Ford is on the right track but a lot of it is wishful thinking (for them as a business) since there is a diverse amount of research going on with batteries, charging, etc. I love the idea of really pushing home charging though - this would create competition for commercial charging businesses (ie. electricity stations (kind of like gas stations)) - force them to be more efficient & cheaper (or else not even exist if they can't compete).

There are a few problems of comparing EV growth with hybrid growth.

Firstly, from a user perspective a hybrid is still a gasoline vehicle like any other, except with improved fuel efficiency. So it is not as disruptive a technology as electric vehicles. That may be an advantage or a disadvantage. On the one hand, I see many people on the internet that are dying to get their hands on one, and are very willing to pay a premium price and at the same time live with the limitations of a BEV. Because the EV's are so vastly different, they will get an enhanced 'Prius effect' and easily take its place as the ultimate 'smugmobile'. The disadvantage is that the infrastructure we currently have is optimized for gasoline vehicles. People are conservative at heart, clinging to things that are familiar.

Secondly, the Prius was the only practical hybrid on the market for most of those 11 years. EV's are coming in droves now.

Thirdly, the Prius was introduced when gas prices were very low and things like oil dependency or peak oil or global warming did hardly get the attention they are getting today.

The main problem with automotive batteries is the mythical lithium. The myth is that lithium is the best material to make into batteries. The myth about lithium is that it has the highest energy density. This myth about the energy density is untrue. Per kilogram of fuel or fuel and oxydizer, hydrogen is better, and this is the reason fuel cells keep getting attention and were used in space vehicles.

Plutonium 238, which is not explosive, has far higher energy density than hydrogen or lithium or anything other than a fusion or fission reactor or very rare isotopes.

Pu238 can be safely contained in a steel box and was once built into people inside pacemakers for very long life operation, and a few people may still be using them.

The myth about lithium also applies to fuel cells and Pu238. They all cost much to much for widespead use. Bill Gates could afford a Pu238 powered car that would never need to stop for fuel again in his life. When fusion reactors are fully working they could make large quantities of Lithium triteride which may be more energy dense than Pu238, but the fusion reactors could also make Pu238 from used reactor fuel rods.

The myth about lithium has people believing that electric cars need a long range and fast charging.

The myth about lithium has people believing that electric cars need high performance and fast acceleration in addition to long range and fast recharging. Many if not most people are satisfied most of the time if their cars get them to their destination.

Plug-in-hybrid cars with low capacity batteries and range extender generator chargers are an engineering compromise which will allow cheap mass produced batteries, infinite range with stops at ordinary gas stations, but daily commutes with little or no use of fuel. Sufficiently efficient 5KW to 10KW, single moving part turbines could be engineered by Capstone to burn diesel as cleanly as natural gas on rare occasions when battery boosting was necessary. CO2 is not dirty; every live and many dead plants and animals produce it and all plants need it. Every human also produces it and most US dwelling humans pay for its release in large quantities.

Lead batteries have been sufficient for electric automobiles and trucks for more than a hundred years, and now with innovation are more than sufficient. ZEBRA batteries are ultra sufficient and could be cheap enough in quantity as proposed. ..HG..

Would that price include the $7000 federal rebate?

Does Ford make the most fuel efficient cars in the world as of right now?

ejj:

There's no doubt that the majority will eventually recharge their PHEV and/or BEV at home most of the time.

However, on longer trips or for people working 40+ miles away from home, another type of charging station may be required.

Standardized fully automated Commercial quick charge stations will be required. Many could be contactless or wireless for those of us who do not want (or are reluctant) to handle a power plug.

Henry Gibson:
Fuel cells were used in the Space Shuttle because they used an already available resource (liquid hydrogen and oxygen) and produced a necessity for astronauts (clean water) as waste. You should note that *none* of the proposed fuel cells for automotive use are of the type used in the space shuttle. Guess why...

Pu238 sounds good until you realize production is very limited (NASA is having trouble getting even the necessary amount for their probes) and energy generation is done using low efficiency thermocouples. Using most heat engines is out of question because of the low grade heat produced by it. Once again, noone but NASA uses this form of power because...

If lithium batteries are so bad, how comes all consumer electronics use them? I still remember my lead battery powered camcorder. Just a battery was bigger and weighed more than my current camcorder does. Lead batteries are still used in automotive applications because they are great when you need a lot of power in an instant. Like a starter motor does.

Diesel sounds great until you start thinking where you will get it from. Iraq? Iran? Venezuela? There is a reason for the craze about biodiesel, algae and stuff like that.