John F. Floyd looks at hybrid vs. all-electric vehicle technology

This is a two-part commentary. 

Part One: As a follow-up to last week’s article on electric cars and trucks, I have been asked many questions about hybrid versus electric. Good questions and I have an answer on hybrid, because my wife, Connie, has a Chrysler Pacifica mini-van hybrid.  

The hybrid is a car or truck with both an electric engine and a gasoline engine. The hybrid electric engine is charged with a common electrical outlet and the gasoline engine is charged as normal, from a gasoline pump at your local service station. 

The Chrysler hybrid takes about 12 hours to fully charge, and the charging usually happens overnight. The charge is good for 36 miles. Believe it or not, Connie can do her errands for the day before the Pacifica runs out of electrical power. If she has to go out of town, the charge holds for about 45 miles. 

The Pacifica never completely discharges all electrical power because it saves enough electricity to get you started at red lights and other places when you come to a standstill.  

It takes an inordinate amount of gas to go from zero to driving speed, consequently the electric saving feature. Even if your instruments show negative electricity available, there is enough electrical power to get you to 45 miles per hour.  

For faster charging, there is a “super charger” available for approximately $600. The supercharger can be purchased at Amazon or other outlets. 

When the Pacifica reverts from electric to gas, the transition is seamless; you never know when it happens unless you are looking at the instrument panel. I have never checked the gas mileage on the Pacifica, but if Connie never traveled out of town, she would very seldom buy gas. Connie religiously keeps her Pacifica plugged in during the day, which also increases her utilization of the electric aspect of the mini-van. 

I personally like the hybrid vehicle and the technology. When I exhaust the electricity in the Pacifica, I don’t worry about the next charging station for electric cars, I have my gasoline backup.  

Hybrid utilization seems a common-sense transitional means to an end. As I stated in previous commentaries, you can’t mandate technology. Until battery life is improved, and improved with fewer rare earth materials, don’t forget hybrids for environmental salvation. 

Two things disturb me about the transition from gasoline-powered cars and trucks to all-electric go-karts: the cost of change and the loss of jobs.  

The Ford Motor Company just announced plans to lay off thousands of workers to save cash. You can bet Ford’s competitors will follow suit to generate cash to finance their companies’ electric car programs. These programs are focused on the high-end models. The average price of all-electric vehicles is now $60,000 and headed higher. 

The best-selling truck in the domestic marketplace is the Ford F-150 and the plans for Ford are, to go all electric. Prices for the all-electric F-150 trucks have been steadily increasing. Ford is spending $50 billion on its transitional program for trucks, higher end trucks. 

The electric car requires 30% less parts than a conventional vehicle, consequently the need for workers is congruent with the elimination of parts. And not a peep from the United Auto Workers union about the loss of jobs. The UAW is so focused on cooperation with the Biden administration, loss of jobs is inconsequential. 

Part Two: With a new Gadsden administration, I hope secrecy will be eliminated. Let’s start with “Just who recommended and signed off on a contract with an expensive Birmingham law firm to represent the Gadsden Airport Authority? And why?" 

There are certainly capable law firms in Gadsden and Etowah County competent enough to represent an authority that doesn’t have complicated issues. And local law firms would never allow the GAA to go into executive session to conduct business that violates the parameters of Alabama’s Open Meetings Law. 

The Birmingham law firm has already charged the taxpayers of Gadsden $600,000 for legal services, and the charges continue. The GAA board has two serving attorneys, so what is this great need for an additional attorney? 

One council member said the Birmingham attorney’s fees are trivial when considering Gadsden’s annual budget. Try telling that to the new administration. Once it gets into the finances of Gadsden, I am sure Mayor Craig Ford and his newly appointed administrators will be looking for savings in all aspects of city government. 

As I stated in previous commentaries, the GAA could end all litigation concerning the Alabama Open Meetings Law by allowing disclosure of the Steen court hearing. There might be embarrassing testimony for certain individuals, but sometimes the truth hurts but is always best. 

The GAA board should ask themselves this question: “Who stands to lose the most if the testimony is made public?” The answer is obvious, and it is not the GAA. 

John F. Floyd is a Gadsden native who graduated from Gadsden High School in 1954. He formerly was director of United Kingdom manufacturing, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., vice president of manufacturing and international operations, General Tire & Rubber Co., and director of manufacturing, Chrysler Corp. He can be reached at johnfloyd538@gmail.com. The opinions reflected are his own.   

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