Quote:
Originally Posted by TEG
So, why does Fisker require you to start the ICE to get full power output from the eMotor?
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Everything Fisker says is subject to change. They don't even have a driveable prototype yet.
All of your statements about firing up the ICE before battery depletion assume a low-power battery (commodity laptop cells in particular). These
cannot survive the heavy cycling of a PHEV usage profile. They
can't be used in WhiteStar. Tesla
must use a high-power, high-durability design like A123 or AltairNano (although it may not come from either of those companies).
Since Tesla
must go with such a battery design, there is no need to run the ICE except when the battery is critically low.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TEG
I guess we will see which wins... The series PHEV Volt or the next gen PHEV Prius. If people only ever drive short distances, and always plug in long enough then the Volt may be the winner. If people do drive more than 40 miles frequently, or neglect to plug in sometimes then the Prius approach may end up with the higher effective MPG numbers.
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It's going to come down to three factors: cost, range, and gasoline availability. The company that delivers the best balance of cost and range will be at an advantage. Any threat of a gasoline shortage will tip the balance in favor of range. A vehicle that has excellent performance (as WhiteStar is apparently pursuing) can justify a higher price, too.
-Ryan