Posted on 03/10/2006 7:30:45 AM PST by eraser2005
I think you missed the point. Im not trying to convince anyone. People can drive what they want..includin hybrids. I dont care to mock or castigate people because they dont want to drive what I want to drive.
There is not a Prius out there that has needed a new battery after 5 years or 75000 miles. Toyota doesn't even have a single battery failure case yet - and Priuses have been on the market since December 1997, with prototypes running since late 1995. Lets stick with the truth and stop spreading lies about batteries, ok?
Its more money up front and the cost of a car loan (or loss of interest on your money) means there would be no savings whatsoever. If not for the government subsidy, everybody would be picking up an obvious loss leader.
And how many of you adore government subsidy to industry titans like Toyota?
Admit it, you bought it for the same reason my former pastor did. You get to brag about getting twice the gas mileage that everyone else is getting.
I bought my Miata so I could brag about having twice the fun driving than everyone else has.
I completely agree. I'm not bashing hybrids - I think they're great technology, but the truth is that currently their savings are marginal. In 5 years, though, I bet they will be providing real savings and be smart purchases for those looking to save $$$.
Which is fine. I'm not questioning anybody's car buying decisions, your money your call, I know somebody that bought a car a couple years ago whose #1 decision point was that it had to be blue, everybody has their decision matrix and as long as they aren't spending my money I really don't care. I'm just looking at advertised claims vs reality, and I'm waiting to see what the long term reliability turns out to be.
Even deeper in the article is a reference to "partial zero emissions".
partial zero...huh?
You buy a Corvette because it's a cool car to drive. Don't know about the Hummer, but I LOVE driving a Corvette. Getting a Corvette for me was like getting a date with the prom queen twenty years after graduation, and finding out she's still eighteen.
It appears that hybrids, good or bad, are the future and will dominate the auto market at some point.
I wonder what effect that will have on the current automotive repair industry - general automotive repair and transmission repair shops.
Should be interesting.
I agree total savings are most likely marginal - but lets get the correct info out, ok?
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What battery warranty information do you have? The documentary I watched last week on this subject, said quite the opposite and that the battery life, in real terms is not at all well understood.
So whose information is right? I do not own one, and would not until the technology is improved and the price/performance scenario gets in line with gas-only vehicles. Increased battery performance and known life parameters would be a must for me too.
I think (really a guess) that means that when it's running exclusive off the batteries your emission are zero, the rest of the time they're not, somebody probably decided "partial zero" sounds cooler than "sometimes zero".
What frame/body configuration will you be stuffing THAT into? Chevelle, Nova, Monte? Inquiring minds want to know.
My biggest complaint about hybrids is that they look like an escort with "an extra y-chromosone" (a little Al Gore lingo there).
Why can't they make them look more like a Miata, or even a Corvette?
Maybe, maybe not. So far Nissan is still saying they're not interested, that tune might change but until it does you know if you go to the Nissan lot any hybrids you see will be used and from some other company.
I agree. Yesterday while listening to NPR (I know it was the only station that would come in well) they had two stories back to back. One concerning the drought in SW United States which was the result of El Nina and the cooler Pacific Ocean temperatures. The story immediately following that one was about the receding Arctic Ice due to the warming Pacific Ocean? Idiots.
My parents had a Diesel VW Rabbit back in the 80's. That thing would get close to 60 MPG. It couldn't get out of the way of it's own shadow, thus the need for turbo. I would like to see what an in-line ~2 liter 4 cylinder diesel engine with maybe 10 pounds of positive manifold pressure when accelerating could do on mileage. I would think in a sedan, you could get very close to 50MPG on the highway. The boost from the turbo would help with acceleration. Realistically, you could put some propane to it if you need a quicker/wider power ban. Propane would help eliminate the delay in getting the manifold pressure up.
I worked on a tractor pulling team in my youth. You can build a very big fire is a diesel engine with simple household items. :)
From fueleconomy.gov's owner reports, the Jeep CRD owners are reporting around 20mpg city, 27mpg highway, 22.5 mpg combined.
4WD Escape Hybrid (I chose 4WD for its lower mileage to be fair to the CRD's AWD) owners are reporting about 27 mpg city, 32mpg highway, with 29.0 mpg combined.
Seems like your claim of the Escape getting worse mileage than the CRD is false?
Partial Zero generally means that the pollutants emitted by the car are on par with the pollutants from a power plant to produce the same amount of energy.
I'll wager 60 mpg won't happen. But if you look at those links, it looks like 30-35 mpg city could be expected for an Expedition now. Take a little weight off for the F-150, and I could see 35-40. If it isn't diesel, you could switch to diesel and get 40-45. 60 is a stretch though.
That tech looks fantastic to me, but for the near future it only looks applicable to larger trucks. I hope they can make it work...
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