Fabled Silver Gold Corp T.FCO

RE: Hybrid cars use Cobalt

[idleSpeculator]

"The beauty is that to increase the milage a hybrid can go on electric alone will require additional batteries using even more and more cobalt. I understand the Toyota Priaus (sp) can only go three miles on electric only." Not sure this will happen. The energy/weight ratoon of batteries compared to fuel is extremely poor. The extra weight of additional batteries reduces performance, increase size an reduces economy. Thee is probably an optimal size for battery capacity based on weight, storage capacity and cost. The job of a battery in a hybrid is to store energy recovered through breaking. And enable the combustion engine to run at an optimal rpm (most fuel efficient and least polluting), even when the car is running slowly or stopped. There is no need to run the car for long periods on battery only. Where that is leikley to happen most is in urban traffic / congestion, which is also where the economy benefits and reducted pollution are largest. Conventional cars tie the engine to the drive train directly, and although gears help, the engine is forced to run at a whole range of RPM's which are both less efficient, produce less torque, and more pollution.