Are Extended Range Electric Vehicles the Way to Go?
Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), or Range Extended Electric Vehicles (REEVs) like the Chevy Volt, may be the up-and-coming, but are they the answer in the high-efficiency vehicle race? The Challenge: Find an alternative fuel vehicle that is cost effective and efficient. The Contenders: the fully electric vehicle (EV) and the plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The Problem: traditional EVs have a limited range, usually 100 miles or less, requiring extensive highway and city infrastructure to support longer trips. The Solution: Integrate another fuel source to supplement and extend the range of the EV. The Caveat: The need for additional infrastructure for the supplemental fuel source. Obviously the infrastructure for gasoline as a fuel source is already established, so that is the logical choice. However, while the gasoline-based PHEV may reduce consumption, it doesn't eliminate the use of polluting, petroleum based substances. You'll notice that I am not even discussing typical