Check out the new Ford Hybrid, it blows the mileage of all the competitors away.
Edit: Fusion sets world record
Edit: Fusion sets world record
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Gas Mileage Savings! Hybrid really worth it?
- Thread starter waloshin
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Umm you know any motor can become a generator right? Nothing in the braking system is more exposed on a hybrid than would be on a regular car. The electric motor simply goes from taking electricity to creating torque when you press the gas pedal, to taking torque and generating electricity when you brake.
Wow! What they did in this article is indeed impressive. It definitely shows, as others have stated in the thread, that your quickest and biggest "bang for the buck" is to change your driving habits.
An electric motor powered by a battery, charging the battery...sounds incredibly wasteful.
Just the same, the act of braking is also used to charge the battery (without the motor). I'm talking about long-term effects of brakes getting wet, since there's an interface that uses an electrical connection to recover energy to charge the battery.
A typical car's brakes get wet also, but they aren't charging the batteries with the brakes.
I'm not sure you understand regenerative braking. The brakes don't do any of the work. The computer along with the electric motor does. And its not wasteful, quite the opposite, its getting back energy that would otherwise be lost to your braking pads.
The is no regenerative-specific anything on the wheels. The wheels are, and behave, as they would on any other car.
Hybrids do carry a premium, but I can tell you just looking at your numbers that it is not as big as you claim. You're comparing a Fit LX to a loaded Insight. A fairer comparison would be an Insight LX ($23 900) to a Fit LX Automatic ($18 580). Still a big difference, and not a perfect comparison (e.g. the Fit LX comes with alloy wheels, the Insight with steel wheels), but more logical than comparing a loaded Insight with a mid-level Fit.
FWIW, I find small cars better value than hybrids, too. I recently bought an 09 Fit, and although the Insight gets better mileage, it is not worth the price premium and other compromises (i.e. no manual transmission available, lousy driving dynamics).
FWIW, I find small cars better value than hybrids, too. I recently bought an 09 Fit, and although the Insight gets better mileage, it is not worth the price premium and other compromises (i.e. no manual transmission available, lousy driving dynamics).
it's only worth it if you keep the car a long time. like over 6 years. eventually you'll make the money back
As others have noted, the return on a hybrid will be determined primarily by the type of driving you do, as well as whether there are tax incentives to help offset the initial cost.
If you do not do the bulk of your driving in low-speed conditions, forget it. If you do most of your driving at speed on the freeway, you'd do better to get a Fit or a Yaris if you're looking to keep your gas costs down along with your vehicle costs. If you're willing to shell out a few more dollars for a more efficient powerplant, look into the VW diesels (although from what I've seen the new Jetta TDI doesn't get anywhere near the claimed 44mpg).
Hybrids are only a good deal as an around-town car, or if you spend most of your time stopped on the freeway.
If you do not do the bulk of your driving in low-speed conditions, forget it. If you do most of your driving at speed on the freeway, you'd do better to get a Fit or a Yaris if you're looking to keep your gas costs down along with your vehicle costs. If you're willing to shell out a few more dollars for a more efficient powerplant, look into the VW diesels (although from what I've seen the new Jetta TDI doesn't get anywhere near the claimed 44mpg).
Hybrids are only a good deal as an around-town car, or if you spend most of your time stopped on the freeway.
very good point! high speeds are not good for getting good mileage, in any car, but especially not good for a car that's not meant to go that fast (hybrids)
In my experience with a Prius, I found that the two conditions that most affected my gas mileage were: my driving habits and weather.
Adjusting my driving habits to be a little less, err, aggressive yielded amazing results. And in the winter, my mileage takes a dive.
Currently, my temperature-based averages are:
Colder weather (winter, fall): 48 miles/gallon
Warmer weather (spring, summer): 53 miles/gallon
EDIT: To note something interesting though, I used to do strict highway driving for my commute. I've since moved, and now I do only city driving. My mileage has actually fallen...
Adjusting my driving habits to be a little less, err, aggressive yielded amazing results. And in the winter, my mileage takes a dive.
Currently, my temperature-based averages are:
Colder weather (winter, fall): 48 miles/gallon
Warmer weather (spring, summer): 53 miles/gallon
EDIT: To note something interesting though, I used to do strict highway driving for my commute. I've since moved, and now I do only city driving. My mileage has actually fallen...
It makes sense than it has fallen in comparison to your high way driving. The advantage you have over a non hybrid car in the city is still much larger than the one you have over a non hybrid car on the high way though.
It makes sense than it has fallen in comparison to your high way driving. The advantage you have over a non hybrid car in the city is still much larger than the one you have over a non hybrid car on the high way though.
I've always thought though that highway driving chugs more gas than city driving.
Perhaps I've had to compensate in aggressiveness for city driving. Boston is evil that way.
I've always thought though that highway driving chugs more gas than city driving.
Perhaps I've had to compensate in aggressiveness for city driving. Boston is evil that way.
Driving equal periods of time on the high way and in the city would probably result in more fuel burned on the high way. You would have also traveled a much further distance though.
So while you are burning fuel faster, it is more efficient.
I've always thought though that highway driving chugs more gas than city driving.
Perhaps I've had to compensate in aggressiveness for city driving. Boston is evil that way.
there's a reason the sticker usually has a higher number for the highway mileage.
Mine was the other way around.
I've been puzzling for a while over it.
EDIT: http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p241/solarkismet/blog/Prius_WindowSticker_classic.jpg
City: 52
Highway: 45
Yes?
Have you driven a hybrid? I'm just curious. I thought the same thing, but I got one as a rental car this past weekend (a Prius). I was, frankly, extremely impressed with the car, and I'm a guy who likes a V6! I drove it in a variety of situations (350 miles, around town, highway, and in traffic jams). It was very drivable. And when I hammered the accelerator it was far more responsive than I had anticipated. It took some getting used to, but once I did, I found it was every bit as drivable as an automatic gas Civic or Corolla.
It depends on the type of city driving. Stop and go with traffic lights and such still burns a lot of gas in a hybrid. Why? Because you usually hit the accelerator somewhat hard at a light to get back up to speed, so the gas engine comes on pretty quick. Where the hybrid shines is the low speed traffic jam type travel, where all travel is between 0 and 20mph and acceleration is slow. I was stuck in such a traffic jam on an interstate (accident), and I got 99.9mpg during that period in the Prius - it basically ran on electric the whole time.
I got 45-50mpg average with the Prius on my trip. I find that impressive, as its at least a 10mpg advantage over most automatic transmission all-gas economy cars (and a 15-30mpg advantage over my V6
)
I agree. My acceleration with the Prius was much more responsive than originally anticipated; however, I'll still say that even though I was pleasantly surprised, I still found myself trying to get on the highway where all the cars were going about 75 MPH screaming, "MERGE PRIUS, MERGE!!!" I heard it's even better with the newer models too.
Ahhh, that could be it then. My city driving involves a lot of traffic lights. Good to know, thanks!
Love my Prius
I am a proud owner of a a 2008 Prius. I was very skeptical at first. On average I use 4.5 L for every 100KM. I think this is a much better way to look at it (sorry not SI people).
Most cars do not give you real world on the go consumption rate. Since my prius used slightly more than Toyota said, I will assume that a regular car will too.
The Toyota Corolla is rated at 9.4L (assume 10L for real world) for every 100KM. Say you only use the car for 100,000 KM, and gas cost you $1 per litre and gas price remained constant.
You would save $5.5 for every 100KM, $5500 for ever 100,000KM. That
In order to compare Apples to Apples, I think a Corolla would be more than fair, same company, roughly same size, and it would have to be an automatic with similar features.
MRSP for Toyota Corolla LE $24,500
MRSP for Toyota Prius $27,100
After a 100,000KM you have well saved the money. This does not factor rebates and such. Also the Prius is a joy to drive, I get speeds of 150KM an hour on the highway and its so quiet. I love this car.
Last, I would like to add that Toyota has the only real hybrid technology which combines both motors in synergy.
I am a proud owner of a a 2008 Prius. I was very skeptical at first. On average I use 4.5 L for every 100KM. I think this is a much better way to look at it (sorry not SI people).
Most cars do not give you real world on the go consumption rate. Since my prius used slightly more than Toyota said, I will assume that a regular car will too.
The Toyota Corolla is rated at 9.4L (assume 10L for real world) for every 100KM. Say you only use the car for 100,000 KM, and gas cost you $1 per litre and gas price remained constant.
You would save $5.5 for every 100KM, $5500 for ever 100,000KM. That
In order to compare Apples to Apples, I think a Corolla would be more than fair, same company, roughly same size, and it would have to be an automatic with similar features.
MRSP for Toyota Corolla LE $24,500
MRSP for Toyota Prius $27,100
After a 100,000KM you have well saved the money. This does not factor rebates and such. Also the Prius is a joy to drive, I get speeds of 150KM an hour on the highway and its so quiet. I love this car.
Last, I would like to add that Toyota has the only real hybrid technology which combines both motors in synergy.
Yes. You get better mileage in the city because you're using only the electric engine at low speeds.
Taxi fleets, pizza delivery vehicles, FedEx trucks -- those are the kind of vehicles that would benefit most from hybrid technology. Lots of low-speed, stop-and-go driving in a city setting. Lots of time spent with the motor on but the wheels not turning -- like at a stoplight or dropping off a package.
If you're going to drive two miles to the freeway, then put 30 miles on at freeway speed before you go another mile or two to work or shopping or whatever, then you're better off getting a clean diesel; or just a small, efficient, gas engine car.
If you really wanted to be eco-friendly, you could "reuse" (remember, reduce, reuse, recycle) one of those older Mercedes diesels, and run it on vegetable oil. Bit more of a PITA, but if you work it right, your fuel could be free. And smell like donuts. And who wouldn't want a car that smelled like donuts?
With the way prices are right now, based on Hybrids being fairly new and the technology not really being mass produced (ie cost efficent) you should aim to buy the hybrid to reduce your use of gas, not save money.
A Prius will do better than a Corolla but will cost more and the fuel economy gains over the Corolla aren't amazing, they definately exist, but it won't be like switching from an SUV to a hybdrid sedan.
A lot of the decision comes down to what sort of driving you do, if you are stuck in peak hour stop/go <20mph traffic most of the time then you can probably do very well with most hybrids. If you are cruising the highways all day then maybe not so much as a lot of cars can easily get 30mpg highway without trying, the V6s GM puts in their cars can do 31-32mpg no issue as once the vehicle is moving you dont require as much energy to keep it moving, as opposed to stop/go traffic when you need to get the the 3-4500lbs of bulk moving every few seconds.
Depending on your exact needs you could probably do well with a used Civic or similar as the initial cost isn't all that high and the difference between the purchase prices = gas money for the Civic. It will also depend on what incentives are available in your area, if there are any government rebates on hybrids, etc etc, a lot of local factors we can't touch on.
Wanting to save gas? Hybrid all the way.
Wanting to save $$$? Your experience may vary.
A Prius will do better than a Corolla but will cost more and the fuel economy gains over the Corolla aren't amazing, they definately exist, but it won't be like switching from an SUV to a hybdrid sedan.
A lot of the decision comes down to what sort of driving you do, if you are stuck in peak hour stop/go <20mph traffic most of the time then you can probably do very well with most hybrids. If you are cruising the highways all day then maybe not so much as a lot of cars can easily get 30mpg highway without trying, the V6s GM puts in their cars can do 31-32mpg no issue as once the vehicle is moving you dont require as much energy to keep it moving, as opposed to stop/go traffic when you need to get the the 3-4500lbs of bulk moving every few seconds.
Depending on your exact needs you could probably do well with a used Civic or similar as the initial cost isn't all that high and the difference between the purchase prices = gas money for the Civic. It will also depend on what incentives are available in your area, if there are any government rebates on hybrids, etc etc, a lot of local factors we can't touch on.
Wanting to save gas? Hybrid all the way.
Wanting to save $$$? Your experience may vary.
