Electric Van

[Geek]

As I said, I know people who have had them, whose cars stopped working if one part failed. Maybe their experiences were untypical, but I note that all but one didn't buy another hybrid.

I'm not sure how far you'd expect to drive on a battery-only hybrid that could run standalone.

And the chances of an electrical fault not preventing the engine powering the motors seem slim.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

As I said, I know people who have had them, whose cars stopped working if one part failed. Maybe their experiences were untypical, but I note that all but one didn't buy another hybrid.

I'm not sure how far you'd expect to drive on a battery-only hybrid that could run standalone.

And the chances of an electrical fault not preventing the engine powering the motors seem slim.

Obviously the EV side will only take you so far regardless of a fault or none so I wasn't thinking along those lines Geek.

But why would the IC engine stop due to a EV side fault unless it was one where at certain speeds the EV takes over, which although clever is a bit crap if it can't be overridden when the IC ECU knows there is an IC fault.

 

[Geek]

You're missing the point. A hybrid is an EV with a small battery and a powerful generator.

If the generator fails in any way, it can run on battery, but usually for only a few miles.

If the electric drive fails, the generator can't move the car.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not really, but we're at cross purposes I think Geek

I haven't mentioned a generator at all, the hybrids I have any experience with all have a ICE which drives the car, the EV side is charged by plugging it in.

 

[Geek]

No, that's not how hybrids work. And plug-in hybrids are something else entirely.
They were a tax fiddle: employers provided them to staff because there was no BIK tax to pay on electric cars. Of course, the employees never plugged in at home (to pay to charge) and just filled up with petrol at the company's expense.
The taxman got wise to this, so they removed the tax break and the market for plug-in hybrids vanished. Are they still being marketed?
[Later] Seems they are still being sold! Colour me baffled!

 

[Geek]

I haven't mentioned a generator at all, the hybrids I have any experience with all have a ICE which drives the car, the EV side is charged by plugging it in.

The engine drives the car mechanically, not electrically? Why would anyone put in two parallel drive trains into the same vehicle?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

the Prius is the taxi drivers favourite.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

The engine drives the car mechanically, not electrically? Why would anyone put in two parallel drive trains into the same vehicle?

I'm well aware of that.