Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell James
Trying to define something new into older classifications is just going to result in semantics arguments.
How about going with what the manufacturer is calling it - an Extended Range Electric Vehicle. And what gives you the extended range - a gas engine.
The debates are entertaining, but pointless. It's new, doesn't fit the exact criteria of past vehicle types, so they started a new one.
Those that don't think it's an electric vehicle, have never driven it. A neighbor of mine is a GM engineer and has been bringing one home for about a month and has let me drive it. When driving this car, there is no doubt you are driving an electric vehicle.
If someone has a tizzy because it also has a gas engine, they are missing the whole point of the huge advantage of Extended Range. I'd love to see someone drive one, and get out and say - yup I was right that is not an electric vehicle.
This Ottowa journalist summed it up perfectly. And it looks like from an actual drive, instead of internet semantics debates.
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I'd love to drive one. But how a vehicle drives has nothing to do with its classification. Nor does how you use it. What a car is is determined by its design and engineering. Definitions like EV and hybrid are fairly concrete. Its not as if we're debating muscle car vs sports car. Electric cars are electricity only. Hybrids use 2 power sources, typically gas+electric. The Volt is obviously designed as a hybrid by virtue of its range extending gas engine. That said, its an excellent hybrid. Its a better car than any electric vehicle
because its a hybrid. Calling it an EV diminishes what it is.