I don't know why Ford isn't hyping their plans for this car. It would certainly get great press !

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/...rt-hybrid.html

Yes, you would think they don't want to sell vehicles. A plug-in Escort, or a plug-in ANYBRAND, are excellent ideas. Why the automobile manufacturers are dragging their feet on plug-ins is beyond me, especially considering that gasoline is over $4 per gallon and climbing. Oh, I almost forgot. Plug-in capability can more than double gas mileage. Those that are holding back from buying the SUV and pickup truck gashogs would come to the dealers showrooms in droves.

They're trying to find ways they can add stuff that will fall apart or make the vehicle obsolete in other ways, so they can make money on repairs and continually convince people they need to buy a new car every few years.

If the car won't break or it's not a hassle to own, people will never replace it!

Toyota plans to add solar panels to its next generation Prius hybrid early next year to power the vehicle's air conditioning according to a Japanese newspaper report.

As part of a complete design makeover, the Prius will be fitted with rooftop solar panels on its high-end models, the Nikkei economic daily said.

The newspaper noted that If it happens, Toyota would be the first major carmaker to use a solar power generation system on a mass-produced vehicle.

The Nikkei said the solar panels on the roof would supply part of the power needed for the vehicle's air conditioning.

The carmaker plans to produce some 450,000 Priuses at home in 2009, up 60 percent from 2007, the Nikkei said

Holly cow that's a whole lot of highbreeds. They just love making all those extra parts to rub together. Keep those revenue streams in service and repairs a flowing. They need to quit drinking the coo-lade in the cooler and dump the ICE.

Yeah :-)

Since they licensed their hybrid technology to Ford, I wounder if they do like Ford does and routes freon (OK, R-134) back to their battery pack to keep them from a melt-down ?

You hit the nail on the head, it's all about money they could easily make cars that get great mileage. I drive a 96 Intrepid with 198.000 kms I have gone
from 25 mpg to 40 with a fuel cell and sensor controllers.

Fuel Cell ? You did an EV conversion with the battery being a hydrogen fuel cell ? Or, the sealed gas tank fuel cell for gasoline ? What sensors ?

You also forgot that EVs pay no road taxes. If you were the governent would you want to give up 44.5 cents of road tax on every gallon of gas. The goverment doesnt want EVs.

One of the associations of state treasuries' reported yesterday that most states are in shock that we are burring much less gas / diesel (49 states charge 10% - 29% higher tax on diesel) so their coffers are running a little dry...

What to do ?

You might think, hey, if we are driving less due to $4.00 / g gas, then the roads need less repairs. Right ? Completely WRONG !!

If the roads were designed for cars, they would only need to be 4" thick and not cost $1,000,000 or more per mile. But, we share the roads with heavy trucks. They require the 12" or more of road surface and feet of road beds.

Even still, most states allow a max of 60,000 - 80,000 pounds for trucks, and many many truck drivers see the 1/10 of the time they get caught over weight as being less expensive than the extra money they make hauling over weight loads. In Michigan we have 120,000 max weight and often truckers are caught with 180,000 or more. These weights cause the damage and wear and tear to the roads, not our little EV or gasser cars. We really should not be paying the bulk of the road taxes anyway.