http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?...c-us-hybrid.xml U.S. company reveals hybrid car plans SEATTLE, May 4 (UPI) -- The AFS Trinity Power Corp. of Seattle filed a patent application Thursday disclosing the company's new technology for its Extreme Hybrid car. The company says the automobile will run more than 250 miles on a single gallon of gasoline or ethanol. In addition, it will plug into a house's electrical current overnight to run without gasoline or ethanol for 40 miles -- the average daily U.S. commute. For longer trips, the vehicle will operate as a conventional hybrid that efficiently burns gasoline or ethanol. "The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates the average American drives 300 miles per week," AFS Trinity CEO Edward Furia said. Most days Americans drive 40 miles or fewer. At $3 a gallon, this costs about $48 a week for a conventional 20 mpg car and $36 if the car can get 25 mpg. "The most efficient conventional hybrids get about 50 mpg, which means $19 a week," Furia added. "By comparison, the Extreme Hybrid will use less than $8 per week total for fuel and electricity." AFS Trinity says with sufficient funding the car could be licensed for mass production by car makers within three years.
:huh: All you computer types out there.... Does this remind you of the computer "vapor ware" of the software world? Announcements are just that, "Announcements." Let me know when you can BUY one.
Yes, vaporware does come to mind. This may never hit car lots, but there are more detials on this system, and their plans, found here: More detail... A few of quotes from the article: "The AFS Trinity patent filing discloses that Fast Energy Storage technology, including ultracapacitors, controllers and power electronics, will enable the Extreme Hybrid to overcome the limitations of the energy storage components of conventional hybrids and other plug-in designs." "This technology will permit a car to travel the entire 40 miles of an average American's daily driving in all-electric mode, without giving up rapid acceleration or the ability to travel at highway speeds "With sufficient funding they expect that XH demonstration vehicles could be in the hands of fleet owners in two years and could be licensed for mass production by car makers in three years."
Sounds like snake oil to me. They talk about how efficient their ultra capacitors and controller is -- it's the ICE that most determines their fuel economy. The diagram of their system has a traditional tranny in it! Overall, it just doesn't look real to me.
So far, it sounds like the kind of press release designed to interest investors. And that's OK; lots of companies start out that way. The fact that this company is the result of a merger between two flywheel companies tells us something about their likely technology. But we don't even know what they define as a "vehicle" when they talk about 250 MPG. Again, that's OK. Wonder what the total value is of the hybrid R&D going on in various parts of the world. We owe it all to Honda and Toyota.
