My New TV

Offgrid: Thanks for the links. I had not heard of the VW hybrid.

StephenH, I fully agree that in your case ev's are not ready. Nor in mine when I tow. But around 60% of American families have more than one vehicle, and about 1/3 have 3 or more. Not all of those families could consider one of those vehicles being an ev, but most could. That is an enormous market and would absorb the ev manufacturing capacity for years. It would also accelerate the deployment of fast chargers which would in turn improve the acceptance of ev's to more and more people. It took what maybe 50 years to build out the fuel service infrastructure we have now? 

In my case for example, there isn't any reason why I couldn't swap my Prius for an ev. I really like the idea of never stopping at a gas station (especially during Covid) and came close to swapping it for a Chevy Bolt this year ( I'm not personally considering a Tesla just 'cause). The terrible seats got me, I have a bad back. What's with GM anyway?  They make a great little car in almost every way and then cheap out on one little thing....That is supposed to be fixed for next year, we'll see. 

A diesel/electric hybrid, like a gas/electric hybrid like my Prius, is still an ICE vehicle, just a more efficient one. There is the Highlander Hybrid, which I think several members tow their rPods with, but it is only rated for 3500 lbs vs 5000 for my gasser, not sure why. 

I doubt that a Hi Hi is going to show much improvement in  fuel economy over the conventional V6 version while towing because the hp requirements are going to keep the ICE running pretty much all the time. Hybrids gain much of their efficiency by shutting off the ICE when hp requirements are low, and by regen braking. So most of the benefit comes in city driving (I get 45-50 mpg in the Prius whether I'm in town, on country roads, or on the freeway). Most hybrids also get improved efficiency by operating as Atkinson cycle engines which give them a longer expansion stroke than compression stroke at the expense of power density (which is made up for via the electric motor). I think the Hi Hi has a regular Otto cycle ICE. 

A diesel electric hybrid probably offers less improvement advantages than a gas/electric one does.

Even so, VW was heading that way before the infamous dieselgate scandal killed their diesel business. They even reached limited production on this 260 mpg baby. Can't tow much with it though...

mjlrpod, not forever but probably you'd gain a few years if it came down to a choice between a daily dose of artery putty (big mac and fries) and a daily trip to that salad bar.

Offgrid, You make a valid point about viability of alternatives to ICE powered vehicles. In some circumstances such as short distances, battery operated vehicles may be perfectly suitable. However, for long-haul towing like we have done, I don't see it as viable yet. That may change some day. However, charging will have to be made more friendly to those towing. The way most of them I have seen are set up, they are around the perimeter of a parking lot. One would need to unhitch and drive over for a charge, then re-hitch in order to get back on the road. That is impractical. One can't pull in hitched without blocking other charging stations or parking spaces. I can pull into a gas pump while hitched up with no problems.

This is a UK site, but it does point some of these things out. https://www.practicalcaravan.com/advice/switched-on-towing-electric-tow-cars

A Diesel-electric hybrid might be practical if the Diesel is being used to generate electricity for the motive force like in train engines with batteries for short distance use. If the Diesel (or gasoline) engine could then be run at a constant speed, it would likely simplify the emissions controls over an engine that has to control emissions over a wide range of engine speeds and loads.

Is that silly or what? Well...maybe it is....cuz it's designed to put money in the government wallet, but maybe it isnt so silly when you think about all the rain runoff and the expensive infrastructure built to handle it. 

But my primary concern is that the roads, bridges, tunnels, gutters, intersection controls, etc etc are generally paid for (to one extent or another, directly or indirectly) thru motorfuel taxes. 

EV owners dont pay those when they plug in to the home EV charger or pull the 'rope starter'...I mean click 'START' on the app, and head over to grandma's house or uptown to the nice trendy bistro where they can pat each other on the back for doing their fair share of reducing carbon footprints or whatever.

But they sure dont mind driving on roads and highways and streets that are being paid for by the 'ICE' vehicles they seem to abhor...some of them do, anyway.

I'm not being political either, but fair is fair. Time to figure this out...and trust me, they WILL.