EV/Hybrid Survey

[John Bryan <jbryan@micron.net>]

	I don't know how many of you received a survey from 
Justin Deitrick on Electric/Hybrid vehicles for his work at the
University of Central Florida, I thought I would post my response 
here for others to see.


Hello Justin,

         I'm glad to answer your questions but I have a feeling you
won't like my answers. ;^)

        
> 1)  What are the advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid vehicle vs. an
> electric vehicle?

        An EV is nuisance free, clean, simple, silent and fun. It needs no
maintanence and can't leak or pollute. A hybrid is just like any other 
gas-powered car.
> 
> 2)  In what year do you think approximately 50% of cars on the road will
> be hybrid/electric?

        Since the sport utility vehicle craze is still growing exponentially,
I would have to say something pessimistic like - after all the readily
available fossil fuel has been exhausted and we're all wearing gas masks.
> 
> 3)  Do you think, hybrid/electric vehicles are the cars of the future?

        Definitely, as long as they hybrid portion (if there is one) does
not make use of combustion technology.
> 
> 4)  Do hybrid vehicles stop all pollution eminating from exhaust?

        If they are fuel cell based, or some other non-combustion 
power source then yes.
> 
> 5)  Overall, how do you feel about hybrid/electric vehicles?

        I love EVs. I think gasoline hybrids are the lazy way of saying
we want to keep fillin' up at the gas pumps. At the turn of the 
century, they used to say that gas powered cars were impractical since
you couldn't drive it anywhere...how would you refuel it? Now, EVs are
in the same boat only the power to recharge =is= available, if we can
just change our way of thinking a bit. Electricity is much easier to
pipe around than gas. Another way of looking at this is that EVs with
200, 300, 400 mile ranges are not any more practical than a gas car
with similar range if there are no gas stations.

        I hope this is of some help to you. I drive a pure EV daily and
love it! Also, I shave with an electric razor and would never consider 
firing up a gas powered one and filling my home with blue smoke, not to
mention the stinky, oily spot it would leave on the shelf.

John