Is “planned obsolescence” addressed better by plug-ins, in addition to their superior efficiency?
RD: Not really. Cars stay on the road an average of 16 years. It’s unlikely this figure will decline sharply any time soon.* TH: Could factory-built plug-ins be made to be “upgradable” with respect to engine designs (for a few years going forward so they won’t become outdated like the first generation Prius did)? AF: “Not really. As cars become more computer-oriented and more telemetric, possibilities for upgraded systems increase. Most products get better over time—no surprise there.” According to Dr. Frank, although “upgrading is always possible,” with upgraded parts becoming interchangeable, “you may be flogging a dead horse for a long time.” He concludes by predicting, “The technology of these systems will change very fast and may not stabilize for many years—if ever!” TH: Bush has backed plug-ins. How helpful has all the political rhetoric been so far? RD: He “gets it,” and his support has been helpful. The Department of Energy is now conducting serious discussions, and a new init
