Speaking of Honda, while poking around looking for details on their hybrid scooter, I ran across this gem: the HSS1170i hybrid-electric snowblower. The HSS1170i...
...combines a gasoline engine for powering the snowblower apparatus and charging the battery, with electric motors for forward propulsion. [...] Replacing the conventional gasoline engine with electric motors allows for computerization of the HSS1170i drive system. This results in smoother forward propulsion and optimum automatic speed control based on workload. [...] The HSS1170i is equipped with a Honda e-SPEC engine, an environmentally friendly vertical powerplant that surpasses US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Phase II regulations-the most stringent in the world.
Moreover, the HSS1170i is the fourth hybrid snowblower in Honda's lineup. They actually make more models of hybrid snowblowers than hybrid cars.
Comments (8)
Wouldn't a plug-in all electrical snowblower make more sense, though? After all, it's something that is only used once in a while and for relatively short amounts of time. It can easily be recharged in between uses.
Posted by Mikhail Capone | March 4, 2005 1:01 PM
Posted on March 4, 2005 13:01
It would seem so to me, too, but I've never lived anywhere it snowed, so I really couldn't say.
Posted by Jamais Cascio | March 4, 2005 1:03 PM
Posted on March 4, 2005 13:03
Would you consider almost all diesel-electric train locomotives to be hybrids then too?
Posted by Kyle | March 4, 2005 1:51 PM
Posted on March 4, 2005 13:51
Actually, I would; I've read arguments that automotive hybrid technology is a distant descendant of diesel-electric train engines.
Posted by Jamais Cascio | March 4, 2005 1:54 PM
Posted on March 4, 2005 13:54
I actually have a "plug-in" snowblower. (It's not recharge-able, but at $230, I figured that was a pretty good price. That does mean I have to lug an 150' of extension cord around, but I don't have to worry about oil changes or running out of gas! (I'm lucky to use it about once every two weeks for 45 minutes or so...but I haven't figured out how much the thing is costing me in electricity yet.)
Posted by Grant | March 4, 2005 2:19 PM
Posted on March 4, 2005 14:19
Here in northern NH, I have an 800 foot driveway (on 4.5 acres of land). A corded snowblower would not work, but his hybrid sounds sweet!
Posted by Michael J. | March 4, 2005 6:47 PM
Posted on March 4, 2005 18:47
I have a high-tech, non-polluting snowblower. No cords, no gas.
It's called an $8 shovel.
Posted by Joseph Willemssen | March 7, 2005 7:31 AM
Posted on March 7, 2005 07:31
I have a free non poluting snow removal system.. its called not living where it snows;/
Posted by wintermane | March 7, 2005 1:36 PM
Posted on March 7, 2005 13:36