1896 was a busy year: Queen Victoria became the nation's longest-serving monarch, X-rays were discovered, MDCCCXCVl occurred, and the Toyota Prius was pre-empted by a young electrician from the Black Country. Whilst Ferdinand Porsche was dabbling with series hybrids, Mr H J Dowsing developed what was arguably the world's first parallel hybrid, when he fitted an Arnold car with a so-called dynamotor that served both as an electric starter and as a means of propulsion. And when it wasn't doing that, it charged the battery... ... Mr Dowsing's Arnold was built by Walter Arnold of East Peckham in Kent, who was probably the first man in Britain to collect a speeding ticket. Magistrates in Dartford fined him one guinea (£1.05) for exceeding what was then the speed limit for horseless carriages - two miles an hour. The arresting officer, Constable Ernest Gatso, told the magistrate: "The defendant's car 'ad two engines, M'Lud. If 'e thinks 'e can get away with it, 'e's got another think coming." Shame another think took a hundred years or more. Prius T Spirit Self Park
A good read, albeit inaccurate with the B-mode: "Drive in B mode for extra regeneration"... Can't have everything right, I suppose. "The substantial battery makes for a modest boot"...I guess there must be larger boots with smaller battery packs out there...I mean 100 pounds and the size of 6 or 7 bread loaves with absolutely no impact on cargo or passenger space is a damn Toyota miracle...but to each their own. And the interior/exterior remarks are as subjective as anything else about cars. I find the interior to be great...others used to lower quality find it awesome, others used to great luxury or whatever find it spartan. I love the exterior look, some find it ugly. Unique and functional I say. Pretty spot on about the low emissions/high efficiency without performance loss. Might have to use that quote to the naysayers I encounter.
Good read. Makes our local articles look like crap to be honest. The article makes me feel like I'm reading a book and the choice of words is quite pleasing.
