Re: Hybrid taxi use, feasible?
There are lots of Prius II taxis here around Vancouver, I saw 5 just the other day on a short trip downtown. Victoria has mostly Prii taxis as well.
As far as heat goes, the battery packs are themally managed, and draw air from the cabin, so if the A/C is on then the battery will get cool air if it needs it, and the Escape has separate A/C for the battery pack that runs whenever it needs to cool down. A battery shouldn't fail nearly as easily as an auto tranny, even when abusive driving is involved, and the eCVT in the Prius/HH/Rx and Escape is probably more reliable than any other type of transmission available. If a company manages to keep a car long enough to kill a battery they are not difficult to replace, we had our Prius I battery removed, serviced and replaced in under a day and part of that time was to let some sealant cure. The main issue would be battery availability, by now there should be adequate supply, even in the used market with car accidents.
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