Except for the fact that the Prius actually starts at $21k, and has a larger passenger compartment than the GEO metro hatchback, and almost twice as much cargo space as a GEO metro hatchback, and is widely reported to get 45-50 mpg under real-world driving condition, your post was very insightful and accurate.
To hell with hybrids!
- Thread starter countezero
- Start date
*raises hand*How many of you people do a job that absolutely could not be done at home, with a little more investment in current-generation technology and maybe some new family rules about the DO NOT DISTURB sign? How many of you are surgeons, psychotherapists, diplomats, chefs, cops or have other jobs that must be done in person? (Don't tell me you're an auto mechanic, a dog walker or a janitor in an office building: I want to put you out of business.)
I do IT support for seven Verizon retail stores across the Middle Tennessee area. I use my own vehicle (but get reimbursed for the mileage) to travel to out sites. Last week I logged about 500 miles: 788 miles the week before that and I'll probably get about 250 this week.
Oh, hybrids can eat their hearts out.
A couple that bought an '09 Jetta TDI and drove it for thousands of miles, averaged 58 mpg. Let's see ANY hybrid get that kind of fuel mileage.
A couple that bought an '09 Jetta TDI and drove it for thousands of miles, averaged 58 mpg. Let's see ANY hybrid get that kind of fuel mileage.
A more efficient "hybrid" concept is hitching a low, sleek trailer behind a simple pure-electric car (plug-in, hub motors, no transmission and other legacy automotive nonsense). Hauling around a generator, fuel, and extra baggage space is only necessary on the occasional long trip beyond battery range.
Well, me for one. I don't have a lab at home.How many of you people do a job that absolutely could not be done at home, with a little more investment in current-generation technology and maybe some new family rules about the DO NOT DISTURB sign? How many of you are surgeons, psychotherapists, diplomats, chefs, cops or have other jobs that must be done in person? (Don't tell me you're an auto mechanic, a dog walker or a janitor in an office building: I want to put you out of business.
I'm another. I work for a dairy processing plant. I can't exactly do that at home...
A diesel hybird could in theory bet that hands down
Get back to me when a manufacturer actually mass produces and starts selling one...and gets better than 58 mpg. Because IMO, if a hybrid vehicle gets the same mpg as a 100% fossil fuel powered vehicle, the hybrid is still a moot point.
For me, a hybrid better totally shame a fossil fueled vehicle when it comes to fuel mileage or there's no reason to have one, so your little diesel hybrid better get at least 65-70 mpg (and have comparable power) before I would consider one over a Jetta TDI.
And you can't use emissions as an argument either because we've gotten internal combustion engine harmful emissions down to damn near zero.
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
I'm sure the work you do will be increasingly automated with the next generation of technology. New buildings will be wired better and new hardware will have better connectivity. Self- and remote diagnostics will become more powerful and accurate. Increasingly generic components will permit failover to backups that are replaced on a schedule. The need for a hands-on expert will be diminished. If your "support" is merely talking to people, they'll all have webcams, multiple monitors with better resolution, and something far superior to GoToMeeting within ten years.
Nonetheless your average weekly mileage is understandable. But it's equalled by many people who live in the distant suburbs of Los Angeles, Washington and other metropolises and merely drive fifty miles one way from home to office. Those are the people who need telecommuting.
Doctors in Japan are diagnosing patients remotely from lab work done by subordinates on site.
Okay, but can much of what you do be automated so you only have to be on site one day a week? After all, people used to milk the cows by hand too.
What I do requires that I be there at least five days per week. Sometimes six or seven days per week during busy season.
"Starts at". Who cares what it starts at? The one I looked at, which was by no means "pimped out", was over 30k. And the Metro I actually bought was 6k. If you want a high milage car, what's wrong with a Jetta or Mini Cooper? And if you want a high tech car that doesn't use much energy, what's wrong with a Tesla?
And if you want a high tech car that doesn't use much energy, what's wrong with a Tesla?All electic, over 200 mile range per charge, zero to sixty in 4 seconds.
Does it cost eleventy billion dollars?
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
No one except the rich can afford a Tesla, a Geo metro has almost no crash protection, and the Jetta isn't so fuel efficient in city driving.
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
It's $109000. They anticipate their next model after tax breaks, will be more like 50K...
well than lets wait for it.
Mike,
I agree, but they already are. For most city driving, stop and go electric is way more effecient. So the future of hybrids, 40-70 miles on electric only will get 90% of commuters to and from work without using any gas.
Those effeciences can not ever be realized by any gas or diesel engine. The problem for the ICE is that the limits of effeciency are being reached whereas the electric cars due to the advancements in battery technology are just getting started. The future belongs to hybrids which will be a stepping stone to all electrics.
Whether you are charging a battery or burning gas a super low emissions, the gas still had to be retrieved from the ground. Something down the line is a polluter. In the end, Nuclear, Wind, Solar, Water powered electricity based systems are way cleaner then trying to get gas or diesel into every car. Is the truck that delivers the gas/diesel a low emmision vehicle ?
But I understand the point that it has to make from an economic standpoint. Most people don't have a lot of extra money to throw at expensive test platforms.
Hype,
Precisely
I agree, but they already are. For most city driving, stop and go electric is way more effecient. So the future of hybrids, 40-70 miles on electric only will get 90% of commuters to and from work without using any gas.
Those effeciences can not ever be realized by any gas or diesel engine. The problem for the ICE is that the limits of effeciency are being reached whereas the electric cars due to the advancements in battery technology are just getting started. The future belongs to hybrids which will be a stepping stone to all electrics.
Whether you are charging a battery or burning gas a super low emissions, the gas still had to be retrieved from the ground. Something down the line is a polluter. In the end, Nuclear, Wind, Solar, Water powered electricity based systems are way cleaner then trying to get gas or diesel into every car. Is the truck that delivers the gas/diesel a low emmision vehicle ?
But I understand the point that it has to make from an economic standpoint. Most people don't have a lot of extra money to throw at expensive test platforms.
Hype,
Precisely
Wrong.
I'll get back with you when we get the technology to bring replacement pieces of hardware out there to swap out and install.
We already have Dameware; I can remote into any PC in any of my stores, including our Cisco routers, switches and UPS units.
But there will always be a need for a person.
-we have failover backups: it's called PXE imaging. I can image a POS or back office PC with all the programs and patches in about two hours. Disconnect it put it in my car and have it out to the store in however long it takes me to get there. Let me know when we come up with an automated system for that.
-we schedule rollouts for replacing PCs anyway Frag. Whenever one certain model we use goes out of warranty, they send us information on when what store gets revamped when.
And seriously, Verizon has one of the most sophisticated networks I've ever worked with.
If all I did was just commute to work and back (which is about 18 miles one way from my house to our call center), I would probably just get a scooter or small motorcycle.
People who live in an urban area might be better off with a hybrid or even electric. But until electric (and you could even say hybrid) cars become affordable for EVERYONE, and can run for more than 50 or 60 miles on a charge, internal combustion cars aren't going anywhere; and won't be for anytime within the next 20 years.
Those effeciences can not ever be realized by any gas or diesel engine. The problem for the ICE is that the limits of effeciency are being reached whereas the electric cars due to the advancements in battery technology are just getting started. The future belongs to hybrids which will be a stepping stone to all electrics.
I dont' disagree but until electric cars become affordable, I will not support it.
Example, the Tesla roadster should cost no more than about $30K. IMO if a company can't do enough research to make it that affordable, they shouldn't be in business.
Which is why until they do become mainstream AND affordable, no one should be forcing the idea on anybody.