China - They Are Building Plug-In Hybrids Already
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On Monday evening NBC News did a piece on China and how they are starting to build their own cars. The cars that were seen on the assembly line looked no different than some 30 other sedans being built by various car companies. But what took center stage was the work the Chinese are doing in the field of Hybrids. They claim to be producing a car that runs for 239 miles on a single charge of electricity.
Interesting if true. Because in the same tv segment was a piece on Obama who wants cleaner cars and also more fuel efficient cars being produced for use in the U.S. No Duh! We finally have a president with a set of balls. We have sat on our asses for some 30 years thinking the oil problem would go away. The government placed no restrictions on the car companies because they were being told that the American consumer wanted behemoths with V-8 engines. We needed power, power and more power! It is funny that the 2010 Chevy Camaro can kick out over 300 HP from a V-6 while getting an estimated 29 miles on the highway.
Both the American and Japanese car companies are finally coming to the party with several Hybrids of their own. But it could be the Chinese who could take the world by storm if they come up with a better Hybrid.
But the question to be answered is this. Would you buy a car from China?
Here is one model from a Chinese company known as BYD:
Comments welcome.
3 Comments
Fort
May 19th, 2009
at 7:17pm
Prius had been around for a decade. No one wanted them till the price of gs hit 4 bucks a gallon. And even at 4 bucks, I still wouldn’t buy one. My 1995 Aurora makes 250hp and returns 30mpg. It gets better mileage and runs cleaner than either of my 2.0L Cavaliers ever did. Our 2007 Impala makes 211hp, and can get 34mpg (if you are careful) and has an actually useful trunk and can carry five people comfortably. And it cost less. I won’t have to worry about the batteries failing, the maintaining a second engine (the electric one). For the same price, I’d rather trade mileage for comfort and cargo than be guilted into a car I do not want and have no need for. Yes, I like clean air (ever been to LA in the 70’s?), getting good mileage (even my Caravan can get 26), and taking prudent measures. But I do not believe that electric cars are the cure-all everyone thinks they are. The electricity still has to be generated somewhere. And last I looked, California hadn’t built a new power plant for at least 30 years. (Still waiting for that Mr. Fusion add-on from JC Whitney.)
Is the 239 miles on flat ground? How did they test the range. I live in a very hilly area, hate to find out that here, my range is only 139 miles instead.
Unless we have a proven track record of the reliability of the Chinese cars and a sustainable power source, I can’t see buying one any time soon.
Allan deL
May 20th, 2009
at 10:57am
Electric cars are a lot better than a horse and they will get much better still. People have been civilized for at least 4000 years. They have been driving gasoline powered cars for a little over 100 years. This binge is probably more than half over. Then it will be walk, ride a horse or maybe drive an electric car.
It is time to embrace the electric car with hope and not to compare it to something which will soon be gone FOREVER.
not important
August 28th, 2009
at 7:35am
where is electricity going to come from, excuse-d, i prefer the horse!