Hi Frank, no idea on the
Hi Frank, no idea on the total cost or how its spread out with its partners. It's IBM's show and they're doing a great job at it.
I would say your setup is on par with the best and most efficient turbo diesels with similar technologies. As far as mild hybrid, the auto industry has to look far ahead and anticipate what will happen. Gas price and petroleum deposit uncertainties, so on, so forth seem to point in the direction of fully battery operated vehicles, at least within the next 50 years. After that, I hope someone will have written the Star Trek bible which will be taught in schools and engineers will work on warping time/space with an energy source unknown as of yet, small, light and giga-powerful. On a more down to Earth note, I've been checking out hydraulic hybrid which also makes a lot of sense.
I think an intelligent mix of the auto industry and a light push from government, with or without our tax money (not too much please) is the right balance going forward. We've witnessed how no system can work in its pure theoretical form, whether private of nationalized. It's a myth :)