2010 X5 35d resale predicted to be outstanding

[Thunder22]

Hybrids that are used primarily for commuting on the highway defeat the benefits of using a hybrid. The increase in "MPG" that hybrids provide is realized mostly in city/around town driving.

High MPG gas or diesel engine equipped vehicles are much better suited for highway based commuting.

[ABMW]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

Hybrids that are used primarily for commuting on the highway defeat the benefits of using a hybrid. The increase in "MPG" that hybrids provide is realized mostly in city/around town driving.

High MPG gas or diesel engine equipped vehicles are much better suited for highway based commuting.

Thunder, I agree with you to a point, in regard to Hybrids, but only to the point that your argument holds true today. It will not hold true within 5 years.

Per public knowledge only, save for the Zebra stuff:

Tesla is releasing a 300 mile per charge vehicle within the next 12-months, called the Model S with a 45-min. quick charge capability. It seats 7-people, has a max speed of 120 mph. and a 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds. The vast majority of Americans do not drive 300 miles without taking 45-min. breaks for lunch, or dinner, etc. That will be 2011 with archaic battery technology. Within another 12-months battery capacities will increase that range DRAMATICALLY.

The Tesla roadster has a 244 mile range. These are purely electric vehicles, I'll grant you. They are NOT hybrids. But, if/when one were to stick a small 40 hp. motor in any of these vehicles, for recharging purposes or for powering the vehicle when the batteries die, you can have cars with a dramatically increased range.

When that level reaches 500-miles, it's game over. We're testing at that level now, using technology available today. That doesn't even account for what's in the pipeline! I almost always limit my driving to 500-miles per day. Anything over, and fatigue takes its toll. Sure there are a few times I've pushed the 750 mark or with a partner the 1,000 mile per day mark. But, never without taking a break to recharge my own body's systems. At the same time, our future vehicles will be recharging, as well. Battery technology is currently growing at a rate akin to semi-conductor technology, with increased capacity, leading to further increases in capacity, etc. It's just amazing what's out there. Some of the technology has been around since the 60s and has been used to power nuclear missile guidance systems, but has now been highly modernized. (see Zebra batteries- you can wikipedia it, but you won't find anything on the current state of Zebra technology, as one very small example)


While 25% of the vehicles on the road may be hybrids in the next 5-years, we're going to be looking at far higher percentage of new vehicles sold that will have hybrid technology built into them. So as individuals trade in their old vehicles, they'll be trading them in for hybrids, regardless of the brand. There's little downside, in fact in many cases there is a performance increase.

Sanyo is currently producing 300,000 to 400,000 batteries per month for hybrids and electric vehicles. They estimate by 2015 they'll be producing 10 to 15 million batteries per month.

When you get into more advanced batteries, such as molten salt based batteries: the Zebra battery for instance (which has been highly modernized) you're looking at ranges of up to 500 or 600 miles per charge. This technology exists now.

Visit San Jose (Silicon Valley), venture funding for tech is all but non-existent right now, unless one has a revolutionary idea. The entire region is abuzz refining these exact technologies.

Unbeknownst to most, the companies that are now receiving venture funds have been around for some time. Their design work is done, but no one wanted to touch the companies, for lack of a market.

The market has since arrived, and you would be hard pressed to even believe some of the ways in which energy is being produced and extracted, if I were to post it here. You'd say I was full-of-Sh_t. There is a true revolution going on, gentleman, and if one had $2m+ to invest, one could be privy to such technologies.

You need not take my word for it, nor do I expect you to. But just observe...the next 5-years will be very interesting for the auto industry, and hybrids and electric vehicles will most certainly NOT mean boring automobiles. In fact, they'll equate to the exact opposite!

I expect this post will receive many naysayers which is fantastic. That way, you'll be all the more surprised as news of these fantastic products trickle out. If you're a true car enthusiast, you're going to be utterly shocked at the capabilities of upcoming electric and to an extent, hybrid vehicles.

[Thunder22]

Tesla CLAIMS 244 mile range. Please see my prior post with the car and driver link that shows their claim is wrong in real life testing.

I'm didn't say that hybrids won't improve in the future.

[ABMW]

Thunder,

You have a point with C&D's testing. I agree with you. But each magazine produces different results. We all know that.

Again, the above are meant to serve as current examples only. Tesla already has mule vehicles that are over the 500 mile range, as do many other companies.

Their current vehicles are truly archaic, and rely upon technology and batteries that have been available for years.

Just like the brand new apple notebook that I'm typing on that cost $2,200.00 and is state-of-the-art, in terms of what's available to the public. This same computer is archaic in terms of what Apple is testing at their facilities about 40-miles away from me, at the moment. In a very real sense my BRAND NEW computer is functionally obsolete.

It's very similar with tesla, and many other companies. There's a lot at stake here, and a lot of secretive stuff going on. For some of these companies the stakes have never been higher, and their future rests upon producing hybrids and electric vehicles ASAP, that are better, cheaper, and more reliable than the competition.

Going back to Tesla, the roadster is old news, even their, as yet to be released, S model is relying on yesterday's technology.

Point being, the range is there now, the cars are being driven now, throughout the world. As to when they'll be released to the public? Very soon...

[Thunder22]

The range isn't there if Tesla gives C&D their latest model and the car realizes only 66% of its stated range.

C&D "testing" was not testing in a traditional sense, it was the writer simply driving from point A to point B back to point A in a real world trip and getting stuck due to the battery not lasting as long as it is supposed to and then being unable to charge it. So the "mags test differently" line doesn't apply.

[motordavid]

OT, (as the orig thread theme was based on a snippet from those geniuses at Kiplinger/Yahoo re-write "staff"), but this discussion on hybrids,
batt powered cars, (the hint at hydrogen), etc., is interesting.

But, back at the consumer car buying ranch, there seems to be a few things most car buyers are looking for: "range", ease of charge/refresh,
long term reliability, price, (as in $40Gs or way under), and where does the energy come from to re-charge...and, again price.

I realize that as tech seeps into manufacturing, pricing goes down, (for most items), but few regular car buyers will line up for a Tesla-like car
with < 300 mile range and a 6 digit or even a high 5 digit price point.

NEway, the hints tossed around in this thread are intriquing, if a little vague and may be too optimistic in terms of real world time frame, but interesting.
GL, mD

[ABMW]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

The range isn't there if Tesla gives C&D their latest model and the car realizes only 66% of its stated range.

C&D "testing" was not testing in a traditional sense, it was the writer simply driving from point A to point B back to point A in a real world trip and getting stuck due to the battery not lasting as long as it is supposed to and then being unable to charge it. So the "mags test differently" line doesn't apply.

Who defines what a real world trip consists of? What speed was this real world trip conducted at, over what terrain?

A real world trip from SF to LA takes you over a mountain range. Another real world trip from LA to Phoenix is almost flat, save for one incline.

Hence, tests vary dramatically. It's the same with gasoline engines. One mag can get 50 mpg in a prius, another can get 42 and complain. We've been seeing that for years.

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by ABMW

Who defines what a real world trip consists of? What speed was this real world trip conducted at, over what terrain?

A real world trip from SF to LA takes you over a mountain range. Another real world trip from LA to Phoenix is almost flat, save for one incline.

Hence, tests vary dramatically. It's the same with gasoline engines. One mag can get 50 mpg in a prius, another can get 42 and complain. We've been seeing that for years.

If you read the link I provided (shocking as it may seem, as I never provide any facts ) you would have answers to your questions. If you need help with figuring out how to click on the link please let me know.

[ABMW]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

If you read the link I provided (shocking as it may seem, as I never provide any facts ) you would have answers to your questions. If you need help with figuring out how to click on the link please let me know.

Thunder22,

You're starting to grow on me, actually. You make me laugh. In another realm we could be friends, maybe even lovers.

Or at least, we could both love our X5s together in piece and harmony on the Island of Maui. We could live off the land and eat fruit together, and frolic in the lava pits. We could do Yoga, couples yoga even, and eat vegan cuisine.

In the evening, you could build a fire to keep us warm at night, and your mighty breath could scare away the creatures that would seek to destroy our otherwise harmonious life together.

In all sincerity Thunder22, I'd like to issue you a sincere apology. If we've gotten off on the wrong foot, I'm very sorry. If I've offended you or taken your words out of context, please forgive me.

It's obvious we both have strong opinions, and I'm sure in real life we'd get along just fine.

The Internet has a way of creating mountains out of mole hills, and pun can be confused for meanness and meanness confused for pun.

If that's the case, and it's my fault that you and I have been dueling, than I apologize to you.

Freakin Pansy...

[Thunder22]

Once again you fail to address the situation that when called out and presented with facts that prove you wrong or you are asked to provide them to back up your wild exaggerations, you fail to do so.

Have a nice day. And please, stop hitting on me, I'm straight.