and value of gasburners, which is a very mature technology.

By that criterion, we *really* don't know how to do that for either of
those.  Performance is fine on electric but range sucks, and the price
is crazy.  Don't know about reliability, but I might if GM hadn't
decided to send all the EV1's to the crusher.  Fuel cells--price again
is fantastic, and unless they've fixed it recently the cells are still
finicky and not very durable.  Performance should be fine, though.
Range--hah.  Hydrogen storage is just as problematic as durable cheap
fuel cells, maybe worse.  Bill Gates might be able to afford a palladium
sponge based tank, but the rest of us...I was hoping they'd find a cheap
easily manufacturable material that had similar properties, still do,
but I haven't heard of any signs of success.

By contrast, I think we could build a turbodiesel hybrid within
something like the normal automobile development cycle and have a high
expectation that it will succeed.  Right now maybe it's not *quite*
at that point in that no one manufacturer may quite have the right
technology (i.e. might need the electric system from Toyota and/or Honda
and the diesel from DaimlerChrysler) but close enough to make it work.
Either of those Japanese companies could do it if they had to, VW maybe
but I fear their unfamiliarity with the hybrid drive might make it more
difficult for them.

If we allow unusual time or expenditure, *any* of the big international
companies could do it.  You just can't say that about electric or fuel
cell for an affordable and livable car.

Dustin

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