Hybrid..is it the future?

[Lord Voltermore]

As a teenager, I designed exactly such a system but it never went beyond the drawing board. Batteries were so heavy and inefficient but it was a great exercise in future thinking. Who would have thought.............

When I was a nipper rolling downhill on a plank of wood with pram wheels was the limit of my ingenuity. I
 I didnt even bother fitting a soap box.     Or even more low tech, sliding down a pit bing on a tin tray. 

[John Ratsey]

Personally I still think the RE concept has a lot going for it, a true EV for most circumstances but without excessively large batteries yet the ability to do unlimited mileage using an ICE albeit with restricted performance, but enough to live with.

The range extender concept might work well with fuel cells as I believe these are best designed for a constant output and the size increases with this output. Fuel cell vehicles haven't made the news recently and Honda has discontinued the Clarity. I hope, however, that R&D is continuing because hydrogen is one way to store surplus energy from the erratic renewable sources and topping up a hydrogen tank is quicker than topping up a large battery.

[FMIB]

Did not BMW's i3 not have a range extender engine for a few years before they gave up on it and increased the battery size instead?
As for my take on hybrids, they certainly are an interesting option, but they can't be the future as the Governments have already taken the decision that hybrids will be phased out from 2035. The question which I think is still unanswered is what type of hybrid and what emissions will be allowed between 2030 and 2035.
Watching a video explaining the current Honda hybrid set up, its a very interesting engineering design, eliminating a gearbox and designed so that the engine mostly operates at its best efficiency.

Having run a full EV for the past year, its not the future based on the current state of batteries, range etc, but the Governments have decided it is. The biggest issue is the charging infrastructure, time it takes to charge,  especially between 80-100% and lack of super chargers. Cost of electricity has now become an issue as well.
Looking at the selfish way some people drive, public charging equitete is never going to happen.

[RichardA]

Mazda are planning a rotary MX30 range extender model.

[5thcivic]

My E is around 4.5 miles/kwh and my October electricity wll be 34p per kwh (up from 28p now) so that will be around 7.6p per mile.

My Jazz EX is around 56 mpg so far (only few weeks), at £1.60 a litre = £7.28 a gallon, so that is around 13p/mile. (1 litre = 0.22 gallon)

Your sums make sense although I'm surprised by the high miles/kWh you are getting from the E. I assume you are keeping away from fast roads and don't use the heating.

Yes, the E is a shopping and fun car, and never needs to be charged away from home, I'm retired so no commuting or similar. The Jazz is for longer journeys and economy. I really liked my 1.8 i vtech Civic but got lazy with the "automatic" E and excellent one pedal driving, and that after a lifetime of hating automatic gearboxes, particularly cvts!

I gave up stuff for the EX, the Civic had motorised glass sunroof cover, motorised driver seat side and lumbar etc, full leather all round etc etc and frankly the first time I drove the Jazz I did not like the cream interior. However a few more drives and looking into the clever engine system and economy, and finding  criticism of the foot to the floor noise over egged, was won over. It is smooth and quiet, has that big car feel on the road, and is as big on the inside without being as big on the outside.

[PaulC]

"... as big on the inside without being as big on the outside."
 Maybe Honda is taking design tips from the TARDIS in Doctor Who.