Good discussion. As usual I agree with Doug and TEG, but maybe have a little to add.
I think David made a good choice for his needs.
The “hybrid garage” approach appeals more to me. I like the idea of an affordable, highway capable, pure EV commuter. It wouldn’t be too expensive for most commuters like some other cars I could mention. It wouldn’t need a huge infrastructure. It wouldn’t need to replace most gasoline commuter cars immediately. If it replaced ten per cent it would be a fabulous leap forward.
The big car companies, notably Honda, with the exception of Nissan, seem to be trying hard to create green PR while dragging their feet powerfully. One way might be overpricing their cars, to limit demand and at least get paid well if they’re forced to produce them. For example, the Fit EV uses the already developed Fit platform and the already developed Clarity drivetrain, so it shouldn’t be so much more expensive than the gasoline version.
Perhaps they don’t want to compete with their own gasoline car core business. Perhaps they’re concerned about creating severe CARB mandate problems again. Once bitten, twice shy. Tesla has the advantage of not having that concern, so it seems destined eventually for an important role.
The Volt drivetrain design is theoretically much more efficient than a simple gasoline motor plus generator approach. That’s not even controversial among engineers. And reports are that the Karma gets around 20 mpg on gasoline, whereas the Volt gets around mid to high thirties.
Considering the nomenclature issue, I share the desire for accuracy, but maybe some purists are driven more by elitism, snobbishness, the desire to try to boss people around, etc. I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.
With respect to confusing the public, I’ll offer again a comment by Chelsea Sexton:
“…the bottom line is, the people who are looking at plug-in hybrids generally are not going to buy electric cars.”
“Usually, if someone’s really only gonna get a plug-in hybrid, it’s because, whether right or wrong or otherwise, they think an EV won’t work for them. And so all the purists that are sitting there trashing all the plug-in hybrids are just going to convince those new potential plug-in hybrid people that plug-in hybrids are not good enough and they’re going to send them to buy another gas car. That’s how it’s gonna work. The plug-in hybrid people are never gonna talk the EV folks out of buying an EV, but the EV people will talk the plug-in hybrid people out of a plug-in hybrid.”
Concerning the apprehension over the negative image of hybrids tainting EVs, I’m guessing that most people think of EV drivers as eccentrics who are spending way too much money on impractical cars which require great expertise to nurse along. They see their neighbors and other ordinary people happily driving Priuses in significant numbers, and are probably vaguely aware that they’re very reliable and fuel-efficient. They’re likely to have a much more positive image of hybrids, and I’m guessing that would tend to create interest in and greater acceptance of EVs.
Disclaimer: I have of course driven them but have never owned any Toyota, and have never known anyone in the new car business.
With respect to the big picture of climate change, strategic concerns, damage to the economy, and severe public health problems, doesn’t it sometimes seem odd to see people looking down their noses at a car that is attractively priced, sells in the millions, and has already saved billions of gallons of gasoline from being burned up and polluting the atmosphere?
