Hybrid Cars Overrated

[Buck]

Here is what Consumer Reports came up with for fuel economy:

Toyota Prius:
CU's overall mileage, mpg 44
CU's city/highway, mpg 35/50
CU's 150-mile trip, mpg 48
Cruising range, mi. 545

Honda Civic Hybrid:
CU's overall mileage, mpg 36
CU's city/highway, mpg 26/45
CU's 150-mile trip, mpg 44
Cruising range, mi. 550

Volkswagen Golf GLS TDI:
CU's overall mileage, mpg 41
CU's city/highway, mpg 29/54
CU's 150-mile trip, mpg 50
Cruising range, mi. 695

For comparison:

Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagon 4-cyl.:
CU's overall mileage, mpg 20
CU's city/highway, mpg 14/28
CU's 150-mile trip, mpg 24
Cruising range, mi. 385

Toyota Corolla Sedan LE:
CU's overall mileage, mpg 29
CU's city/highway, mpg 20/39
CU's 150-mile trip, mpg 35
Cruising range, mi. 430
_________________

By the way, wasn't Tony looking to buy a new car? Tea, did that every go through?

 

[Clocker]

Like I was saying....

"The last thing we want to do is discourage further development and market penetration of this (fuel-saving) technology," Grundler says.


"Potential reputation damage to the technology is a very valid point. We hope that doesn't come out of this," Michels says.

 

[Fushigi]

As a point of comparison to the mileage numbers Buck posted, my 99 Mitsu Galant with a 3L V6 and a curb weight over 3500 pounds (and nearly 90K miles) was EPA rated at 19 city/27 highway. My average is 24-25MPG in predominantly city driving and 26-28 highway.

I'm surprised my car gets better city than a Corolla and is very close to the Civic Hybrid.

 

[CougTek]

I think they were driving like freaking psychos to achieve only 29mpg on their Corolla LE. I drove more than 660 kilometers last week and I put 44 liters of fuel at the pomp afterward. That gives me an average of 35mpg with my Corolla LE. I usually drive 12mp/h above the speed limit on the highway and I accelerate faster than most on the stops when I'm driving in the city.

Anyway, I don't know how they get their 29mpg average and say the Corolla's range is 430 miles. The Corolla's tank has a capacity of 50 liters (13.2 gallons). 29mpg * 13.2gallons = 383 miles. 430miles/13.2 gallons = 32.6mpg. So...

All I know is that I do around 35mpg combined with mine, a 2004 Corolla LE.

To get only 29mpg with a Corolla, they must have burned a set of tires and drive on a cross country trail or something.

 

[Clocker]

Here's more info on GM's strategy:

GM's 3-Part Hybrid Strategy
The automaker rolls out pickups, cars and buses.
IndustryWeek
July 1, 2004
By John Teresko

General Motors Corp.'s 2005 lineup will begin showing hybrid vehicles at retail, but a bus fleet with GM hybrid technology is already being delivered.

What if the nine largest U.S. cities replaced their 13,000 conventional buses with versions using hybrid power plants? More than 40 million gallons of fuel would be saved annually, says GM.

The occasion for that estimate: lasts month's delivery of a fleet of 235 GM hybrid-equipped buses to Seattle's King County Transit Authority. The fleet, which represents the biggest single order for hybrid buses yet, teams GM's hybrid technology with a chassis built by New Flyer of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and diesel engines from Caterpillar Inc.

GM calculates the Seattle fleet's annual fuel savings potential at more than 750,000 gallons, but other benefits also contribute to a compelling case for hybrids, says Detroit-based Tom Stephens, group vice president GM Power Train. "In addition to delivering a 60% improvement in fuel economy, the smaller internal combustion engines used in hybrid systems also help minimize emissions."

He also credits the hybrid power system with boosting the acceleration rate by 50%.

Stephens says hybrid technology also improves operating characteristics to make the bus experience more pleasant for passengers and bystanders alike. "Electrically assisted starts are smooth and quiet, without the increased diesel engine rpm and torque converter noise of conventional power trains."

In the hybrid vehicle concept, the energy released in braking is no longer simply dissipated as heat. It's recovered and stored in a nickel metal hydride battery for use during acceleration.

The operating characteristics of hybrids also permit longer oil change intervals for the diesel engine and transmission because the battery-powered propulsion mode automatically prevents oil-damaging overloads.

The next stage of GM's hybrid strategy comes into play with the 2005 lineup. Both the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra pickups will have hybrid versions. Stephens says hybrid offerings for 2006 will be expanded with the Chevrolet Malibu and a sport utility -- the Saturn Vue.

For 2008, GM will target fuel economy gains of 25%-35% by enhancing its hybrid approach with features such as displacement-on-demand. Stephens says such systems will be introduced first on the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon.

 

[sechs]

Does anyone make a chargeable hybrid-electric vehicle?

 

[Howell]

Does anyone make a chargeable hybrid-electric vehicle?

I think I can see what you are after but even if there was one all of the current vehicles turn the IC engine on at around 15MPH anyway.