Quote:
Originally Posted by tonybelding
It's also possible that if Tesla did go PHEV, they might be able to leapfrog over Toyota and GM by using a more advanced form of heat engine: a gas turbine, or Rotapower, or maybe even Stirling engine. (I'm sure they'll be closely watching Th!nk and Dean Kamen's experiments with Stirling engines.)
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One of the beauties of Tesla is that they are using the simple, elegant technology and staying away from the really complex things (that also happen to pollute). If they did decide to have some sort of combustion based generator, I hope they would find some breakthrough technology instead of the tired, old infernal combustion engine. Tesla is still a tiny company compared to a typical "ICE maker".... Do they really want to have to hire people who design emission control systems, fuel tanks, and all that? I am sure there are people in the Michigan design center with ICE expertise who will continue to offer it up as an option, but I really hope Tesla doesn't go there.
I hope Tesla is eventually the first to have a multi-spectrum solar panel system actually integrated into the vehicle to self charge. That technology is coming and others have suggested that they will offer it. Sure, cost of new technology is an issue, but Tesla should find creative ways to get inexpensive technology (like they are doing by using laptop batteries) rather than trying to take the easy way of integrating a pre-existing ICE motor.
Now, many of the big car companies have been preaching fuel cells as the answer. It would certainly be preferable to using an ICE, but so far they haven't proven to be viable for a mass market vehicle.