You clearly took some time here, so I'll address this. First I LOVE automotive history, and I have no problem with tradition or ornament. Remember, I'm the guy here who writes more about the late 18th and early 19th century steam vehicles than anyone in modern automotive journalism, I think. My issue was not with…

You're right, they don't belong on any fixed-roof vehicle. I am, however, immediately having them installed on my convertible automobile.

Essentially, it boils down to the idea that the less conversions you have to move your energy through, the better. If you have a gas motor, just let it move the wheels directly is more efficient than driving a generator to make power for an electric motor. I'll look into a detailed post about this, with real sources,…